PC Replacement Planning: Support for Windows 10 Ends in 2025

Published: April 17, 2019

Updated: January 23, 2025

The saying “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” is a well-known American expression about frugality, attributed to T. Bertram Lance, the director of the Office of Management and Budget under President Jimmy Carter in 1977. Unfortunately, many small business owners take this advice too literally when it comes to their network computers. However, having a PC replacement plan is crucial for business success and can often mean the difference between thriving and failing. 

The modern computerized point-of-sale (POS) system didn’t emerge until the mid-1970s. Therefore, Lance’s popular phrase likely referred more to mechanical equipment like trucks, tractors, and forklifts. While POS computers may not perform the rugged tasks of delivering goods or hoisting bulky building materials, they handle much of the heavy lifting that supports a business. 

Retail business networks often run nonstop for eight to twelve hours a day, five to seven days a week. In today’s retail environment, where many stores operate online as well as in-store, servers run all night too, managing everything from ordering and inventory to final sales and delivery. 

PC Replacement Plans Are Good Business

The accepted standard for business PC replacement is three to five years. A study by Microsoft of business computer users in Australia and New Zealand found that the optimal age to replace a business PC is no more than four years. Computers older than those are twice as likely to experience performance issues or catastrophic failure. 

PCs older than four years: 

Have twice the downtime as computers less than three years old. Downtime can cost a small business up to $10,000 an hour.

Experience three times as many security breaches. Older computers often can't be updated with the latest security patches. Microsoft will end support for Windows 10 on October 14, 2025.

The study also estimated that keeping computers beyond their effective life can cost a business an average of over $2,700 per device, often more than the cost of replacing two PCs. 

“If you think about your business computer as your link to profitability, you would probably replace them more often. Your business relies on this equipment. It’s kind of funny. People will go out and spend $60,000 or more on a new pickup, but they hesitate at investing $1,100 on a new PC. They use those computers all day and they use them every day for years. Some people get crazy if a computer goes out after six years. I tell them if they got six years out of their computer, that’s amazing.”

Mike Horn

Customer Experience Manager, Paladin Data Corporation

Planning for PC Replacement 

There are two main approaches to replacing PCs or any business equipment: time-driven and performance-driven policies. 

Time-driven policies replace PCs on a fixed schedule, making costs and downtime predictable and manageable.

Performance-driven policies replace PCs when performance declines or maintenance becomes frequent. This approach is often used by smaller businesses and follows a "fix it or replace it" policy when reliability falters.

Regardless of the approach, the total cost of ownership—including hardware, software, support, and downtime—should guide the replacement plan. 

Building a Plan 

Here are some basic steps to consider when creating a PC replacement plan: 

  1. Set a budget: Experts recommend allocating 2% to 5% of a business’s annual revenue for equipment replacement. Some plans may require larger periodic investments for business-wide upgrades. 
  2. Get the numbers: Understand the costs of your computers, including hardware, software, management, support, and training. This information is essential for setting a replacement budget. 
  3. Make a chart: Assess the condition of your equipment to decide which PCs to replace. Consider factors like purchase date, usage, and operating cost. Track important information for each PC, such as: 
  • Manufacturer model number 
  • Description of the equipment 
  • Serial number 
  • Invoice number 
  • Original PO number 
  • Use and user 
  • Maintenance and repair records 

All this information can be easily tracked on an Excel spreadsheet. Several business forms suppliers offer downloadable PC replacement plan templates. Include repair and replacement provider information in your documentation. 

Data Management

Data outlives hardware, so effective data management is crucial. For retail stores, a point-of-sale provider can offer services that enhance the reliability, performance, and security of their equipment. 

“There are certain programs and protections you have to have. Just like you need oil for your car, you need to update your programs and protect them from viruses,” explains C.J. June, Managed Services Director for Paladin Data Corporation. “You can get that oil from just about anybody, but if you get it from the company that provides your network, you know it’s going to work well.” 

Contracting out network management can also be part of a PC replacement plan. 

Upshot

For retail stores, keeping point-of-sale terminals, remote or mobile devices, and back-office equipment up to date is essential for good customer service. Happy customers directly impact the bottom line. 

“There’s definitely a correlation between the success of a retail business and its computer hardware,” Horn explains. “If you truly have your customer’s interest at heart and want the best shopping experience for them, why run on old equipment?” 

brian bullock 

Author