PC Upgrade Survey: How Do Users Shop for Hardware? Full PC Update or Just Key Components?

If we want to play the latest video games, we need to have a powerful PC or purchase a current-generation console like the PS5 or Xbox Series X/S. Choosing between a computer and a console will depend on our preferences and usage, although we all know that PCs can be upgraded by swapping parts over the years. A new survey conducted shows the frequency with which PC components are updated, in order to see if people really take advantage of this inherent benefit of modular computers.

PCs are used for everything, from studying and working to entertainment and gaming. Although they are not designed solely for gaming, there are many people who use them exclusively for gaming, while others seek to prolong the lifespan of the multi-purpose computer they use. Depending on the type of user you are and how you use your PC, you will decide whether or not to change components from time to time. For example, if your primary use for the PC is for studying and doing vocational or university work, you will probably maintain your computer with affordable components. On the other hand, if you want to use your PC for work and rendering, you will likely have to change your CPU and GPU more frequently to avoid falling short.

A survey has been conducted on PC component updates, and these are the results:

The same can be said for those who have a PC dedicated to gaming, as the requirements are constantly increasing and the computer may soon become inadequate. In this last case, the most important update is to change the GPU, followed by the CPU and RAM. With this said, let’s look at the results of the survey conducted by the German outlet 3DCenter, which asks about the frequency of PC component updates. The first thing to note is that among users who frequently purchase PC parts, 59.1% change only the graphics card, 14% change both the CPU and GPU frequently, and the remaining 26.9% change all PC components.

These figures indicate what many of us expected, that among PC users who often purchase components, many of them use them for gaming and GPU-intensive programs. Nowadays, a change in the graphics card provides a massive performance boost, especially if the previous one was low-end or old. In contrast, less frequent buyers show different trends: 19.4% change the GPU, 17.3% change both CPU and GPU, and a massive 63.3% change all components (buying a new PC).

2.1% never update, and a staggering 71.2% change all components:

When extrapolating the survey results, we can look at the numbers from another perspective. We see that only 2.1% of the users who voted never update their PC. For those who have only updated the graphics card, we have a total of 16.7%. These users are divided into 9.8% who are frequent buyers and 6.9% who are not. On the other hand, there are 10% in total whose changes include the CPU and GPU, with less frequent buyers having the higher percentage.

Lastly, there are those who update all components of their PC, totaling 71.2%. Of the regular buyers, only 4.5% belong to this group, indicating that the vast majority of these users buy their parts gradually. Those who rarely buy account for 25% of these votes, suggesting that they start to purchase new PCs. The largest proportion, 41.7%, corresponds to those who do not buy individual components and prefer to change their entire PC.

This article originally appeared on El Chapuzas Informático, titled “PC Update Survey: How do users purchase hardware? Do they update everything on their PC or just key components?”.