One of the most common things I hear when discussing older computers is: “It still works perfectly well, so why would I replace it?”
That is a completely reasonable question. Small businesses cannot afford to replace equipment simply because a manufacturer has released something newer, and I would never recommend buying a new computer without first checking whether it is genuinely necessary.
However, there is an important difference between a computer that still works and one that is still properly supported.
Microsoft ended standard support for Windows 10 on 14 October 2025. A Windows 10 computer will not suddenly stop turning on, and your programs and files will not immediately disappear. However, unless the device is enrolled in an appropriate Extended Security Updates programme, Windows 10 no longer receives the regular security fixes designed to protect it against newly discovered threats.
For a home computer used occasionally, that is already worth thinking about. For a small business computer containing customer details, invoices, emails, documents and access to online accounts, it deserves much more attention.
The difficult part is that Windows 10 does not necessarily feel old. It still looks modern, it may still start quickly, and the programs you use might continue working exactly as they did before. That can make the loss of support easy to overlook.
The National Cyber Security Centre has advised organisations to prioritise moving away from Windows 10. It explains that some older computers cannot upgrade easily because they do not meet Windows 11’s hardware requirements, including features such as TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot. In those cases, paid Extended Security Updates can provide additional time, but they should be viewed as a temporary measure rather than a permanent solution.
The answer is not always “go and buy a new computer today”.
A sensible first step is to establish exactly what you have:
- Check whether the computer is actually running Windows 10.
- Use Windows Update or Microsoft’s PC Health Check to see whether it can upgrade to Windows 11.
- Back up important business files before making major changes.
- Check that essential printers, specialist programs and other equipment will continue working.
- If the computer cannot upgrade, compare the cost of temporary extended support with replacing it.
- Avoid buying a replacement based only on impressive specifications that your business will never use.
When helping people choose or understand computers, I often find that the hardest part is not the technology itself. It is knowing which advice applies to your particular situation.
One person may have a perfectly capable computer that only needs a free Windows 11 upgrade. Another may rely on an older machine that cannot be upgraded safely. Someone else may own specialist software or equipment that makes the decision more complicated.
That is why checking first matters.
Keeping unsupported technology in use indefinitely can create a security risk, but replacing a computer unnecessarily wastes money and can create avoidable disruption. The right answer should consider security, cost, compatibility and what the business actually needs the computer to do.
At Basic Computing, part of what I want to offer is clear and independent guidance around decisions like these. Not simply telling someone to buy the newest device, but helping them understand their current computer, whether it can still be used safely and what a sensible replacement would look like if one is required.
