Computer replacement is getting more expensive. It is better to optimize first and buy later

Replacing company computers used to be a fairly predictable process for a long time. A device reached the end of its useful life, the operating system was no longer supported, or it was time for a regular refresh cycle, and the company purchased a new computer.

This model is beginning to change. According to information published by Windows Central, Microsoft was expected to increase the price of Windows OEM licenses for some PC manufacturers by approximately 7 to 10% from July 2026. Microsoft has not publicly confirmed this change, but the report comes at a time when PC manufacturers are also facing rising costs for memory, SSDs, processors, and other components.

For companies planning to replace hundreds or thousands of devices, however, the 7 or 10 percent itself is not the most important point. What matters is seeing it in a broader context.

The cost of refreshing corporate hardware is increasing. And this makes one question increasingly important: do we really need to replace every computer?

Automatically replacing the entire fleet may no longer make economic sense

The traditional approach used to be simple. A device became outdated. As support for the software in use came to an end, IT planned a migration, and the company purchased new hardware together with a new operating system.

Windows 10 made this issue particularly visible. Standard support for the system ended on October 14, 2025, and organizations had to start addressing how they would continue to secure, modernize, or gradually replace their environments.

Not every computer running Windows 10 is suitable for an upgrade to Windows 11. Some devices do not meet the hardware requirements, while in other cases older business applications or specific operating conditions may be an obstacle.

The simplest solution is therefore to replace everything.

However, at a time when hardware prices are rising and companies are simultaneously working with limited IT budgets, replacing functional devices across the board can represent an unnecessary investment.

Optimize first, buy later

A more efficient strategy should begin with a thorough assessment of the existing environment.

Before approving a major hardware project, an organization should know:

• which devices genuinely need to be replaced

• which devices can safely remain in operation

• which devices can be upgraded

• where critical or older business applications are being used

• which software licenses the company currently owns

• which licenses are no longer being used

• where perpetual licenses make economic sense

• where cloud subscriptions provide value instead

What originally appeared to be a simple hardware purchase therefore becomes a question of optimizing the entire IT environment.

The simple question: How much will it cost us to replace 500 computers?

is better replaced with: How can we provide 500 users with a secure, compatible, and functional IT environment as efficiently as possible?

Example scenario: 500 computers

Imagine a company operating 500 workstations.

After the end of Windows 10 support, the simplest option would be to plan the replacement of all 500 devices.

A more detailed analysis may, for example, show that:

• 220 computers can be upgraded to Windows 11 without any issues

• 130 devices should genuinely be replaced in the coming period

• 80 devices are used for specific applications, and changing them immediately would be operationally complicated

• 70 computers are used only for simple or occasional tasks, and replacing them immediately would not provide corresponding value

Suddenly, the company is no longer dealing with the purchase of 500 new computers.

It is dealing with 130 devices that genuinely need to be replaced, while looking for the most appropriate technical and licensing solution for the remaining groups.

The figures in this example are, of course, purely illustrative, but similar scenarios are common in practice.

Every device that does not currently need to be replaced represents an investment that can be postponed or used elsewhere.

Multiply this by the number of users, and the difference in the overall IT budget can be very significant.

Not every user needs the same solution

One source of unnecessary IT costs can also be overly rigid standardization.

Within the same company, there may be users who make intensive use of cloud tools, Teams, OneDrive, and other services. Alongside them, however, there are employees who primarily need traditional desktop applications.

Manufacturing may use specific software that depends on a particular operating system version. Some specialized workstations, on the other hand, need to remain unchanged for as long as possible because their main value lies in stability.

The optimal solution can therefore be different for each such group, and the same applies to software and licensing.

When choosing an operating system, it is therefore worth considering less common licensing scenarios as well. With Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC 2019/2021, for example, it is also possible to use the right to Windows 11 – we discuss this option in more detail in a separate article here.

A subscription model may be the right choice for users who genuinely make use of cloud services and continuously expanding functionality. A perpetual license, on the other hand, may make more sense for stable workstations and in situations where predictable costs and long-term usage rights are important.

A hybrid approach is therefore becoming increasingly relevant.

This is not a decision between the cloud and on-premises infrastructure, nor is it necessarily a choice between subscriptions and perpetual licenses.

The goal is to select the right model for a specific need.

Modernize where modernization brings value

The goal is not to slow down modernization. The point is to redirect investments to where they will have the greatest impact.

If a company saves part of its budget by avoiding the premature replacement of dozens or hundreds of functional devices, those resources can instead be invested, for example, in cybersecurity, modernization of server infrastructure, new applications, or process digitalization.

Licensing can change the economics of the entire project

Another important part of this equation is the way an organization purchases and manages software. Hardware prices are currently increasing quite significantly, so analysing the actual needs of users is a reasonable way to slow down the growth of IT investments.

Rising hardware prices also encourage companies to look at hardware and software separately. When purchasing new devices, it is not necessary to automatically choose the same software scenario for every computer. A more appropriate approach may be to first evaluate which licenses individual devices actually need and only then select the most efficient way of acquiring them. Purchasing software and hardware separately may also be considered where there are reasonable arguments for doing so.

The main benefit does not necessarily have to come only from the purchase price itself. Secondary-market software can help an organization retain a particular software version, modernize its infrastructure gradually, or combine multiple licensing models according to the actual needs of different user groups.

Instead of one large-scale migration, several targeted scenarios can therefore be created.

The principle can be very simple:

Replace what needs to be replaced. Upgrade where an upgrade makes sense. And keep in operation what can continue to function safely and economically.

The same market shift also creates an opportunity for distributors and IT partners. If rising component and computer prices reduce the room for margin, a properly selected licensing scenario can help keep the final offer competitive. A partner therefore does not have to look for savings only in hardware but can also optimize the software part of the delivery, for example by using licenses from the secondary market.

Value may also be hidden in what the company already owns

Optimization is not only about what an organization needs to buy.

It is equally important to determine what it already owns.

Migrations, reorganizations, moves to the cloud, reductions in employee numbers, or infrastructure changes can leave companies with perpetual licenses that are no longer being used. The IT budget stops being merely a list of mandatory purchases. It becomes a resource that can be actively optimized.

Software that the company no longer needs can therefore help finance the software or hardware it needs today.

From purchasing licenses to optimizing the IT budget

The rising cost of computer replacement shows that hardware, software, and licensing can no longer be addressed in isolation.

Even a seemingly small monthly fee per user should be taken into account when making decisions. Across hundreds of employees and several years, it can represent a significant part of the IT budget. This is also why the role of software partners is changing.

We can help you map your current software environment, evaluate possible licensing scenarios, and find a solution that reflects your actual needs. We can supply the licenses you need and purchase those you no longer use.

The goal is not to find the best price for new computers, but to determine whether all 500 computers really need to be replaced.