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Despite marketing messages and general society telling you you need the latest technology, I’ve always bought last-gen tech and been fine. Most tech doesn’t change much year-to-year, and buying last-gen tech is less risky—but there are many more reasons you should consider adopting my approach.
1I Rarely Need the “New” Features
Many pieces of tech, such as smartphones and laptops, are updated yearly. Most of the time, things don’t change much in the span of 12 months; MacBooks are a pretty good example of this. Some new features are useful, but to be honest, I find many quite gimmicky. Knowinghow to spot these gimmickshas been essential for making better decisions.
Waiting for the newest device to be released before buying the one that came beforehand has always served me well, and I’ve been using this tactic since 2010. I’ve found that upgrading my technology every 3-5 years has always been the best return on investment; jumping from the iPhone 8 Plus to the iPhone 13 led to a better camera and more streamlined use, for example.
When you buy last-gen technology and upgrade less often, you’re also more appreciative of the new features you get.
2You Still Get the Same Software Updates as the Newest Version
Having the latest software is much more important to me than being able to use all the latest features, and even if you get last-gen technology, you’ll often receive the most recent software updates. For example, my iPhone gets the latest software until around five years after its release. You’ll find plenty of otherphones that get long-term software updates, too.
With many software updates, you’ll get the same features as newer devices (though this isn’t always the case). This isn’t limited to smartphones and laptops; I like how my headphones and camera still get the latest firmware updates and work just as well as a newer model.
3It’s Significantly Less Expensive
I am very happy to spend big money on something that I think will add value to my life. For example, I dropped over $2,000 on my MacBook Pro without thinking twice because I could see the benefits as a writer and photographer. However, I try not to spend money on things that won’t make improvements.
Most of the time, current and last-gen tech differences aren’t enough to justify the price difference. You definitely want good tools to help you perform daily tasks, but that doesn’t mean you have to buy the latest technology.
One way toembrace “good enough” technologyand save money is to wait for a new release andthenbuy what was previously the most recent version. You can potentially save more by waiting until others who’ve upgraded start to list their old technology.
4It’s Less Risky
Maybe it’s because I have 10 years of marketing experience, but I always look at ads and product release articles with a critical eye. Since these companies are trying to make money, they’ll of course paint their products in the best light. If you’ve never bought anything from them before, you could be taking a huge risk.
Getting last-gen tech means that other users have already tried the product. Those who like it will leave reviews, and the same is true for people on the other end of the scale. You can read what users have said to get a better idea of whether purchasing is a good idea for you.
When reading online reviews, you should make sure that you know thesigns a tech review might be fake. Doing so will help you avoid being misled.
5They Mostly Look the Same
Buying the latest tech does come with a degree of status, and I’m not surprised that some people constantly upgrade their devices. Showing that you’ve got the latest device signals to others that you’ve got some money to spend, and whether we like it or not, humans are creatures of comparison. However, if you’re buying new tech for design purposes, you probably don’t need the latest version.
Technology often gets a huge design overhaul every 5-10 years. But if you’re buying a product released each year, you probably won’t see a huge difference compared to the previous version. When I bought the iPhone 13, for example, the iPhone 14 looked almost identical. And if it even matters, most (intelligent) people couldn’t care less; I wasn’t treated any differently when I had an iPhone with a Home Button compared to when I bought one with Face ID.
6Less Waste
Not spending the full retail price is nice, but buying second-hand technology has other benefits. I always buy second-hand cameras and lenses, for example, and it’s nice knowing that you’re helping with less waste production. When someone sells their old tech to me, I’m stopping it from gathering dust on the side; ditto when someone else purchases my stuff.
Stock Photo ID: 265139078
You should alwaysresearch before buying used electronics, but getting second-hand or refurbished technology is often more sustainable. Since last-gen tech has been around for longer than the most recent version, you’ll probably find more options to choose from.
7The “Worst” Features Are Still Better Than the Best Version 5+ Years Ago
Some technology, such as gaming consoles, TVs, and cameras, are updated less frequently than phones and laptops. It’s easy to think that buying the latest technology is important for getting a good experience, but you also need to remember that even the worst features are still better than what existed five years ago.
I’ll use my camera as an example here. When I bought my most recent one in 2022, it was already a few years old. Naturally, I looked at others that had been released in the meantime. What I realized, though, is that the most important features—such as the image quality—were still better than what existed before.
If I needed the newest tools, I would have upgraded accordingly. But since I didn’t, doing so seemed pointless.
8You Still Often Get a Warranty
You never want to be caught out when buying something new because things can always go wrong. However, when buying last-gen tech, you’ll often still have a warranty period.
I have also noticed that I get a warranty period when buying second-hand last-gen tech, which offers extra peace of mind. In many cases, you’re still also eligible for paid add-ons—such as extra coverage if you feel like you need it.
9Many Customer Support Teams Will Continue Assisting You for a Few Years
Each time a new model is released, you need to remember that not everyone who had the previous version will upgrade. Most manufacturers won’t suddenly drop their support, meaning you should still get assistance if something happens.
Phasing out old technology takes time, and you’ll likely get assistance for at least a few years (if not even longer).
It’s tempting to buy the latest technology, but most of the time, you probably don’t need it. Buying last-gen tech has served me well for almost 15 years, and I’m sure it will continue doing so in the future.
