AssetCenter
IT hardware refresh planner
Plan when your laptops, desktops, monitors, phones and servers are due for replacement and what each year will cost. Enter each group of devices with the year it was bought and how often you replace it, and get a year-by-year schedule, a steady yearly budget and a CSV to share with finance.
Replacement cost by year
Steady yearly budget
Schedule
Each cell shows the devices due that year and what replacing them costs.
Typical replacement cycles
Common policies for business hardware. Your own will depend on how hard devices are used, how long the warranty runs and when the manufacturer stops security updates.
| Device | Typical cycle | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Laptops | 3 to 4 years | Batteries and hinges wear out; four years is the most common policy. |
| Desktops | 4 to 5 years | Fewer moving parts and no battery, so they usually outlast laptops. |
| Monitors | 5 to 7 years | Often kept through two computer refreshes. |
| Phones and tablets | 2 to 3 years | Usually ends when the operating system stops getting security updates. |
| Servers | 5 years | Driven by the warranty and support contract rather than wear. |
| Network switches and firewalls | 5 to 7 years | Replace before the vendor ends firmware support. |
Smoothing out the lumpy years
Hardware bought in one big project comes due in one big year. The steady yearly budget is what you would spend each year if replacements were spread evenly: each group’s cost divided by its cycle. Budgeting that amount every year, and replacing the oldest devices first, turns a spike every four years into a predictable line item.
- Bring some forward. If one year carries far more than the steady amount, replace part of that batch a year early, starting with the devices in the worst condition.
- Stretch the ones in good shape. A device past its cycle but still under warranty and getting updates can wait a year.
- Count what you actually have. The plan is only as good as the purchase dates behind it. A physical count often turns up devices nobody had on the list.
Our guides to IT asset lifecycle management and hardware asset management cover setting refresh policies and retiring old devices securely.
Refresh planner FAQ
Many organizations replace laptops every three to four years and desktops every four to five, but the right cycle depends on how the devices are used, their warranty and support periods, and what the operating system will run on. Use the cycle in your own policy; the planner shows what it costs.
The first year includes every device already past its refresh cycle. Spreading those across the next year or two is often more practical than replacing them all at once.
It is what the fleet costs a year once replacements are spread evenly: each group’s total replacement cost divided by its refresh cycle. Budgeting that amount every year avoids the peaks that come from buying many devices at once.
Only in your browser, so you can come back to it on the same device. Nothing is sent to AssetCenter.
Keep purchase dates and warranties on every device
AssetCenter records when each laptop, monitor and phone was bought, who has it and when its warranty ends, so next year’s refresh plan starts from real dates instead of a guess. Free for up to 25 assets.