Why do Windows based PCs and Laptops appear to ‘degrade’ over time, appearing to run slower than when first purchased even after fresh Windows installations?

Question

Lots of variables I accept 《edited to remove personal view》

After say, five years, their performance is noticeably slower than it was when they were new, and the question is not in reference to increased graphical demands from games. The question is referring to day to day operations, web browsing and so on. Moving parts are limited, could they be the cause?

Thanks in advance

In: Technology

Answer 1

Hardware does degrade with time. Not the moving parts, the actual circuits suffer when they get hot.

Also thermal paste ages, and your computer will cool less efficiently so it has to slow down not to overheat.

Software becomes more demanding with each update.

Even websites get more demanding slowly as the designers expect people to have better hardware. (You wouldn’t assume someone with a 56k modem tries to load your website in 2021)

And this isn’t a windows specific issue.