Key Takeaways
- Stick with old tech if it meets your needs. Newer doesn’t always equate to necessary.
- Flashy is nice, but what you have might just be good enough.
- Before upgrading, evaluate if your current device already serves you well.
Recently, I was considering purchasing a new smartwatch when I stopped to ask myself a rather important question: do I need this? I already have a smartwatch that I consider good enough, so why purchase a new one? That’s when I stumbled across the idea of “good enough technology,” which I’ll be embracing from now on.
What Is “Good Enough Technology?”
This philosophy has made me question whether I need to invest in the newest and shiniest tech or if what I currently have is good enough to get the job done. As a consumer being brainwashed with ads showcasing the flashiest new tech on a daily basis, it could be difficult to keep my credit card in my pocket. But the reality is, for most of us, our current technology does a more than adequate job. Of course, newer tech might be faster and more advanced, but quite often, it’s not necessary. There are numerous cases in which I’ve applied this philosophy to my tech purchases.
My PS5 Works Just Fine
PlayStation releases a new console every few years, so it’s a pretty big deal when the news hits the airwaves that a new console has dropped. So when Sony announced its PlayStation 5 Pro, it was huge news. But while the PS5 Pro is better than the PlayStation 5, witha more powerful GPU and storage space, there are no other significant upgrades to speak of.
If you won’t settle for anything but the best possible graphics while playing your favorite RPG games, then maybe purchasing an entirely new console is worth it. But as far as I’m concerned, I’ll pocket the $700 and keep playing my perfectly adequate PS5 console.
My iPhone Does Everything I Want It To
This might be shocking for a tech writer, but I have an iPhone X and don’t plan to upgrade it soon. To some, I’m a luddite, but that’s not the case at all. I just don’t think Apple makes a good enough case for me to upgrade. I admit that the camera on newer iPhones is substantially better than mine, and yes, the newest iPhones, compared to what I have, are no doubt faster. Here’s the thing: I don’t care to take super high-quality photos and don’t use resource-intensive programs on my phone that necessitate having the fastest possible hardware to run.
Old Doesn’t Mean Bad, Especially When It Comes to TVs
There are about 200 companies that manufacture TVs, and every year, they release a shiny new one. They don’t always do this because they have a superior product to offer; they do so because they know you’ll buy one. It’s not like they release TVs to benefit mankind; they do so because they have stakeholders to make happy and CEOs to make even richer.
The leading reason people buy new TVs isn’t because of remarkable tech upgrades; it’s because they want a bigger TV. If this is the chief reason, you can save hundreds of dollars by purchasing a slightly older yet bigger TV.
Keeping My Home Dumb
There is almost no end to the range of creative, smart lighting you can set up throughout your home. You can set different lighting modes for different rooms, times of day, people, and even more.
I don’t doubt that many smart home devices can make your life easier. The thing is, my home is already easy enough to manage without smart devices. I mean, it could be nice to have a smart fridge that alerts me when I’m running low on chocolate milk, or I could just open the fridge and check for myself.
Smart home hardware like Alexa, a smart thermostat, or a smart vacuum would all be nice to have. However, they don’t make my life that much more convenient than my dumb devices to merit their price tag.
Keep Kindles Dumb
The Kindle was a brilliant invention. It’s an easy-on-the-eyes e-reader that can hold more books than you can fit in your entire house, which you can read with the light off and carry with you wherever you go. It was so brilliant that even I, someone who literally goes around bookstores huffing books, made the switch.
Since I purchased my Kindle in 2016, there have been eight new Kindles, and I still don’t see the point in upgrading. The new Kindles have better resolution, bigger screens, longer battery life, faster speeds, and more storage than mine. By every measurable metric, they are better.
Yet I think the Kindle best illustrates this philosophy of “good enough.” Just because a tech is newer and has better specs than its predecessor doesn’t warrant upgrading. Before upgrading, ask yourself this question: Does my current device do everything I want it to? If the answer is yes, stop searching for a new Kindle and get back to your book.
