An aging fleet weakens the company. PC renewal is now a key lever for security, productivity and resilience.
It is tempting to consider the renewal of PCs above all in its most immediate aspects: a thinner and lighter chassis, faster processors, better autonomy. While these improvements are obviously welcome, they only represent the visible part of the innovation. The true scope of an equipment renewal strategy goes far beyond: it is no longer just about design and performance, but about laying the foundations for robust cybersecurity and increased resilience for the business.
Transformed uses, increased risk
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The shift to hybrid working has profoundly transformed working methods and places, bringing its share of opportunities but also new challenges. If employees benefit from greater flexibility, IT teams must deal with an increased attack surface. Endpoints are no longer protected behind the corporate firewall: they connect from home networks, public Wi-Fi and many other environments, becoming preferred entry points for cybercriminals.
Between phishing and fraudulent sites, cybercrime could cost the global economy up to $10.5 trillion in 2025.[1] Faced with ever more sophisticated and costly threats, companies must rethink every IT decision, even the most trivial, with security logic integrated from the design. This is where strategic management of the PC life cycle takes on its full meaning, transforming a simple hardware renewal into a real cybersecurity lever.
Worldwide, 1.5 billion PCs are currently used in offices, schools and homes.[2] Among them, 30% are four years or older.[3] These older hardware cannot support the security features built into modern operating systems. Added to this is another risk: these outdated devices do not even have neural processing units (NPUs), now essential to take advantage of advances in generative AI.
Let’s take a concrete example: many organizations are currently managing the transition to Windows 11. This renewal cycle represents a major strategic opportunity to strengthen security from the ground up. Windows 11 was designed with a “Security First” approach, requiring hardware with components like Trusted Platform Module (TPM) 2.0. This chip provides hardware security features, such as creating and storing cryptographic keys, that are much more secure than pure software solutions.
Attempting to run modern software on old hardware does more than just degrade performance: it directly exposes systems to critical vulnerabilities. Without the proper hardware support, organizations cannot fully exploit the advanced protections of new operating systems, leaving them more vulnerable to cyberattacks.
How Modern PCs Help Build a Secure Foundation
Cybercriminals are tenacious, often targeting the same PC multiple times throughout its lifespan. Today, modern business PCs provide a first line of defense in a Zero Trust environment. They integrate security features directly into the hardware and firmware, below the operating system, where attacks are hardest to detect. This approach provides more robust protection against attacks aimed at bypassing software defenses.
Let’s take the journey of a PC before it even reaches the user. Supply chain security is a growing concern, with risks of tampering at every stage from manufacturing to delivery. Modern PCs from trusted vendors may include optional measures to secure this chain. For example, a factory-created digital certificate allows organizations to verify the integrity of components and guard against tampering. This type of mechanism builds trust in every link in the chain.
Additionally, features like BIOS and firmware verification, as well as early attack indicators, help maintain the security and integrity of the device while in use. Credential protection is also crucial: secure storage of user authentication information is essential to thwarting spoofing attacks, one of the most common threat vectors today.
A renewal strategy for a resilient future
According to a recent study, legacy systems consume up to 80% of annual IT budgets worldwide, and organizations spend an average of $30 million to maintain each of these systems.[4] Considering PC renewal as an element of security strategy helps build a more resilient and productive business. This is an opportunity to give employees the tools they need to work optimally, safely and efficiently. A proactive renewal cycle also helps organizations align their technology and business objectives, moving from a reactive “break-fix” model to a strategic and secure approach.
This approach brings tangible benefits. It reduces the burden on IT teams, who spend less time fixing vulnerabilities in outdated systems and more time innovating. It improves the employee experience, with devices offering better performance and secure access to company resources. And above all, it sustainably strengthens the security posture in the face of a constantly evolving threat landscape.
Leaders must continue to view their IT assets no longer as a simple collection of devices, but as a pillar of their security strategy. By investing in modern PCs, organizations aren’t just buying hardware: they’re building a safer, more productive, and more resilient future.
[1] Source Cybersecurity Ventures :
[2] Source Dell :
[3] Source Dell :
[4] Étude RecordPoint : What are the hidden costs of maintaining legacy systems?
