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Whether it is that time in the refresh cycle or your organization’s hardware has slowed to a crawl, upgrading to new devices powered by seventh-generation Intel Core processors and Windows 10 Pro can save time, money, and countless headaches. Here is why.

1. That old laptop isn’t what it used to be.

It used to be common for organizations to go for four or more years between hardware refreshes. But in today’s fast-changing IT environment, four years is an eternity. Accumulated files, outdated applications, and general wear and tear can turn formerly top-of-the-line machines into lumbering laggards, refusing to open multiple applications, choking on even basic tasks, and, of course, crashing.

Research shows that laptops and PCs that are more than four years old cause more than a few extra gray hairs among staff; they cost real dollars in lost productivity (see infographic). And when it comes to dated security features, the costs can be far worse.

2. Security comes out of the box — and in it.

Malware, ransomware, botnets, rootkits — we have all read the headlines, and if we have been in an organization that has suffered a security breach, we know the impact. The average cost of a data breach now exceeds $3.5 million, and with more employees spending time working outside the office or on personal devices, the security challenges are only growing.

Modern Intel devices running Windows 10 offer three layers of protection. First, built-in hardware-based security can prevent malware from infecting systems and software. Then, Windows 10’s upgraded security offerings limit access to certified programs, offer up-to-date antivirus protection, identify compromised devices across the network, and use encryption to safeguard business data from theft or destruction. Finally, new authentication features such as Windows Hello and Credential Guard can help address the most serious threat: the user who dutifully types in the same password at work, at home, and on social-media accounts. (Research shows that 75 percent of us use the same three or four passwords across all our accounts).

Companies running Windows 10 Pro can see a 33 percent reduction in security issues and the time required to resolve problems. And upgrading to more secure systems can pay off even if there’s no breach. Organizations can save up to $710,000 per year in security remediation expenses by running Windows 10 Pro.

3. New tools offer new ways of doing business.

Windows 10 devices with seventh-generation Intel Core processors offer better performance and longer battery life. They boot up and wake from sleep move more quickly, saving each user 15 minutes or more a day. But the hardware is just the beginning.

With Windows 10 Professional, the cloud is baked into the operating system. Employees can access their information and applications from anywhere, while state-of-the-art security extends into the cloud to protect company data. And with the latest Intel Core-powered devices, everyone benefits from new time-saving tools like digital ink, which  allows users to write, not type, on their PCs, laptops, and tablets—with proven benefits to understanding, organization, and memorization. No wonder, then, that studies show that Windows 10 can increase overall productivity across the enterprise by 50 percent.

4. Upgrading may not pay for itself in a year, but it is close.

Return on investment has a big impact on the bottom line, especially when you are talking about hardware upgrades. Windows 10 delivers, with upgrades paying for themselves in just 14 months, according to a Forrester study. Over three years, total ROI exceeds 233 percent.

5. Upgrading is no longer an all-day affair, making it easier to focus on upgrading your skills. 

Windows 10 only takes five minutes per device to install, requiring 70 percent fewer resources than the Windows 7 upgrade. And once installed, IT managers get better tools to oversee the enterprise, including dynamic provisioning and in-place upgrading, that can save up to 15 percent of their time.

But once you have upgraded to the latest and greatest Intel devices running Windows 10, it is time to relax. Right?

Not exactly. Both employers and their employees quickly realize how much-untapped potential is at their fingertips. In one survey, 64 percent of executives said that their companies weren’t taking full advantage of their IT investments. And more than 7 in 10 workers realize they are using less than half of the features available to them. So, with less time spent waiting for something to break or be breached, IT managers can spend their time exploring how to leverage the new productivity-focused features of Windows 10 across the enterprise. And that is a lot more exciting than thinking about the next iteration of the upgrade cycle.