Modern PCs are pretty durable, IMO. Of course, if you go out and try to build a sub-$1000 PC, it's going to fail sooner or later. Invest in a durable case, a solid power supply and plenty of fans for cooling. I've found cheap DVD+RW drives fail very often, so invest in something higher quality than your $30 DVD+RW drive. I've never had a hard disk fail, but my motherboard has failed me several times. Now I have a Gigabit "gaming" motherboard (even though I'm not much of a gamer) that has lasted for quite some time.
I'm not sure how much LCD monitors last, but CRTs are known to work well for very long periods of time. I'm sure nobody wants CRTs these days, but I thought this fact was worth pointing out.
Oh, and I hear Apple's hardware is pretty good. In one year of heavy use, my MacBook has never ever failed me even once. This, of course, depends on how you handle your laptop. Mine never goes out of the house, so it's never exposed to shocks, dust or intense heat.
My point is, with a bit of thought, it's possible to build a PC that can last for quite some time.
I'm not sure how much LCD monitors last, but CRTs are known to work well for very long periods of time. I'm sure nobody wants CRTs these days, but I thought this fact was worth pointing out.
Oh, and I hear Apple's hardware is pretty good. In one year of heavy use, my MacBook has never ever failed me even once. This, of course, depends on how you handle your laptop. Mine never goes out of the house, so it's never exposed to shocks, dust or intense heat.
My point is, with a bit of thought, it's possible to build a PC that can last for quite some time.