Now is the time to buy a PC

[Bloomberg] [Fully Charged]( From [Bloomberg](   [FOLLOW US [Facebook Share]]([Twitter Share]( [SUBSCRIBE [Subscribe]](  Hello, [Ian King](mailto:ianking@bloomberg.net)here, and I have more PCs than you. With the computer industry still scrambling to deal with the aftermath of [new hardware hacks](ominously named Meltdown and Spectre, it might feel like time to unplug the desktop from the wall or put the laptop in a drawer and lock it. But in what seems like a bitter (and expensive) irony, it may be time to spend on a new machine. The first thing to point out is that there are no reports yet of anyone suffering from an attack on computer processors (given that such attacks are very difficult to pull off). Computer makers, software providers and the chip industry are [urging everyone]( to update their machines with software patches that they say will head off any attempts by the bad guys to get hold of important data. That's focused attention on the side effects of the software and computer code fixes, namely how much do they slow down computers? Intel, whose processors run the majority of the world's computers, has published the results of its tests, suggesting that most users probably won't notice. Faced by the landslide of data, reassurances that there's nothing to worry about by the industry and hysterical concerns that can be easily found online, I did my own research into the issue in a completely unscientific way. I currently have six desktop PCs and four laptop machines. Full disclosure: half of them were loaned to me by Intel and its rival Advanced Micro Devices Inc., well before the vulnerabilities were made public, for research into a story unrelated to this issue. I've updated these machines regularly, trying to make sure they were safe and would tip me off if the patches caused a problem. So far, absolutely nothing to report. They're all working perfectly normally and, to the best of my knowledge, haven't been attacked. But if you're one of the 450 million people out there using a machine that's more than five years old, the story might be more complicated. Intel said it's reached its goal of providing patches for all machines using processors made in the past five years. The AMD-powered machine I tried is run by a chip called Threadripper. I couldn't find a scenario in any average use where the processor got above 5 percent of its utilization. The same was true for a desktop sporting an Intel Core i7 8700k processor. That's not even a top-of-the-range part despite its more than $350 price tag. Basically, if you're a gamer that's invested heavily in such a system, I can't see how a few percentage points of slower performance would be even noticeable. Over time Intel and the rest of the companies working on this will provide patches for more machines or improve the ones they've already put out there. And starting later this year new chips will have the fixes hardwired into them removing the vulnerability. So should consumers wait until then to upgrade? Perhaps, but the chances are that anything (other than low-end systems) being sold now will be easily capable of handling a security patch and still run fast. The reality is that processors have been more than fast enough for most of us for a while; we're no longer being wowed by the speed bumps that come with new processor upgrades. So start shopping, no need to delay. And if you do decide to buy, here's my pick: a [Lenovo Yoga 920]( laptop with a high-definition touch screen.  And here’s what you need to know in global technology news Here's our roundup of Anthony Noto's jump from Twitter to CEO of SoFi. The [news](. His [IPO experience](could come in handy. And why Jack let him [walk way](.  Will weaker iPhone X demand hit Sony's bottom line? JPMorgan seems to think so. The bank downgraded the Japanese manufacturer, saying that camera sensor sales will probably slow down.  A bold prediction by Uber's CEO: the ride-hailing startup will be profitable in [three years](. CEO Dara Khosrowshahi told Bloomberg's top editor in Davos that "we’ll be profitable before 2022."  It was a busy news day in Muskland. Elon agrees to an unconventional [compensation package](with Tesla. His Boring Co. [presented a plan](to dig a tunnel under Los Angeles. And the New York Times takes a look at SpaceX's Falcon Heavy rocket, [now on a launchpad](.  Apple's HomePod will (finally) hit store shelves. Online sales start Friday and stores will have it on Feb. 9. Apple originally said it would [arrive](in December, while Google and Amazon keep marketing their smart speakers.    You received this message because you are subscribed to the Bloomberg Technology newsletter Fully Charged. You can tell your friends to [sign up here](.  [Unsubscribe]( | [Bloomberg.com]( | [Contact Us]( Bloomberg L.P. 731 Lexington, New York, NY, 10022