hmm ...
My computer from 2008 has actually no problem at all keeping up with not just the Bitcoin blockchain but also the Namecoin and Monero blockchains all at the same time. Until August of this year I ran a Bitcoin node on a laptop from 2002 with a Pentium M processor, 1 GB of RAM and a 120 MB SSD. The laptop was so old that it was cheaper to replace the old PATA HDD when it failed with a PATA SSD. The laptop also has a floppy disk drive and a Windows 2000 logo.
Lack of education, indifference are part of the issue. The biggest problem is the replacement of desktop and laptop computers with mobile devices that while perfectly capable are crippled with DRM and propriety operating systems. A iPad in a good example of the latter, and can be far more expensive than a 3 year old laptop with a 1 TB SSD drive.
How much bandwidth is Core using per month? What are your maximum download/upload speeds from your ISP (and how much does it cost)? How many peers are you connected to on a regular basis? Do you have any special settings in your config file (fee rules or connection limits)?
I have dedicated hardware for my node (building computers is a hobby of mine, so I probably go overboard there), yet sharing Bitcoin data with my peers is where I am having issues. I've had to limit the number of peers that my node will allow or my internet service slows to a crawl for other purposes. I pay quite a bit for top tier (enthusiast) internet speeds from a major ISP.
Or, are you simply saying that your old computer can sync the chain at which point you shut it down?