Usually, most laptops have an average lifespan of around 5 years. However, this can increase or decrease depending on how you use your computer. For example, if you mostly use your laptop for surfing the web and simple office work, it can last much longer than 5 years. However, if you frequently take part in intense gaming sessions, your laptop is bound to deteriorate at a much quicker rate. So, here in this guide, we shall look at all the signs that will indicate if it’s time to replace your laptop with a new one or not.
When Should We Replace a Laptop?
Before you run down to the store, there are a few things you should take note of to make sure if its time to replace your laptop. There are certain issues that hint that it’s time to replace your laptop and here, we are going to talk about every one of them. So, brace yourself, and let’s get right to it.
Startup Issues
Usually, when a laptop is at the end of its lifespan, there is plenty of start-up issues that you might encounter . That is, if you have recently noticed that your laptop is taking way longer to boot up even after repair, it might indicate that it’s time to replace it with a new one. Also, we’ve had a few encounters on our old laptops where the power button failed to respond. That is, even after we clicked the power button, our laptop didn’t startup. Sure, from checking the cables to troubleshooting battery issues, there are plenty of fixes to try and fix a computer that won’t start up. However, if that didn’t work, maybe it’s time to buy a new laptop.
Hardware Compatibility Issues
Another sign that your laptop is well and truly beyond its lifespan is the compatibility issues that might occur when you try to upgrade your hardware. Usually, while trying to upgrade you CPU can raise certain compatibility problems. That being said, upgrading the RAM or the SSD are also downright impossible on some older laptop models. Newer applications these days tend to use a high amount of RAM and end up taking a significantly larger amount of storage space. In such a case, switching between two applications and multitasking becomes really difficult. And, a lack of system storage is never a positive scenario. So, if your laptop cannot compete with these modern technologies in an efficient way, it’s time for an upgrade.
OS Compatibility Issues
Laptops with older operating systems are not able to update their OS build. To put it into perspective, the popular Windows 7 OS does not receive any software updates anymore. So, users still using Windows 7 are not able to enforce new security patches on their computers. This ultimately increases the risk of information theft and data vulnerability. Hence, you’ll be prone to more cyberattacks, viruses, and malware with an outdated security option. As each OS update comes with new patches, fixes, and whatnot, doing so is an absolute necessity if you want to protect your safety standards in this modern world of information.
Slow Processing Speed
Slow computers are a major turn-off. When a simple task takes a lot longer than usual, it starts to become a hassle. Maybe you have noticed that your computer has a slow data transfer rate or maybe the applications take ages to load, nevertheless, unless you upgrade your system hardware, you’ll always be lagging. However, as mentioned above, not all laptops are open to hardware changes and upgrades. So, if you cannot think of any way to make your computer perform faster, you should probably change your computer.
Overheating Problems
Either due to wear and tear or simply because of its age, your laptop will start to overheat more than usual towards the end of its lifespan. So, if you have lately noticed that your laptop is unusually hot to handle and your fan feels like taking off, maybe it’s time for an upgrade. And by upgrade, I mean, a new laptop. Minor overheating issues can mostly be fixed by cleaning your PC. And if it helps, maybe you don’t need to invest in a new laptop right now. However, if your fan is still screaming and the games/applications are not able to run efficiently, you should opt towards buying a new computer.
Display Problems
A cracked screen, washed-out display, and a flickering monitor also hint that it’s time to invest in a new laptop. Especially if you’re someone who games passionately or spends their time editing content, display problems are the last thing you’d want. Furthermore, older laptops are too far back on the resolution scale and the RGB color than most modern laptops. Even if you have a high-resolution external monitor, it won’t be of much use if your laptop cannot even support a fraction of what the monitor has to offer. So, a poor display, dead pixels, and outdated graphics will all be managed by upgrading to a newer computer. Fixing these display cost more than their re-sell value. Time to invest in something new.
Battery Deterioration
If a fully charged battery doesn’t last as it used to before, it might be time for you to jump to a newer system. Sure, you can try and replace the battery itself, but most stores cannot provide the exact battery for your exact system model. A battery you externally purchase is usually one that’s compatible with the system, but still, it’s not the original product. Also, if there are charging issues, dysfunctional ports or the internal chips have fried, then rather than fixing every component one by one which still doesn’t guarantee longevity, it’ll be better to replace the laptop itself.
Expensive Repairs
The best sign to buy a new laptop is if your repair cost is more than the cost of the new laptop itself. To phrase it more clearly, if your laptop repair cost doesn’t start to feel worth the expenditure anymore, you should definitely invest in a newer system that’s bound to operate for a longer time with fewer faults and mishaps. Believe it or not, Damaged CPUs or GPUs are synonym for a new system. Replacing CPU is pretty expensive and usually not worthy of the expense. And GPUs, well, you can’t replace or actually repair one in laptops. That is unless you have an expensive Alienware machine.
When You Really Want a Change
Finally, when you really want to change your computer even if the old one has not gone all bad, maybe you should! Change is good and if that’s going to make your day, then it’s better to first check your accounts, cut your costs and make sure that a new laptop is not going to make it difficult for you financially. However, it’ll still be a smarter move if you wait for a holiday sale or something like that. So, get a good deal, manage your finances and do what you must.
Things to Consider While Choosing a New Laptop
How Can I Maintain the Durability of My System?
Any system, if not taken proper care of is bound to fail before its actual lifespan. So, there are a few simple and basic procedures that you can follow to maintain its overall standard and increase its longevity. It’s important to clean your laptop from time to time in order to manage your computer’s temperature and prevent it from exceeding the threshold. Doing so will maintain the health of your hardware components and ultimately prevents your laptop from hastily dying on you. Also, the security software and features must be kept fresh to protect you and your computer from various hacks and viruses. So, update your operating system whenever possible. It is also important that you keep your laptop away from the reach of children, pets, and more importantly, foods. And if you’re a person who travels frequently, make sure you place your laptop in a well-padded bag while doing so.
