How do you know when it's time to replace a laptop/PC?

Any electronic device – be it a smartphone, tablet, laptop, or PC – has a certain lifespan, and over time its performance and battery life will deteriorate. There may also be problems with compatibility with new software, which will also make your device more difficult to use.

So how do you know when it is time to replace your laptop or PC with a new model?

The ideal lifespan of your laptop or PC

It is believed that a normal laptop or PC should last at least three-five years. In fact, much depends on how you will use them. With proper care, a good laptop can last up to six-eight  years. As for PCs, they usually last longer than laptops, moreover, their individual parts and components are easier to upgrade. 

What can affect the life of a laptop or computer?

Quality

The quality of the laptop or PC comes first: high-quality, expensive devices will last longer because it’s equipped with better "iron", which will take much longer to fail.

Usage

How and how often you use it affects the life of your laptop or PC. It is believed that a device that is not used too much (say, a couple of hours a day) will last longer than one that is used for work – many hours a day.

It is also believed that devices that are used for “heavy” work – such as gaming, video editing, or heavy graphics work – fail faster.

Overheating

Overheating can significantly limit the life of your laptop: the fans and temperature control system in your laptop are usually able to compensate for the heat generated by internal components such as the processor, graphics processor, hard drive, RAM, and others. However, if the fans in the device are not working properly, overheating can eventually damage internal components. 

External heat can also pose a danger to laptops and computers, so it is advisable to keep them away from stoves and other heat sources.

Compatibility with the new software

If you are using your laptop for over a year, it probably will not support the latest operating systems. For example, Windows 11 is not compatible with Intel processors older than the 7th generation. 

Eventually, manufacturers stop supporting older versions of operating systems, which means that your old laptop will not receive security updates, bug fixes, or new features. If that time has come, it may be time to start thinking about swapping your device for a new one.

Damage

Laptops tend to get a lot of damage, both externally and internally. Both can shorten the life of your device, and some serious damage can put your laptop out of commission much sooner than you might have imagined.

Computers are usually less likely to suffer external damage compared to laptops, but they certainly are not immune to it.

Partial upgrade

Even if your device is not working as it should, it does not mean that it necessarily needs to be replaced by a new one: you can also make a partial upgrade – replace some components with new ones, which will increase its life for a couple of years. In addition, it will be cheaper than buying a new laptop or PC.

In what situations is it better to do with a partial upgrade?

Battery and performance issues

If you have issues with the battery and laptop performance, you should not buy a new one: you can simply change the battery by buying a new one from an authorized seller (you should not take a "left-handed" battery of unknown origin for obvious reasons). 

If you are worried about performance problems (slowdown, lags, etc.), you can upgrade the RAM (if your laptop supports this possibility), as well as switch from HDD to SSD (if there is such a possibility). 

But if there are problems with internal hardware, such as the processor, or if there are too many problems, then replacing each component may be more expensive than buying a new laptop.