Table of Contents
In this technological world, millions and billions of people are now laptop users. Such electronic machines do not last long over time they get obsolete. Likewise, laptops are not built to last, because there is a constant advancement in technology. Every year laptop manufacturing companies are releasing new models to kick out previous ones from the market.
A brand new shiny laptop model is tempting for everyone but if you can’t afford to upgrade models frequently, you can tweak your current device a little to keep it running smoothly with good performance. Well, obviously it’ll not be as powerful like the newest one but can serve your purpose efficiently.
Here, we are going to share some details how long does a laptop last on average? And, some tricks to increase the working life of a laptop by focusing on some parameters. To increase the longevity of a laptop, read on and find out.
HOW LONG DOES A LAPTOP LAST ON AVERAGE?
Now, you’ll be thinking, for how many years I am using my laptop? And then you’ll be concerned about how long does a laptop last on average? Well, here the point is that all laptops are not manufactured equally which means all laptops do not last for same period. Some parameters that affect the longevity of laptops are:
- Is it a laptop for personal use? Or it is a business laptop with high-end specifications?
- Which hardware is installed in a laptop and how much durable it is?
- How the laptop is going to be used?
- For what purposes the laptop is being used?
- How much you take care of a laptop?
BUSINESS LAPTOPS:
Business laptops are more durable and high-end devices that come with 3 years warranty. Their parts are of good quality that works consistently. Such laptops have to play as workhorses so they have solid built. Metal or carbon re-inforced casings are mostly used in business grade laptops to resist bumps and knocks.
So, on average if you pay 2000$ or more for a business laptop, you can use it easily for about 7 years. If you have paid more than 3000$, it can last up to 10 years without any hurdles.
CONSUMER LAPTOPS (LAPTOPS FOR PERSONAL USE AT HOMES):
Consumer grade laptops are used at homes by an individual or family, and they are specially designed by keeping in mind the needs for home usage. These laptops are mainly used for sending emails, creating documents, watching videos, and surfing the web.
They are lightweight because of plastic casing and mostly come in the market with one year warranty. Such laptops have good quality parts to serve the purpose but if you buy an expensive consumer grade laptop the parts may be equal in quality when compared with business laptops. As, we all know that the parts are manufactured by different companies, so machines with the same specs can have different parts.
Generally, in case of consumer laptops while answering how long does a laptop last on average? I would say according to my general estimation that laptops under 700$ last between 2-4 years, and if you spend 700$ to 1300$ on a device, it’ll last longer for almost 5 years.
GAMING LAPTOPS:
If you are a high-end gamer and using your gaming laptop to play heavy games on high quality settings then be careful, you are reducing your laptop life day by day. Obviously, these games are demanding much or your laptop and it has to struggle hard to keep it up. In case you are using a laptop on slow FPS rates and low resolutions then you’ll be fine for a long lifespan.
A mid-range gaming laptop with advanced graphics can last only a few years. So, to have a good quality laptop that is future proof, you’ll have to spend more. A gaming laptop under 1000$ will work for 2 years. To get 4 years warranty you’ll have to spend 2000$-3000$ and even more.
FEATURES OF LONG LASTING LAPTOPS:
If a laptop is handled with care and treated well, it can last longer. Also, some good quality components affect the longevity of the laptop and make it future proof, so let’s have a look at them:
SOLID STATE DRIVE (SSD):
SSD’s are called solid-state drives. Laptops with SSD run smoothly with better performance. They are expensive but more responsive than hard disk drives. A 500GB SSD can serve you for longer a time.
HARD DRIVE:
As we all know hard drives are used to store data, but the amount of data that hard drives have to save is getting bigger day by day. So, at least 500GB will be required to accommodate massive data.
MEMORY:
We are now living in an era of heavy applications and softwares. So, a minimum 8GB of RAM is needed to load such applications because it’s a need of the hour now. For safer side, you can upgrade it by getting more.
PROCESSOR:
Processors also play an important role to keep a laptop with pace. Intel Core i5/i7, 9th or 10th generation processors are the best to get long term effects.
If you want to upgrade a laptop, focus on these components to get long term benefits from a laptop.
TASKS AFFECTING LONGEVITY OF LAPTOP:
A laptop is used for what sort of tasks, can also affect its longevity. If you are using a laptop for intensive and power draining tasks like high-end gaming, graphic designing and editing then take care of your device because they can decrease an average lifespan of a device. If you are demanding less from a laptop and using it for normal usage than it’ll lasts longer.
NOTE: The above mentioned tasks analysis for how long does a laptop last on average, can vary how powerful your laptop is.
CAUSES OF LAPTOP BREAKAGE:
If a laptop isn’t handled with care, then obviously it’s not possible to get the maximum benefit out of it. Keep your laptop safe from drops, bumps, dents, heats etc.
Still, after extreme machines are more vulnerable to damages and no matter how good you keep it, some parts have less lifetime guarantee. For example: Motherboards, RAM, and batteries.
So, keep your device safe from external damages and always look at the processing power of your laptop before using labor-intensive tasks.
HOW TO MAKE A LAPTOP LAST LONGER:
Laptops are an expensive investment and everyone cannot afford it immediately. A laptop at the end of its life needs a replacement but if you don’t want to invest in a new device then you can extend its lifespan by investing in the quality side and taking care of it. Here are some tips for you to get maximum output from a laptop:
- Dropping liquid and spills can damage the laptop or reduce its life span, so keep all liquids away from your device to keep it safe.
- Avoid eating food while using your laptops. Tiny food crumbs can get between the keys and become lodged. This’ll cause trouble while typing.
- Cleaning a laptop gently and regularly can increase its life span. Also, try to put your device in a neat and clean environment by keeping your desk and room clean.
- Before using the device, wash your hands properly. You are the one touching your laptop for hours, so ensure that you aren’t transferring any oil, grime and dust onto the device.
- Pet animals look super cool tickling with humans while working but do you know their hair can get into a laptop just like food or dust particles. So, if you are having pets try to use a laptop in pet free zone. Also, pets can drop your laptop from a table and can delete your important work while poking around.
- LCDs are the gateway of accessing everything on a laptop. The laptop screens are fragile which need to deal with care. Handle them gently to avoid crakes or damages. Also, while cleaning the screen take proper measures.
- Look out temperature changes for your device. For example: If you are immediately carrying the laptop from warm to cold, then wait for few minutes until the laptop comes up to room temperature.
- Stay away from magnets, they can harm a laptop. Keep your laptop away from things that produce magnetic field like TV’s, refrigerators etc.
- Use a laptop bag or protective case for protection.
- Always put a laptop on the surface that provides proper ventilation, otherwise you’ll harm your processor unintentionally.
- Laptops get over heated easily if labor intensive tasks are performed on them, so safe your device and let it cool for some time.
CONCLUSION:
Regardless of model and specifications, a laptop can last much longer than its average time span if dealt with proper care. If you are using an older version of any laptop then upgrade it as per your budget and requirement. Take good care of it with the above-mentioned tricks and no doubt a laptop will serve you longer.