It goes without saying that a laptop will not last forever. At best, even if you purchase the most advanced laptop in the current market, it can only last for about 4 to 5 years.
On average, a laptop remains usable for 3-4 years and after that, you will start experiencing issues with it, especially on the software part.
Even with proper care and regular maintenance, it is very unlikely that your laptop will last longer than 5 years. By that time, the latest OS updates and software packages might not be compatible with your current specs.
However, the exact life of a laptop depends on a lot of factors. In this guide, we will be exploring these factors to determine how long laptops last in the real world. Let’s get right to it:
Also Read: What To Do With An Old Laptop?
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Factors Affecting Lifespan Of Laptops – A Deep Dive
A lot of factors come into play when you are assessing the lifespan of a laptop. Some laptops can last longer while others become useless to their users in just over a year.
Let’s dive into the detailed factors that contribute to or limit the lifespan of a laptop.
A Laptop’s Purpose
The purpose for which you are using a laptop eventually determines its lifespan. If you are a conventional user, who is just using the laptop for basic computing and everyday needs, your laptop can even last more than 5 years.
Some users have even kept their laptops for ten years, after which they became unusable because of software and hardware limitations.
Passionate gamers and high-performance laptops tend to expire soon. If you are a heavy-duty laptop gamer, one who loves you play the latest and most advanced games, you won’t be able to use the laptop for much time and will have to upgrade much sooner.
Similarly, if you are a power user who runs performance-intensive applications and software development projects, then you have to keep up with the technology and upgrade to newer laptops as soon as they become available.
For high-performance users, the life of a laptop varies between 1-3 years. Between this time, there are several new variants of laptops that they have to upgrade to because of the nature of their use.
Since the CPU and GPU of the laptop cannot be upgraded, you have no other option but to opt for a newer laptop.
Also Read: Best Gaming Laptops Under $1000
Upgradability
Modern laptops come with some technical advantages, as compared to the older ones. They have multiple additional slots of RAM and storage upgrades.
So, if you have a modern laptop, you can upgrade the memory and storage to some extent to meet with demanding needs of technological evolution.
This will help you boost the lifespan of your laptop from three to at most 5 years. You can upgrade memory and storage when required.
However, keep in mind, that you cannot upgrade the generation of memory and storage. If you have a laptop that comes with DDR4 RAM, then you cannot upgrade it to DDR5 RAM.
Similarly, if you have Gen 3 SSD storage only, you cannot upgrade it to Gen 4 SSD storage. So, the hardware limitations eventually will force a laptop into its expiry and you will have to purchase a newer laptop.
Software Limitations
The true expiry date of a laptop comes with the OS you want to use or the applications you have to use are no longer compatible with the specifications of the laptop.
We can call that the death of the laptop. You can still use the old OS, but that is only an option for people who are using the laptop for basic computing or home use.
Hence, if you are a professional or a tech enthusiast, you will have to let go of your laptop when the day comes when the latest OS and software packages are no longer compatible with the technical specifications of your laptop.
Technically, when your laptop becomes old, the latest OS updates and applications will exert an excessive burden on the specs. Your laptop will have a higher temperature than usual and the fan will be running all the time, at full speed.
So, you will know that your laptop is about to give up and soon the latest updates will not be usable on this laptop.
Also Read: How Long Do Gaming Laptops Last?
Battery Health
Older laptops used to come with replaceable batteries which were easily replaced when you felt that the battery life was draining and not holding as much as it did before.
However, modern laptops have built-in batteries, and over time they will lose their potency.
For a couple of years, even if your laptop’s battery dies, you will be able to find a replacement for it. Eventually, the manufacturer will discontinue the production of the battery, as they feel the laptop has become too old.
So, once that happens, you cannot do anything about the battery of your laptop. You might be able to find some alternate replacements but they will never work as well and there will be too many new variants in the market.
Hence, battery life and health also end up determining the life of a laptop and how long it will last.
Display Aspect
Display is one of the most crucial components of your laptop and also your work life. When a laptop becomes old, the display starts giving up.
Just like a battery, up till a certain time, you can find replacements for the display of your laptop but after the laptop model has become too old and the manufacturer discontinues both the model and its parts, the display will die out.
The technology is evolving at a rapid pace and eventually, it will become cheaper to just purchase a new laptop than to replace or upgrade the current one.
Based on the display aspect and all the previous factors that we have discussed, a laptop can last anywhere from one to five years.
Also Read: Best Laptops For Multitasking
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average lifespan of a laptop?
On average, a laptop lasts from 2 to 4 years depending on various factors and the purpose for which the laptop is being used. After you have had a laptop for five years, it will become incompatible with the software upgrades and OS updates.
How would I know when I need a new laptop?
There are several pointers that can be identified when you need a new laptop. The OS updates and latest software packages are no longer compatible, your laptop is making noise all the time and it cannot be upgraded any further.
Can a laptop survive for 10 years?
If you are just using a laptop for basic computing and everyday tasks, there is a chance that you might be able to use it for ten years by maxing out its memory and storage. However, it is very unlikely you will be able to keep up with the software trends.
Wrapping Up!
Summing it all up, a good laptop can last for about 3 to 5 years, provided you care for it properly, do regular maintenance, and upgrade the performance components of the laptop.
That is about the average lifespan of the laptop. However, this lifespan can vary depending on various factors that we have discussed in the above article.
To accurately assess the lifespan of a laptop, you will have to carefully consider multiple factors like purpose, upgradability, performance limitations, software limitations, and battery and display factors.
I hope the above guide helps you determine the true extent to which your laptop can last. Good Luck!