Laptops have been killing the market because of their portability, compact size, lightweight, and an ultra-sleek design. Having access to a PC on the go is a great feeling in itself. But one question that everyone is asking is how long do laptops last?
Laptops are available in different sizes and weights and at different prices. The longevity of a laptop may be less compared to a Desktop PC simply because the laptop travels from one place to another very frequently. Furthermore, frequent opening and closing of the lid may also deteriorate the quality of its hinges over time. But how long does a laptop lasts is yet unanswered.
If you own a laptop or planning to buy one, then this article will be an eye-opener for you. In this article, I will be answering the question: how long do laptops last? Not only that, but I will also give you some bonus tips that will help you to increase your laptop’s overall lifespan.
In This Article
How Long do Laptops Last?
The longevity of a laptop not only means that the body and internals should continue to function but whether the old specifications make sense in the present situation or not. The hardware of a laptop plays a crucial role in its processing as well as its long life.
After hardware comes to the overall build. I want to stress more on the hinges here. It has been my experience that the body of my laptop was usable even after a few cracks here and there; however, the hinges did not withstand.
Hinges are like the backbone of your laptop. Forget about the long term; a hinge that is not sturdy enough may cause a problem in the short run itself. I recommend buying a laptop with at least metal hinges, and military standard certification will be a cherry on the cake.
Not all laptops are built with the same material. This is the second major reason behind the longevity of a laptop, after the hardware. Let me answer the question of how long laptops last after discussing the types of laptops available in the market.
What You Need to Know Before Buying a Laptop
On top of all, the battery life of a laptop is something that may need a replacement in a very short period of time. The average battery life of a laptop may range from 1000-1500 charge cycles. In simple words, the more you charge and discharge, which completes one cycle, the more the battery deteriorates.
The most popular Gaming Laptops are ASUS TUF, ASUS ROG, HP Envy, and Lenovo Legion laptops.
Consumer Grade Laptops
Consumer grade laptops are the most basic laptops that you can buy for basic use such as internet browsing, productivity & office apps, or media consumption. These laptops may last for a fairly long time if less porting is done from one place to another. Consumer-grade laptops start from a budget price range with low configuration.
The laptop’s body, along with the hinges, is made out of plastic. Assuming that you will use them daily, you can rely on Consumer grade laptops for somewhere around 2 to 5 years. These laptops come with a one-year warranty.
ASUS Vivobook series, Lenovo Ideapad series, and HP Notebook series are a few popular examples of consumer-grade laptops.
Business Grade Laptops
Business grade laptops are made for heavy tasks and extensive use each and every day. These laptops are fairly expensive, but the build quality and the configuration are also higher than Consumer-grade laptops. Business-grade laptops are built with metal or carbon fiber casings, unlike Consumer-grade laptops.
Not to forget, along with a metal hinge mechanism. Due to the metal casing, a business-grade laptop might be heavier than a normal consumer-grade laptop. You can rely on Business-grade laptops for at least 5 years or more. These laptops generally come with 3 years warranty.
ASUS Vivobook Business Laptop series, Lenovo Thinkpad, HP elite ProBook, and HP dragonfly are some popular business laptops.
Gaming Laptops
Gaming laptops can be highly expensive, but they come with the latest and high-end specs among all the category laptops. These laptops are built with metal and carbon fiber, just like business-grade laptops; however, the internals of Gaming Laptops are top-notch.
The best part is that the gaming laptop has an amazing heat dissipation system to keep the laptop at low temperature, even at high graphic settings. The lifespan of a gaming laptop depends upon the usage: whether you are playing high-end games or moderate-end games because the laptop’s heat takes a toll on the battery and the processor.
Gaming laptops can last for a fairly large period of time: 5 years or more, in moderate usage.
On top of all, the battery life of a laptop is something that may need a replacement in a very short period of time. The average battery life of a laptop may range from 1000-1500 charge cycles. In simple words, the more you charge and discharge, which completes one cycle, the more the battery deteriorates.
How to Check if Your Laptop is Durable?
Irrespective of the fact that you own a laptop or plan to buy one. You can always check the durability of the laptop by looking at the following criteria:
1. The Build Quality: I recommend buying a laptop with a metal or carbon fiber casing.
2. The Hinge mechanism: I recommend buying a laptop with a metal hinge mechanism at least. In case you already own a laptop, you may check if you can open the lid without any cracking noise.
3. The internals: I recommend buying a laptop that can handle multitasking at least. The media consumption, browsing, and office apps should be able to run without any lag.
4. The upgradability: I recommend buying a laptop in which you can upgrade RAM and storage so that your hardware can match the heavy software versions in the future.
How to Increase a Laptop’s Lifespan?
After understanding the science behind the lifespan of a laptop, you must have got an idea about how long a laptop should last. If not, then take a look at the suggestions to increase your laptop’s lifespan.
Careful Porting:
You may come across a lot of suggestions where they say, do not use laptops too much to prevent early wear and tear.
I refute the above, and I recommend using the laptop as per your need, but carefully while you’re picking it up from a surface or putting it down on a surface.
Not Being too Hard on the Hinges:
To prevent the hinges from deteriorating, you should not put pressure on them by opening the laptop’s lid more to the maximum angle or more than what it can support. Also, always try to open the laptop’s lid with two hands.
Reducing Battery Cycles:
Try using your laptop while plugged in because then the laptop will operate on AC power instead of the battery. The more cycles a battery goes through, the more it deteriorates.
Using a Cooling Pad:
Heat is an enemy to the laptop’s internals. Therefore, you should try using a cooling pad below the laptop so that the heat doesn’t affect your internals while you’re performing any extensive task.
Wrapping Up
This brings us to the answer to the question. “How long should a laptop last?” Well, it all depends on the type of laptop you buy and the way you use it. The lifespan of a laptop may range from at least 2 years up to 10 years. But practically, I do not want to use it for 10 years simply because of the speed of technological advancement every year. For more guides and recommendations, keep scrolling through Path of EX.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Do cheap laptops last long?
A. Cheap laptops generally come with low configuration and plastic build quality. They can easily last 2-3 years if you use the extensively but carefully.
Q. Are all Gaming Laptops expensive?
A. Not at all. You can buy a good Gaming Laptop with a low-end Graphics Card and enjoy light-moderate gaming without lags. Although, the heat dissipation is not well done on Budget Gaming Laptops.
Q. When should I change the battery of my laptop?
A. When you think that you need the backup but the battery dies earlier than 4 hours (under normal usage).
