How Long Do Laptops Last? The Lifespan of Your Laptop

How long do laptops last? This is a question that a lot of people have, and it's a valid one. After all, laptops aren't cheap, so you want to make sure you're getting your money's worth. In this blog post, we'll take a look at how long laptops usually last and what you can do to extend their life. In this article, we will discuss several factors from battery life to operational lifespan and useful lifespan. We'll also discuss some tips for choosing the right laptop for your needs. So if you're curious about how long your laptop will last, read on!

How long do laptops last?

Battery Life

how long do laptops last

Your main power source and portability contribution of your laptop is, of course, the battery. This is more likely than not, the shorter lifespan within your laptop than the laptop itself. As time progresses, that ability for your battery to contain charge ends up regressing quite drastically.

In this case, battery replacements tend to be a must as most battery lifespans last between 18-25 months depending on how/how much you use your laptop. Luckily, there is a list of things you can do to help improve your battery life:

  • Dim your laptop's screen. This is the largest power drain for most laptops.
  • Disabling Wi-Fi and Bluetooth
  • Change power settings
  • Refrain from leaving your laptop on permanent charge
  • If your laptop permits, install a second battery
  • Switching to Internal Graphics
  • Memory management, SSD Upgrade

Operational and Useful Life Expectancy

how long do laptops last

Other than your battery life, there are a couple more things to discuss in terms of your laptop’s lifespan. The two types of life expectancies for your laptop is operational lifespan and useful life span.

The operational lifespan is a measurement of how long your laptop functions properly. The useful lifespan is how long your laptop will be able to run more advanced programs while meeting specific system requirements and specifications.

Furthermore, this means your laptop could function properly for a long time but maybe less useful, obsolete even, to more contemporary programs. If your laptop is much older, it may have a tougher time keeping up with the race in terms of using high demanding programs and the effect on your RAM, CPU, and graphics card.

Expanding on Your Laptop’s Operational Lifespan

how long do laptops last

When it comes to operational lifespan, the main factor here is the type of components or hardware that’s inside your laptop.

In order for your laptop to remain relevant for modern tasks and programs, that depends on the quality of your processor, your graphics card, as well as the amount of storage space/RAM. Obviously, there is a price to pay if you want your laptop to last longer and contain relevancy.

From what we’ve discovered in terms of approximate price per time:

2-4 years costs $700 or less

3-5 years costs $700 - $1000

4-7 years costs $1000 or more

For gaming laptops

2-3 years costs $700 or less

3-4 years costs $700 - $1500

4-6 years costs $1500 or more

The Lifespan of Your Gaming Laptop


As we’ve previously explored, depending on what you use your laptop for, depends on the overall lifespan for there operational/useful functions.

Gaming laptops, on the other hand, require much more power and are all-around more demanding if you’re a hardcore gamer. In this case, don’t be surprised that you notice your laptop's life dwindling before your eyes.

We must also keep in mind that as time passes, modern games are increasing immensely in their graphics capabilities. Therefore, you would need better hardware to even be able to run them.

This, of course, all depends on what kind of gamer you are. For gamers that only like to play on the highest graphical settings laptop, will require more extensive hardware.
Also Read: Best 2-in-1 Laptops Under $400

For gamers that don’t mind lower graphical settings, will most certainly have an easier time fitting in some extra years on their gaming laptop.

Make Your Laptop Last Longer

Everything should last just a little bit longer depending on how you treat it. The same goes for your laptop.

If you want longer use out of your machine, there a few things to keep in mind.

Your laptop is vulnerable to internal overheating. Make it a goal to resist using your laptop on your bed, blankets, pillows, etc, as these types of surfaces don’t allow your laptop to “breathe,” if you will. Otherwise, the built-in cooling devices will be of no use.

Try looking into laptop cooling pads or even external cooling fans that your laptop can lay on while gaming or working.

Another way to prevent your laptop from overheating is to make sure it is as dust free as possible. By air dusting out your air vents with canned air, it clears a path for cool air to flow through.

Finally, we also advise that you obviously prevent dropping your laptop and/or spilling liquids on it. We assure that pouring water on your laptop will not cool it down.

What Have We Learned about how long do laptops last?

Take great care of your laptop whether it’s for casual use, specialized tasks, or hardcore gaming! If you love your laptop, show them that you love them by upgrading storage space and/or hardware!

Make sure you keep it clean and give it a little bath once a month.

Ok, don’t dump your laptop in the water, please. Just purchase canned air and blow out any dusty vents and cooling fans.

Also, always remember that time is money!

For laptops, money equals time.

If we missed anything about how long do laptops last, tell us about it the comments! You can also click here to check what's the best ethernet cable to use for!!!

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average lifespan of a laptop?

A laptop is expected to last for around 3-4 years. After this period, its life will be shortened and it becomes obsolete. The average lifespan of a laptop also depends on how well it has been taken care of and the environment in which it has been used.

Can a laptop last 10 years?

Yes, a laptop may last for 10 years. Manufacturers do test their laptops to make sure they work in high efficiency for at least ten years before they are sold in the market.

Is a 7 year old computer worth fixing?

If the computer is seven years old or more, and it requires a repair that is more than 25 to 30 percent of the cost of a new computer, the answer is no. If it isn't, then you should always try to have it repaired.

Also Read:
How to Connect Two Monitors to a Laptop HDMI?
How To Turn ON Backlit Keyboard Dell Laptops
How to Enable TouchPad on Asus Laptop
How to Find Out What Kind of Laptop Do I Have?
How to take screenshot on ASUS laptop
How Often Should You Replace Your Laptop?

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One comment on “How Long Do Laptops Last? The Lifespan of Your Laptop”

  1. Thanks for sharing this informative article to provide a great piece of information about the lifespan of gaming laptops. This article boosts the information of game lovers who are searching for the lifespan of gaming laptops just like me.
    Keep sharing informative articles like this. Thank you!

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