Lifespan of the average laptop?

[racie]

This isn't a tech support question, hence why I didn't put it in the Hardware & Laptops category. But mods, feel free to move it if you feel it is better suited there.

I'm asking this because I know some users have laptops that are quite old... maybe even 10 years. However, my personal laptop started to kill itself at around two and a half years. Now it's basically has the usability of a half-broken netbook that doesn't turn on correctly. I was so outraged when that happened. For crying out loud! It's just three years old! Is this common among certain laptop brands?

Please let me know your laptop maker and how old your laptop is or when your laptop broke.

Mine was a Compaq laptop. I'm thinking it was just the company, but I'm curious about everyone else.

[Sporkman]

Laptops get a lot of wear & tear.

[Pogeymanz]

I had a Compaq that died after roughly a year. Piece of junk.

My wife also had a Compaq that lasted about 2.5. Needless to say, we wont be buying that brand any more. (She really should have asked me before buying that thing!)

I think laptops are something that are worth a big of an investment. There is a reason HP, Lenovo, Mac are all more expensive than Compaq, Acer, etc.

[racie]

I think laptops are something that are worth a big of an investment. There is a reason HP, Lenovo, Mac are all more expensive than Compaq, Acer, etc.

Yeah... makes sense...

Really sucks about your laptop experience. :/

[ventrical]

For me , Ubuntu and other Linux distros have breathed new life into defunct laptops that I collect from the garbage and rebuild. I am currently running Ubuntu 10.10 on an Acer Aspire 3620, a very old model with no battery. (It's the batteries that are expensive). So I just use them as desktops.) I also have an old Dell Inspiron and two Sony Vaios that work really decent.

To me, it appears the older , the better.

Theoretically the longevity of semiconductors has not been conclusively determined. if all systems are go and the cooling , humidity, etc.. are just right , any laptop can last a real long time.

[youbuntu]

In my house? 1 year :lol:

[tgalati4]

Apple Powerbooks/MacBook Pros, IBM ThinkPads, HP Omnibooks, and a few others tend to hold up better than others.

I have all three of the above and they have been going 6, 5, and 13 years respectively.

Someone gave me a Dell Inspiron 7500 and I had to replace both hinges, and it reboots on a whim.

[squenson]

I bought my first laptop in 1997, a Compaq with Windows 95. I upgraded it to Windows 98. It is now at my father's place where it is booted from time to time when my father's machine has a problem. The machine works well although it is quite slow compared to today's standard.

My father has an Acer machine and he has been using it every day since end 2006 (we waited for Vista, big mistake and we had to downgrade the machine but this is another story).

I still have my Compaq nx9005 bought in 2003. I reformatted the HDD to install Ubuntu 10.10 and it works perfectly well. Not even a dead pixel on the screen! The only problem is that the battery has a life of 7 minutes, so I must keep it connected to the power socket all the time. I am now using it in front of my piano keyboard, so I can see the partitions on the screen instead of printing them.

I have a third, more recent HP laptop (2009) and this is my main machine. It works really well and with 4GB RAM and Ubuntu, I have really no issue.

As you can see, my experience with laptops is very positive!

[del_diablo]

I guess year and a half for the "cheap consumer brands". Which there is quite many models.
I seen 12-14 year old laptops which have proper build quality, roughly no detectable tearing from usage on the.
So it depends on the build quality.

[RiceMonster]

I'd say somewhere between 2 and 4 years is when a lot of laptops start crapping out in some way. It's pretty difficult to find a laptop that will last a long time. My current laptop is under a year old and still working with no issues. I'm hoping it lasts for a while.

[andras artois]

For regular people? No more than 3 years at a big push. For people who understand computers then probably about 5 years. After that it's just the general wear and tear that would stop them being used longer.

[bsharp]

My first laptop was a Dell refurb I bought around December 2006 that lasted about a year. My second was a Compaq that lasted about a year and a half. I carry my laptop basically everywhere I go so I tend to be rough on them despite how careful I am, and I got fed up with getting a new one about every year so I bit the bullet and got a Macbook Pro. I figured the aluminum unibody would solve my problems and so far it's lasted pretty well...although I haven't quite hit the year mark yet I expect to get at least 3 years out of it.

[BigCityCat]

I have an hp dv9000 that is about 4 years old. Knock on wood no problems yet. I have re installed different os's probably more than 50 times. Mostly home use on ac power. Battery sits on the floor. Once in a while I will discharge and re charge it.

[Rasa1111]

i have 2 laptops..
one super old IBM thinkpad 600E, was bought in 1998, came with win98 on it.
6.5 GB hdd, 144mb RAM, cant remember CPU.

Put XP on it a year or so after it came out..
even tho everyone said it wouldnt run it..
but it ran it fine.
(as fine as windows will run, anyhow)

Anyway..
Still have it, still runs pretty great.
only OS on it now is lubuntu 9.10.
its old, and slow as heck... but it still runs great for music or writing , or small videos. lol

my other laptop is a IBM Thinkpad Z61t~
Which actually came out in 2006, but I just got it recently , refurbished by a friend of a friend.

Its the fastest laptop i know!
Only OS is Ubuntu 10.10.

So even though ive only had it a month or so..
its about 5 years old...
got 2GB RAM, Duo core 1.83GHz / 1000.00 MHz CPU..
and its faster and literally better than anyone elses laptop that i know/. lol

Im actually running SpinRite6 on the old thinkpad right now..
thing has a lot of bad sectors on the hdd, but id probably be better off just getting a new hdd for it, as the one in it now is only a whopping 6.5 GB. :lol:

i laughed about that little hdd the other day while visiting my dad, and he said..
"hey, i remember when we paid like $1000 for our first 1GB drives!"
:lol: wow.

I think ive only seen one thinkpad completely die in all the years ive been playing with them.
and that belonged to a friends friend.

<3

[fisaacs]

Depends on the user and manufacturer.

I had a Toshiba Sattelite circa 2001 that barely made it to 2005. My 2006 1st gen Macbook Pro is writing this post and suffers from running a little hot, having no battery (died, wouldn't even take a charge, computer wouldn't boot with it in) and having a bum right-shift key (I'm a leftie so I don't really suffer there)

Every mac laptop owned by my family (and we've been on them since the days of the old b/w active matrix mac laptops of the early 90's) lasted a good 5 years before something made them useless or they couldn't run the software or version of macos necessary to run the software needed.

I know a lot of Compaqs and Dells that barely make it 2 years.

Generally, buying a laptop for longevity means buying the best processor/dedicated graphics card you can afford. I would personally avoid intel/ati mobile graphics at all costs.

[pi3.1415926535...]

I am sure it is a relatively short time for many Mac users, not that they computers break, only that apple has released x million updates since they bought it two years ago.

[racie]

i have 2 laptops..
one super old IBM thinkpad 600E, was bought in 1998, came with win98 on it.
6.5 GB hdd, 144mb RAM, cant remember CPU.

Put XP on it a year or so after it came out..
even tho everyone said it wouldnt run it..
but it ran it fine.
(as fine as windows will run, anyhow)

Anyway..
Still have it, still runs pretty great.
only OS on it now is lubuntu 9.10.
its old, and slow as heck... but it still runs great for music or writing , or small videos. lol


Wow that is old! Are you very delicate with it? I tended to be a bit rough with mine (accidentally slamming the lid shut, accidentally walking into a door with it :P ), which obviously contributed to the hardware failure.

[cprofitt]

I have been a Thinkpad fan for a while.

I have the following:

T60p - 4 years and going strong
T42p - 7 years and going strong
X42 - 6 years and going strong
T500 - 2.5 years and going strong

I have also seen Dell laptops (Latitudes) last quite a good while too. I think one of the main issues is when people get 'consumer grade' laptops instead of the business models.

[beew]

My first laptop was a Dell refurb I bought around December 2006 that lasted about a year. My second was a Compaq that lasted about a year and a half. I carry my laptop basically everywhere I go so I tend to be rough on them despite how careful I am, and I got fed up with getting a new one about every year so I bit the bullet and got a Macbook Pro. I figured the aluminum unibody would solve my problems and so far it's lasted pretty well...although I haven't quite hit the year mark yet I expect to get at least 3 years out of it.

Well if you use your laptop to test gravity or as a combat tool then a life span of more than a year would be pushing it, but in that case they don't suffer "natural death" and their speedy demise is no indication for a laptop's life span. I expect mine to last at least 4 years. I have working laptops that are 7-8 years old, it is just that the hardware gets old and doesn't support functionalities that are taken for granted today.

[3Miro]

My cousin has a computer repair shop and he was telling me about some defective AMD chipsets that last 18 months sharp (I don't think they make them anymore). Some people have laptops over 6 years old. Laptops have a huge variance in lifespan. Also, the way you use it makes a huge difference.

[Rasa1111]

Wow that is old! Are you very delicate with it? I tended to be a bit rough with mine (accidentally slamming the lid shut, accidentally walking into a door with it :P ), which obviously contributed to the hardware failure.

haha, Hiyah racie,
Yeah it is pretty old.

nah, I am actually rather 'rough' with mine as well.
I take good care of them.. but I certainly don't baby them by any means. lol

I think i treat them that way though because i know how well they're made and that they can take it.
If it were another brand.. Im sure i would baby it more.

Thinkpads~ Best laptops ever in my experience. <3

Also,
On the old one,
About a year ago, I spilled a full mug of hot tea (with sugar)
all over it!
All down thru the keyboard, everywhere man.

I thought it was finished.

But I removed all removable pieces,
shook it out like crazy, then let it air out upside down for 3 days.

Sure enough, put it all back together,
started er up.. and she started up like nothing ever happened! :o

and it still runs like the day I got it, really.

Just sooo sloowww compared to most other machines alive today. lol

I fully expect/plan to have this Thinkpad Z61t for just as long! lol ;)
was originally like $2.000 laptop.
One of the best ive ever used to!
When compared to new laptops bought a year ago, or even a few months ago..
This still out performs them. :KS

[Rasa1111]

I have been a Thinkpad fan for a while.

I have the following:

T60p - 4 years and going strong
T42p - 7 years and going strong
X42 - 6 years and going strong
T500 - 2.5 years and going strong

I think one of the main issues is when people get 'consumer grade' laptops instead of the business models.

That's what im talkin' bout! lol

I agree, business models are far better than "consumer grade".
and Thinkpads have never failed me. <3

So, Thinkpad 600E~ 13 years old. Still going.
Think Z61t~ 5 years old, Going strong as ever

[racie]

Wow! Yeah, I've heard of the Thinkpads as having great build quality and durability... I guess it's true. Next time I buy a laptop, I'll be sure to take note of that.

Would any of you happen to know anything about build quality of System76 products? I guess it'd be better to ask that in the System76 section.

[Rasa1111]

Wow! Yeah, I've heard of the Thinkpads as having great build quality and durability... I guess it's true. Next time I buy a laptop, I'll be sure to take note of that.

Would any of you happen to know anything about build quality of System76 products? I guess it'd be better to ask that in the System76 section.


yeah, definitely think about a thinkpad next time you buy a laptop! lol

got a mugshot of the two..
Left side is the 5 year old
Right side is the 13 year old~ lol
186694

Ive always wanted a system76 laptop also..
(since ive known of them anyway)

I hear lots of good things about them..
but ive also read stuff where people were disappointed in the overall "quality feel" .

I think most people love them and no issues..
but ive definitely read things with people talking about them feeling "cheap", But i wouldnt know personally.

[Cracklepop]

I have a Toshiba going strong in it's 7th year...

My girlfriend has a 3 year old Thinkpad with a dead disk and warped case (unrelated to the dead disk, btw).

[Cracklepop]

My first laptop was a Dell refurb I bought around December 2006 that lasted about a year. My second was a Compaq that lasted about a year and a half. I carry my laptop basically everywhere I go so I tend to be rough on them despite how careful I am, and I got fed up with getting a new one about every year so I bit the bullet and got a Macbook Pro. I figured the aluminum unibody would solve my problems and so far it's lasted pretty well...although I haven't quite hit the year mark yet I expect to get at least 3 years out of it.

Your problem was the was the first two brands...any quality hardware (including Apple) will put them to shame.

[seenthelite]

Toshiba Satellite 2250CDT. 2000 Model, it still runs as new with Lucid Puppy 5.2 installed at the moment. Battery does not charge is the only issue.
Dell Inspiron 2007 model in perfect condition, everything working with Vista and Fedora 14 installed.
Another Toshiba, 2010 model also working.

[Bölvaður]

ACER TravelMate 660, 7 year old (the copyright on the manual is 2003)

Distro: Linux Mint (fluxbox)

I still use it to go to school and take down notes, browse internet, programming while traveling, skype and IM. It is a slow one but it's still working.

[CharlesA]

I've got an Asus EEEpc that I bought about 13 months ago. Still runs great. I don't use it as much as I used to anymore, but I do drag it with me to work and back daily.