Computers have become essential these days. Almost everyone has one. We use them to play games, to work or to have fun. Some people use desktop computers, some use notebooks and the others use regular laptops. Some people prefer building the PC, while others prefer shopping for pre-built ones.
However, in today’s tech-world climate – bulling a custom PC is nothing short of a miracle. There’s a global shortage of GPUs and if you want to build a decent machine that’s going to last you a few years, you’ll have to break the bank and spend as much as 3 times more than you usually would just to get your hands on a decent GPU. And yes, you can forget about the 3000-series GPUs – those are virtually impossible to find.
That leaves us with either pre-built PCs or laptops and we just can’t, in good heart, recommend getting a pre-built PC – it’s just wrong. So, that leaves us with laptops. Let’s talk about them for a little bit.
Should You Get A Laptop?
Let’s begin by answering this simple question – should you get a laptop? Well, the answer isn’t as simple as you might think. PC lovers would advise against it, coffee-shop writers would say yes and Apple lovers would say it isn’t called a laptop it’s called MacBook.
Either way, you have to answer a couple of questions. Why do you need a laptop? Is portability important to you? Do you commute to work and use that time to do some additional work? Do you play games? Do you need a large screen? Is the lifespan of a device important to you?
Answers to all of these will influence your decision whether you should get a laptop or not. Now, for the sake of this article, let’s just assume that you need a laptop. On that note – here’s what you need to know.
How To Choose A Perfect Laptop?
Now, unless you’re one of the Apple fan-boys, you have a decision to make – which one do I buy? Do you go the budget route or do you splurge and get something expensive?
Well, it all comes down to what you’re going to end up using the laptop for. If you’re just looking for a machine for web browsing, watching YouTube and Netflix and Zoom calls with your family – you shouldn’t think too much about it. If that’s what you need it for – pretty much any laptop will do. Any budget version should suffice and you shouldn’t spend any more than $400 on a laptop in that case. So please, for the love of God, don’t get a MacBook Pro with an M1 chip just to binge-watch your favourite show.
Now, if you’re more into gaming, 3D modelling, video editing, graphic or web design, then, you need something with a little bit of juice. We’re talking solid CPU, beefy GPU, fast M.2 SSD’s, 1440p or 4K display panels – the whole package.
Essentially, what we’re trying to say is – get a laptop based on your needs.
Are Laptops Better Than Desktops?
The age-old question, which one is better – a laptop or a desktop? Well, it depends on who you ask and it depends on what you’re using the machine for. If it’s a work machine and you happen to travel a lot, then, of course, the laptop’s better – you can’t carry your desktop with you everywhere you go.
On the other hand, some would say that you can’t compare the two and the desktop computers are far superior compared to laptops, mostly because they’re cheaper and they last longer. Now, we can’t argue with the first half of that statement, but as far as longevity’s concerned – there’s room for a discussion.
How Long Do Laptops Last?
To say that desktops last longer than laptops is ludicrous. There’s no evidence to support that theory, mostly because these machines come in all types, shapes and sizes.
The only determining factor, when it comes to the longevity of your tech is quality. The hardware and the components that make out a device are what determines how long the device will last. It doesn’t matter if it’s a laptop, a desktop computer or a mobile phone.
Now, we could just give you a generic answer and say that the laptops last 4 or 5 years on average – but that would be just wrong. That doesn’t mean anything. A $300 laptop won’t last as long as a $3000 laptop under any circumstances. Even if you drop them or spill water all over them – the more expensive option will probably last a few seconds longer due to quality craftsmanship if nothing else.
Now, since you came here looking for actual, numerical answers – we’re going to give them to you.
On average, a budget model, the one under $600 will usually last you anywhere from 2 to 4 years. The mid-tier laptops, the ones between $600 and $1000 will probably last about a year longer than the budget models. And finally, the premium models, the flagships, the ones ranging from $1200 to $4200 will probably last you upwards of 7 years.
So, yes, the laptops, on average, last 4 to 5 years.
What Else Affect The Lifespan Of A Laptop?
There’s more to a laptop’s longevity than it initially meets the eye. Sure, the components are the main determining factor, but there are others as well. Check out www.viphouse.rs to find laptops that can last for years to come!
Battery
How you handle your laptop is important as well. In general, the first thing that dies in a laptop is a battery. Now, some would say – who cares, plug it and use it. Well, to those we say – if that was what we wanted, we would’ve gotten a desktop. On that note, here are few basic tips to preserve battery life.
- Never drain the battery completely.
- Run battery saving mode whenever possible.
- Don’t keep the laptop plugged in at all times.
- Turn off Wi-Fi and Bluetooth when you’re not using it.
- Turn down the screen brightness.
Usage & Other Components
Of course, the battery isn’t the only thing that might die on you – other components might give out as well. In some older models, HDDs tend to go out more often than other components, so we’d recommend getting an SSD for your laptop and an external hard drive for media.
Naturally, how heavy you use the laptop will affect life expectancy, as well. For instance, if you’re using your laptop to mine crypto, which we don’t recommend you do, you’re going to ‘burn’ your machine in about a year or two. Essentially, any kind of strenuous and extensive CPU and GPU workloads will take a toll on your machine and cut its life short.
Final Verdict
Finally, we feel like it is safe to say that it’s not about the longevity of a laptop – it’s about the performance. In a way, longevity doesn’t even matter – you’re going to have to upgrade in 5 years either way. However, If you want your laptop to last you upwards of 10 years – get a Zephyrus Duo 15 and don’t run anything but Firefox and MS Word on it.
