Laptop computers typically last around three to five years. While laptop prices are dropping, buying one every three years or so can still be hard on your wallet. The good news is there are things you can do to make your laptop last longer. Laptop computer life span depends on many factors, but if you’re following these tips you should be able to get more than five years of use out of your laptop.
Use Covers and Keep It Clean
Keeping your laptop clean will a long way in prolonging the life of your laptop. Laptop covers keep dust away from your laptop. Dust is a major enemy of laptops. It can block air vents and cause your cooling fans to work overtime.
It’s also important to regularly clean all parts of your laptop – especially the screen – to keep it free from dust and fingerprints. Use a damp, soft cloth or compressed air (be sure to avoid the cooling vents) to clean your laptop. Never spray cleaning fluid directly on your laptop – you don’t want it pooling in any openings.
Mind the Temperature
Laptops generate a lot of heat when in use, and if this heat isn’t dissipated, it can damage the internal components. To prevent this, it’s important to keep your laptop cool. You can do this by using a laptop cooler, keeping it in a well-ventilated area, and not using it in hot environments.
If you’re using your laptop in a hot environment (or the weather’s really warm), it could be overheating. If this happens, turn it off and give it time to cool down before turning it back on again.
Regularly Scan for Viruses
One of the best ways to keep your laptop running smoothly is to regularly scan it for viruses. Viruses can infect your laptop’s operating system, causing it to run slowly or crash. They can also damage your files and erase your data.
The best way to protect your laptop from viruses is to install antivirus software and keep it up-to-date. Antivirus software scans your computer for viruses and removes them. It also protects your computer from malware and other online threats.
It’s important to scan your laptop for viruses regularly – at least once a week. This will help keep your laptop running smoothly and protect your data from being corrupted or erased.
Update Your Laptop Frequently
Keeping your laptop up-to-date will ensure it runs as smoothly as possible. This might mean updating the operating system, drivers, or applications on your laptop.
Updating your laptop isn’t a difficult process. Most operating systems and programs will automatically update themselves, so you don’t have to do anything except installing the updates as they become available.
As with any software on your computer, it’s important to keep your applications up-to-date. This keeps them protected from threats and makes it more likely that they’ll work properly. Applications may update themselves automatically, but if not you should check the application’s website regularly to see what updates are available.
Don’t Move it Too Much While in Use
Laptops are mobile, but one of the most common causes of damage is moving it while in use. Don’t place your laptop on loose or unstable surfaces and don’t pick up and move your laptop by its screen.
It’s important to minimize movement while your laptop is turned on, especially if you’re using an older model. One jarring movement can cause the hard drive to detach from the rest of the computer, which could cause internal damage.
If you need to move your laptop while it’s plugged in and turned on, turn off your computer first and remove any accessories (like an external keyboard) before moving it. Be careful not to bump or shake your laptop when you’re moving it or carrying it.
Upgrade Your Hard Drive to SSD
Solid State Drives (SSDs) are faster than traditional hard drives and use less power, which means they generate less heat. This can prolong the life of your laptop computer considerably.
Upgrading your laptop to an SSD will improve its performance significantly, making it easier to multitask, switch between programs, and boot up. SSDs can also help your laptop boot up faster, so you spend less time staring at a blank screen.
Before purchasing an SSD, check whether it’s compatible with your laptop. Not all laptops support the installation of new hard drives, but if yours does you can upgrade to an SSD in just a few minutes by following some simple instructions on how to install it.
Protect it Against Power Surge
An electrical power surge can damage your laptop, so it’s important to protect against this. The first step is to install a surge protector for your computer and external devices. These are inexpensive and will reduce the risk of electric surges damaging your laptop or any other electrical equipment attached to it.
External hard drives are especially vulnerable to power surges, so it’s a good idea to purchase an external surge protector to use with it.
Make Sure Your Laptop Computer Has Enough RAM
Your laptop’s RAM works as a temporary storage space for your data. If you have too little RAM, your laptop will have to work harder and it may not be able to process some tasks as quickly as it should.
Having enough RAM can help improve your laptop’s performance and make it easier to multitask or switch between programs.
If your laptop starts running slowly or showing a lot of error messages, it could be a sign that you need more RAM. To check how much RAM your computer has, look for the System Information icon on your taskbar to see how much RAM is being used and how much is available.
Before purchasing more RAM, check whether it’s compatible with your laptop. You may not be able to upgrade your laptop’s RAM, so you’ll have to buy the same amount of RAM it came with.
Limit Turning Your Laptop Computer On/Off
It’s tempting to turn your laptop on and off when you’re not using it, but this can damage the internal components. Instead of powering down your laptop, put it into Hibernate mode to conserve its energy.
Hibernate mode turns off your computer but keeps your desktop running so that you can switch back to it quickly. To put your laptop into Hibernate mode, click Start > Power > Hibernate.
You should also avoid turning on and off your laptop when you don’t have to because this puts a significant strain on the battery and can shorten its life. If there’s no option but to turn it off while it’s running, try to shut it down instead of restarting it.
Use an External Keyboard and Mouse
The physical buttons on your laptop’s keyboard are more likely to break than the internal hardware, so using an external keyboard can help prolong their life. Using a dedicated mouse is also better for your wrists and hands than using the trackpad on your laptop because you’re not applying as much pressure to it.
Optimize Your Laptop Computer’s Settings
Laptops run hotter than desktop PCs because they don’t have a large case to dissipate the heat. If you use your laptop computer for several hours a day, it can cause its internal components to wear out more quickly.
You can configure your laptop’s power settings so that it only runs when needed and stays in sleep mode when not in use. To configure your laptop’s power settings to optimize its battery life, go to Start > Control Panel > Power Options and customize it so that it automatically switches off when inactive and goes into sleep mode after a certain period of time.
You can also adjust your laptop’s power settings to put it in High-Performance mode while you’re using it and then switch to Power Saver mode when you’re not using your laptop.
Disabling Some Start-up Programs on Your Laptop Computer
Another way to make sure that your laptop computer runs as efficiently as possible is by disabling any unnecessary start-up programs or other software running in the background. You can do this through Task Manager, which will allow you to see every single task running on your computer and how much of your RAM each task is using.
To launch Task Manager, press Ctrl + Alt + Delete and then click on Task Manager or simply type ‘task’ into the search box. If you see any programs that are using a large amount of RAM, right-click on them and select “End task.”
If there are too many tasks to choose from, click on the “More details” option at the bottom of Task Manager. This will give you a more comprehensive list of every single program and process running in the background.
If your laptop is slow or acting erratically, try closing some unnecessary programs to see if it improves its performance.
Final Thoughts
Now that you know how to make your old laptop last longer, it’s time for the next big question- what should you do with an older laptop computer? If you’re not using your laptop anymore and want to sell it online or give it away, try looking on websites like eBay.com or Craigslist.org because they have a larger audience than other sites.
You may also want to look up businesses in your area that are interested in buying laptops from people so that they can refurbish them before reselling them at a discount price. Whatever decision you decide about donating or recycling an old computer, we hope this article helped teach you some tricks for keeping your current one running as efficiently as possible!
