Many users who choose a decent laptop in the mobile market, along with ergonomics and performance, are also interested in the service life of the device. Yes, it sounds rather strange, because this parameter entirely depends only on the owner and the conditions of use.
This article will take a closer look at the laptop. The user is invited to familiarize himself with all kinds of methods that can extend the "life" of a mobile device. The information will affect not only the built-in components of the gadget, but also tell the owner how to prevent the failure of accessories and batteries.
To be or not to be?
When buying a new laptop, many owners rush to unpack the battery and quickly connect it to the device. Only by constantly working in the office or at home, near an electrical outlet, users, day after day, reduce the life of a laptop, or rather, a battery, eliminating one of the basic parameters of a device - mobility. There are only two options for solving this problem:
- Preferring to work indoors, the battery should not be removed from the box at all. The battery can be stored in a preserved state for many years. At any time, if necessary, you can connect it to a laptop and make the device mobile.
- The second option requires the user to work independently. Two to three times a week, the laptop owner must disconnect the mobile device from the outlet and discharge the battery to 3-5%, performing a full battery charge cycle. This is the only way to extend the battery life.
Correct use of the display
Yes, the LCD is also at risk. The average laptop lifespan is directly proportional to the health of the screen. After all, this is almost half of a mobile device. There are many factors affecting the display, and the reader will have to get acquainted with all of them.
The liquid crystal screen is connected to the base of the laptop with a special cable (many fine wires). And the hinges are only needed to open the lid and set the tilt angle. The naturally frequent movements of this cap at large angles tend to break the trains over time. The problem can be easily solved. When performing annual laptop maintenance, you should check the ribbon cable. If it is overwritten in one place, then you need to move it up or down, securing it with adhesive tape on the laptop case.
Those who like to work with a mobile device in nature should take care that direct sunlight does not fall on the matrix. Literally one year of improper use can burn out the display. The laptop will not break, but the color rendition will change dramatically for the worse.
A complex approach
For many users who are interested in how to increase the lifespan of a laptop, sellers in stores recommend using additional cooling for a mobile device. This solution looks quite simple, which is what causes distrust of potential buyers. An ordinary stand with a height of 3-5 centimeters and 1-2 fans that blow upward. This solution may look strange, but for two decades all laptop manufacturers have been unable to solve the problem with cooling their products. Therefore, such a stand is the best thing that can be advised to the user to increase the life of the mobile device.
Modern style dictates terms
Many buyers have noticed the emergence of a new style that affects all mobile devices. We are talking about colored and monochrome vinyl stickers on the body of the gadget. Yes, to some it will seem like another youth stupidity, but for most users, pasting laptops will benefit. This is because the vinyl coating increases the rigidity of the case.
The main thing here is to correctly apply the texture to the plastic of the mobile device. As practice shows, the service life of a laptop increases due to this refinement. After all, if you drop the device to the ground, even from a half-meter height, it will remain safe and sound.
Cleanliness is the key to health
The owner also needs to worry about the constant from debris and dust that collect inside the device thanks to the cooling system. Experts recommend servicing 1-2 times a year, depending on operating conditions. If the room has pets or is being renovated, frequent cleaning is required or the unit may need to be serviced less frequently.
As for the cleaning itself, here the user himself decides whether to give the gadget to a service center or to service it himself. The first option is preferable, because it provides for the complete disassembly of the mobile device, and only he is able to extend the life of the laptop.
Power elements of a mobile device
Here we are not talking about the mobile device itself, but about an accessory that is an integral part of any laptop. It would seem that what can happen to the usual charger that comes with the gadget, but there are still problems. For example, the lifespan of an HP notebook can be significantly extended by using only one common safety measure - unplugging the accessory from the power outlet when not using your mobile device.
The problem is that the proprietary charger is very sensitive to voltage surges, since it was created for the American market. There is no stability in domestic electrical networks, the voltage is constantly changing (90-250 volts). It is these jumps that disable the power supply. And then a real lottery - the accessory will either burn out on its own, or take with it a laptop power management board.
Meal in front of laptop display
The laptop's lifespan can be shortened in a very unusual way. Those who like to eat or drink a drink in front of the display of the device always think that they are careful and prudent. But, as practice shows, 50% of users at least once in their life poured tea, coffee or beer. This disappointing statistic suggests that eating in front of a laptop screen does not lead to anything good.
It's good if the gadget has a rubberized keyboard, and the liquid simply drains through the drain holes, but not all users have such expensive devices at hand. In most cases, a single mug of hot coffee can destroy the motherboard of a laptop in a few seconds and render the keyboard unusable.
In pursuit of high performance
Trying to save money, many gamers buy low-power laptops. Such users believe the baseless recommendation of enthusiasts that any laptop can be overclocked without problems. Yes, this is so, only few people know that such overclocking for a mobile device can be the first and last. After all, all the components inside the body of the device are soldered, and it is simply impossible to replace a burnt element with a worker.
For example, the life of the class is set by the manufacturer at around five years. This is the officially announced figure. However, the Taiwanese manufacturer, in the operational requirements, prohibits the user from increasing the device's performance by software or hardware. In fact, the service life already depends only on the user, or rather, on his actions.
There are more questions than answers
How long does a laptop last? As practice shows, with proper operation recommended by the manufacturer, a mobile device can work for 7-10 years without breakdowns. Everything here directly depends on the installed components. For example, the "life" of a hard magnetic drive is 7 years of active use, and the processor will work without problems for 15 years. Do not forget about the battery, which has an official resource of only 3 years, but in practice, with the correct charging cycle, this period can be safely doubled.
Finally
When trying to figure out the lifespan of a laptop, many potential buyers and users overlook another factor that they will have to face. We are talking about the obsolescence of a mobile device. At this stage of technical development, there is such a thing as “product actualization”. Here the manufacturer is already trying to impose on users the fact that the service life of a mobile device cannot exceed 5 years, forcing the buyer to abandon old technologies and purchase new gadgets.
Laptop battery life on average ranges from 500 to 1000 full charge and discharge cycles, depending on the manufacturer. Almost always, original rechargeable batteries last longer than copies and compatible counterparts, however, their price is higher. The battery life is significantly reduced by improper use: the process of a reversible chemical reaction is disrupted, and the battery eventually ceases to hold a charge, after which it has to be replaced.
Any cell of a laptop battery consists of a metal plate placed in an acid or alkali solution. Under the influence of electromechanical processes, they give up part of their substance, and then take it back. Over time, the intensity of the chemical reaction weakens, after which it completely stops. Battery life with proper use is 3-5 years, but it can be significantly reduced due to the following factors:
- Long-term storage in a discharged state is fatal to the battery. In this case, the plates of the batteries deteriorate, after which recharging is impossible.
- Intense shock, shock and other mechanical damage lead to the closure of the plates, as a result of which the normal charging process is disrupted.
- Lithium-ion batteries, which are the most common today, do not like working in subzero temperatures. In this case, the capacity decreases, that is, the battery begins to lose its ability to give up the accumulated energy.
- The service life is also reduced due to overheating. Direct sunlight, as well as location near heaters, have a negative impact.
How to Extend Battery Life?
Extending the battery life of a laptop requires adherence to the charge mode. The optimal level is 50-70%, therefore it is not recommended to keep the device permanently connected to the mains. If the laptop is used at home as a stationary computer, it is recommended to separate the battery during operation and then reconnect it. Moreover, it should not lie discharged for a long time. It must be fully charged and discharged at least twice a month so that its capacity does not decrease.
How to extend laptop battery life and increase battery life? You need to follow a few simple rules:
- Place the notebook on a solid surface and do not block the cooling holes. Special stands with a built-in cooler will help prevent the battery from overheating.
- It is undesirable to allow a complete discharge of the battery. If the charge level approaches 10-20%, stop working and look for an opportunity to recharge from the mains.
- To increase the battery life, it is necessary to disable all extraneous and additional functions. It is worth reducing the number of startup programs, turning off the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth module if they are not needed right now. If work needs to be interrupted, the device must be put into sleep mode to conserve battery power.
A dedicated laptop battery life extension program, such as Battery Optimizer, will show you which features can be temporarily disabled to save money, and it will also show you how old the battery is.
Any battery is a consumable and its endless use is impossible. However, following simple recommendations will significantly increase its service life and achieve long battery life. If you decide to change the battery, in our store you will find high-quality components for any laptop model.
Any technique has a certain service life, a computer is no exception. However, a PC is a set of certain components, each of which has its own operational life. Let's see what is the average service life of the computer system unit and its components separately.
Motherboard
The connecting link of all PC elements is the motherboard. For some users it "lives" for only a year, for others - 10 years. However, the average service life of a "motherboard" is usually 5-6 years. Much depends on the intensity of the work of this board, and if you use the computer in moderation and do not load it around the clock with games, then the motherboard can work even for 15 years.
In general, this component in the system unit is the longest-lived one. In fact, there is practically nothing to break there except for bridges.
Computer hard drive life
This element is one of the weakest in terms of survivability. Modern models are designed to work from three years, although in practice they last longer. It was noticed that older models were more durable, and modern discs fail without even having worked for 5 years.
Therefore, the average lifespan of a modern HDD is 5 years. This period is due to the design feature. Inside the disc there is a spindle and rigid circular plates attached to it, rotating at high speed. There is also a disc head - another movable element. There are too many moving parts in this component that is afraid of shaking and vibration.
However, modern SSDs do not have moving parts, so they have a longer service life. However, SSD drives don't last forever. There, memory cells have a certain resource and are damaged when writing / deleting information. Nevertheless, with moderate use, such a disk will last for an average of 8 years.
Power Supply
This component can last for a very long time. Even today, units that were purchased in 1998 are in operation. That is, this component has been serving without complaints and problems for about 20 years. This is possible even now. There are many models on the market from different manufacturers and at different prices.
Cheap units use low quality capacitors that can quickly fail. They also work ineffectively, which is why most of the energy consumed is spent not on powering components, but on heating the elements. This entails overheating of the parts of the power supply, because of which they can simply burn out. Therefore, cheap units operating without a power reserve (at the limit of their capabilities) can only live for 2 years. Note that there are a lot of such blocks on the market, and due to their low cost, they are in great demand. Of course, such components greatly reduce the average life of a computer.
Expensive models are extremely efficient and highly efficient. That is, in them, most of the energy consumed goes to power the components, and not to heat the unit itself. Therefore, expensive reliable models may not even have a fan, since it is not needed there. The service life of this type of power supply unit can be 10-20 years.
CPU
10 years is the typical calculated CPU life. However, in the event that the motherboard is still working and is able to regulate voltages and frequencies, then with the implementation of an effective system for removing heat from the system unit, you can increase the processor's service life up to 50 years. The problem, however, is that motherboard capacitors and power transistors don't last that long. And if in five years the motherboard breaks down, then it will be very difficult to find a similar motherboard for a still "live" processor.
In theory, a processor can run for a very long time if it is not overheated. Its only drawback (this applies to all semiconductor components) is the diffusion process, which limits the service life. This is expressed in the need to increase the voltage by a couple of tenths of a volt.
Video card
A video card is one of the most unreliable components. It can be put in second place in terms of "coverage". The first is confidently occupied by power supplies. The average lifespan of a video card in normal operation is 3 to 8 years. But it all depends on the degree of workload of the device. If you constantly play demanding games or generally extract cryptocurrency on it, then you should not count on a long period of work. Such cards will work for 2-3 years.
Signs that the card is failing are as follows:
- The color rendition on the screen is disturbed.
- Thin streaks appear.
- The monitor turns off for a couple of seconds.
One of the main card breakdowns is overheating. If you play games for days, then the temperature in the system unit without effective cooling rises significantly, which is why the fans on the video card itself do not have time to cope with heat dissipation. As a result, the GPU works all the time at high temperatures, which is very harmful for it. The video core will last much longer if an efficient system for removing hot air is provided in the system unit.
In general, the service life of a computer is greatly underestimated due to a video card and a cheap power supply. If you do not take into account these components, then the period will increase significantly.
RAM
RAM has no lifespan. It is eternal. There is practically nothing to break. However, it can fail in the event of a high temperature inside the system unit or incorrect voltage supply to it (this is when the motherboard fails). Also, the bar can physically break if touched.
Today, many users from old computers even have DDR SDRAM strips that were produced sometime in 1993. They remain workers to this day. The only problem is that they are outdated. DDR4 SDRAM already exists today, although literally 3 years ago, DDR3 SDRAM was considered the newest. The problem with RAM is not at all a limited lifespan (this is just fine), but aging. So you don't have to worry about the RAM in your PC - this is exactly the element that significantly increases the overall standard life of the computer. In 95% of cases when the computer is recycled, the RAM strips are still working, but no one needs it.
How do I extend the lifespan of my computer before decommissioning?
Any device needs to be monitored, and then it will work longer. As for the computer, first of all it is necessary to clean it from dust. Many components can burn out due to a large layer of dust: processor, video card, motherboard. Because of it, the cooling efficiency of the components drops dramatically, which leads to overheating. Therefore, once every 3-4 months, the cover of the system unit must be removed and completely sucked out with a vacuum cleaner all the dust that settles on the motherboard, video card, processor heatsink. This will extend the life of your computer.
From time to time, you need to programmatically clean the system and remove all unnecessary processes that are wastingly loading the central and graphic processors of the system. Their resource needs to be saved. It is advisable to use paid versions of antiviruses, which, in addition to scanning for viruses, are capable of optimizing the system, stopping unnecessary processes and even monitoring the user's safety on the Internet.
Defragment the hard disk once every 3-4 months. This process allows you to optimize the disk space, so that its head will not "jump" from one area to another. In theory, this will increase the "life" of the hard drive.
Conclusion
To summarize, the average life of a computer is 5 years. After this period, any of the components will surely fail. It can be repaired or replaced, but the breakdown time, for example, of a video card, will approach. However, if you follow the system and treat it carefully, then these terms can be postponed.
Many users who choose a decent laptop in the mobile market, along with ergonomics and performance, are also interested in the service life of the device. Yes, it sounds rather strange, because this parameter entirely depends only on the owner and the conditions of use.
This article will take a closer look at the laptop's lifespan. The user is invited to familiarize himself with all kinds of methods that can extend the "life" of a mobile device. The information will affect not only the built-in components of the gadget, but also tell the owner how to prevent the failure of accessories and batteries.
To be or not to be?
When buying a new laptop, many owners rush to unpack the battery and quickly connect it to the device. Only by constantly working in an office or at home, near an electrical outlet, users, day after day, reduce the life of a laptop, or rather, a battery, eliminating one of the basic parameters of a device - mobility. There are only two options for solving this problem:
- Preferring to work indoors, the battery should not be removed from the box at all. The battery can be stored in a preserved state for many years. At any time, if necessary, you can connect it to a laptop and make the device mobile.
- The second option requires the user to work independently. Two to three times a week, the laptop owner must disconnect the mobile device from the outlet and discharge the battery to 3-5%, performing a full battery charge cycle. This is the only way to extend the battery life.
Correct use of the display
Yes, the LCD is also at risk. The average laptop lifespan is directly proportional to the health of the screen. After all, this is almost half of a mobile device. There are many factors affecting the display, and the reader will have to get acquainted with all of them.
The liquid crystal screen is connected to the base of the laptop with a special cable (many fine wires). And the hinges are only needed to open the lid and set the tilt angle. The naturally frequent movements of this cap at large angles tend to break the trains over time. The problem can be easily solved. When performing annual laptop maintenance, you should check the ribbon cable. If it is overwritten in one place, then you need to move it up or down, securing it with adhesive tape on the laptop case.
Those who like to work with a mobile device in nature should take care that direct sunlight does not fall on the matrix. Literally one year of improper use can burn out the display. The laptop will not break, but the color rendition will change dramatically for the worse.
A complex approach
For many users who are interested in how to increase the lifespan of a laptop, sellers in stores recommend using additional cooling for a mobile device. This solution looks quite simple, which is what causes distrust of potential buyers. An ordinary stand with a height of 3-5 centimeters and 1-2 fans that blow upward. This solution may look strange, but for two decades all laptop manufacturers have been unable to solve the problem with cooling their products. Therefore, such a stand is the best thing that can be advised to the user to increase the life of the mobile device.
Modern style dictates terms
Many buyers have noticed the emergence of a new style that affects all mobile devices. We are talking about colored and monochrome vinyl stickers on the body of the gadget. Yes, to some it will seem like another youth stupidity, but for most users, pasting laptops will benefit. This is because the vinyl coating increases the rigidity of the case.
The main thing here is to correctly apply the texture to the plastic of the mobile device. As practice shows, the service life of a laptop increases due to this refinement. After all, if you drop the device to the ground, even from a half-meter height, it will remain safe and sound.
Cleanliness is the key to health
The owner also needs to worry about the constant cleaning of the laptop from debris and dust that collects inside the device thanks to the cooling system. Experts recommend servicing 1-2 times a year, depending on operating conditions. If the room has pets or is being renovated, frequent cleaning is required or the unit may need to be serviced less frequently.
As for the cleaning itself, here the user himself decides whether to give the gadget to a service center or to service it himself. The first option is preferable, because it provides for the complete disassembly of the mobile device, and only he is able to extend the life of the laptop.
Power elements of a mobile device
Here we are not talking about the mobile device itself, but about an accessory that is an integral part of any laptop. It would seem that what can happen to the usual charger that comes with the gadget, but there are still problems. For example, the lifespan of an HP notebook can be significantly extended by using only one common safety measure - unplugging the accessory from the power outlet when not using your mobile device.
The problem is that the proprietary charger is very sensitive to voltage surges, since it was created for the American market. There is no stability in domestic electrical networks, the voltage is constantly changing (90-250 volts). It is these jumps that disable the power supply. And then a real lottery - the accessory will either burn out on its own, or take with it a laptop power management board.
Meal in front of laptop display
The laptop's lifespan can be shortened in a very unusual way. Those who like to eat or drink a drink in front of the display of the device always think that they are careful and prudent. But, as practice shows, 50% of users at least once in their life filled their laptop keyboard with tea, coffee or beer. This disappointing statistic suggests that eating in front of a laptop screen does not lead to anything good.
It's good if the gadget has a rubberized keyboard, and the liquid simply drains through the drain holes, but not all users have such expensive devices at hand. In most cases, a single mug of hot coffee can destroy the motherboard of a laptop in a few seconds and render the keyboard unusable.
In pursuit of high performance
Trying to save money, many gamers buy low-power laptops. Such users believe the baseless recommendation of enthusiasts that any laptop can be overclocked without problems. Yes, this is so, only few people know that such overclocking for a mobile device can be the first and last. After all, all the components inside the body of the device are soldered, and it is simply impossible to replace a burnt element with a worker.
For example, the Asus gaming-grade laptop has a lifespan of five years. This is the officially announced figure. However, the Taiwanese manufacturer, in the operational requirements, prohibits the user from increasing the device's performance by software or hardware. In fact, the service life already depends only on the user, or rather, on his actions.
There are more questions than answers
How long does a laptop last? As practice shows, with proper operation recommended by the manufacturer, a mobile device can work for 7-10 years without breakdowns. Everything here directly depends on the installed components. For example, the "life" of a hard magnetic drive is 7 years of active use, and the processor will work without problems for 15 years. Do not forget about the battery, which has an official resource of only 3 years, but in practice, with the correct charging cycle, this period can be safely doubled.
Finally
When trying to figure out the lifespan of a laptop, many potential buyers and users overlook another factor that they will have to face. We are talking about the obsolescence of a mobile device. At this stage of technical development, there is such a thing as “product actualization”. Here the manufacturer is already trying to impose on users the fact that the service life of a mobile device cannot exceed 5 years, forcing the buyer to abandon old technologies and purchase new gadgets.
