Are you tired of looking at — let alone using — your old used and abused laptop computer?
It should be possible to squeeze three to five years out of a brand-new laptop. But at some point, your machine will begin showing its age as it nears the end of its lifecycle. So, under what circumstances should you buy a new laptop versus keep your existing one for a while?
Here are six signs the time has come to replace your old laptop with a new machine.
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Security Vulnerabilities
Is your laptop so old that the manufacturer no longer supports it? If so, that’s a good reason to upgrade. By the time this scenario rolls around, you’ll probably experience performance issues that compromise useability. Cybersecurity is a big problem with cybercriminals working hard to find unwitting victims. You’ll be at great risk if your laptop doesn’t get the latest updates and patches. The last thing you need is to be an identity theft victim. You can reduce the odds of being a victim by securing your laptop with updates and using the latest antivirus software.
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Old Hardware That Can’t Be Updated
Another sign your laptop is at the end of its lifecycle is obsolete hardware, which can make it difficult to update hardware components. Getting a good laptop with upgradable RAM is nice. But if technological developments render your hardware components obsolete, upgrading can be difficult. The same thing applies to things like graphics cards and processors. Instead of stressing yourself about finding parts for an old laptop, upgrade and get a new laptop.
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Incompatibility Issues With Peripheral Devices
Yet another sign you need a new laptop is if it won’t support new peripheral devices. If you can’t get it to recognize your new mouse, printer, speaker, scanner, or some other service, it’s time to get a new laptop. It can be frustrating if an old machine can’t connect to peripheral devices. But that’s bound to happen if your machine is too old. A new Windows laptop is in order. You’ll be able to connect peripheral devices without worry if you have a new laptop.
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Bad Battery
Some laptop batteries are better than others. But if yours gets to the point where it can barely power your device at all when it’s not plugged into a wall socket, it’s time to consider upgrading your machine. Yes, you can invest in a new battery. But by the time your battery has lost its ability to hold a charge, there are bound to be other performance issues caused by wear and tear. It’s a good idea to consider a new unit that’ll serve you well for years.
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Shoddy Performance
When you start struggling with performance issues, that’s one sign an upgrade might be necessary. If your laptop is plagued by sluggish performance, crashes, or other problems, you’ll want to consider replacing it. Few things are as frustrating as an unstable laptop. If your machine is worn and torn, you should consider replacing it.
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Faulty Keyboard
If your laptop isn’t functioning properly due to a faulty keyboard, that’s a good reason to replace the machine. It likely won’t be cost-effective to fix the keyboard. Buying a new laptop will resolve any issues with an old machine that has a problematic keyboard.
While a faulty keyboard is reason enough to get a new machine, the same applies to other problems that compromise useability. That includes the screen or touchpad.
Consider these six telltale signs that it’s time to upgrade your laptop. While you can get years of use out of a machine, there’ll come a time when the best option is to replace it.