Everyone agrees; a laptop is one of the momentous devices in our daily lives. Whether for school, work, communication, or play, it is indispensable in the modern world. But just like any other machine, a laptop can’t last forever; you’ll need to replace it eventually.
But do you really need to replace your current machine? Well, there are definitely some computer problems that may sign you need a new laptop.
Owning a laptop offers multiple benefits. From flexible power options, convenience, portability, versatility, and ease of use. And don’t forget you can access the internet at any place and time using a laptop.
Knowing the multiple perks of owning a laptop, you already have one, right? But perhaps it’s overheating, lagging, or freezing, and you’re wondering whether you need a new one. While a laptop is instrumental, having to work with a crashing one can be infuriating.
But do you need to repair or replace your current laptop? To find out, read more to learn 14 signs that you need a new laptop.
1. You Press the Power Button, But Nothing Happens
This is one of the most dreaded moments for every laptop owner; pressing the power button, but nothing happens. You expect the screen to light up, but there are no signs of life. Well, this might be one of the signs that you need a new laptop, but not just yet.
Before concluding that you need a new laptop, there’re several troubleshooting steps to try. First, if the laptop is not plugged into the mains, plugin and try powering it on again. If it’s already plugged in, check to ensure the cable isn’t loose or try a different power outlet.
If you try all the above fixes without any success and your laptop is not under warranty coverage, it’s time to take it to an expert. However, you’ll need to weigh the benefits and cons to determine whether it will be more economical to buy a new one rather than repair it. For instance, if it’s a motherboard component that needs replacement, you’d better start planning on buying a new one.
Also, if the laptop is outmoded or old, repairing may not be the wisest decision to take. After all, there is an eventuality you can’t avoid; replacing it with a new one. So, save yourself a few repair bucks and consider buying a new laptop.
2. Your Laptop Is Overheating
Is your laptop chassis overheating? Or maybe the laptop becomes very hot to touch in some areas after it’s been on for some time. Perhaps the device is very noisy with the sound of spinning fans inside, or games and applications are very slow.
With age and use, laptops can develop heat-related issues with these symptoms. This is mainly caused by aging internal components and the wear and tear they’ve experienced over the years. Also, the build-up of heat inside the laptop case can cause overheating.
If a laptop’s cooling system is poor, its components are likely to get stressed due to overheating. Also, dust builds up over time may enter the cooling vents blocking the fans making their cooling job more difficult.
If you’re experiencing this issue with your newer laptop, take it to a repair shop to have it serviced. However, if the overheating and lagging is with your outdated model, these are signs you need to start looking for a new one.
3. The Display Is Failing
Is the screen marring your experience when using your laptop? Perhaps it doesn’t look as it once did. It could be the screen is flickering, which can harm your eyesight, or you have suffered a physical fault after you dropped it.
Your laptop’s screen could be cracked, have a corrupted segment, or the whole display has failed. With any of these computer issues, your laptop needs a screen replacement. However, if it’s outmoded, it might be a more sound decision to buy a new computer rather than repair the broken one.
4. Your Laptop Is Very Old
How many years have you had your laptop? If it’s been years, have you checked on the newer models in the market?
Of course, you fell in love with the machine since you bought it and you’ve enjoyed great service for a long time. But you can agree, a time comes when you have to drop it and buy a new laptop. While you might not be willing to get a new one, lagging, overheating, and unsupported operating systems will compel you to.
Basically, if your machine is almost over a decade old, start your search for your next favorite laptop. However, if your old laptop is still in good shape and offers optimal performance, you don’t have to rush into buying a new one. However, you enjoy more RAM, better graphics, processors, and performance with a new one.
5. Bulky Laptop
Is your laptop so heavy that you can’t carry it around? Or it causes you back and shoulders aches after carrying it on a backpack for some time. If your machine exceeds half an inch in thickness, this indicates it’s bulky.
Apart from the fact that it’s likely to suffer huge damage if it drops, such a laptop can be very loud when running and booting up. Also, the lower portability means you can’t carry it for long distances, and it takes a lot of space on your backpack.
Today, you can get multiple brands with ultra-sleek, thin and stylish laptops. While you don’t get reduced performance, these laptops have higher portability than the bulky ones. So, if your laptop is so bulky but you need one to carry around easily, consider buying a new one.
6. Dents, Scratches, and Peeling Skin
Have you noticed that your laptop hardware has started peeling off? Or maybe there are scratches and dents all over the chassis. If so, it’s time to start thinking of purchasing a new one.
These are clear signs that the laptop has been through a lot and maybe a sign for a new replacement. It’s recommended that you consider inspecting your laptop’s hardware monthly. Check for dents, scratches, and peels to determine their lifespan.
If you identify a lot of wear and tear, it’s time to rethink how to properly maintain it to reduce the degradation. However, if the damage is already done and irreversible, your laptop may soon become completely useless. As such, you’ll need to start thinking of buying a new one.
7. Keys Start Sticking or Not Working
Do you find your laptop’s keyboard keys jamming, and you have to constantly press them until they work? Or maybe the keys are not working at all, and you’ve got to use an on-screen keyboard. If this has happened to you at one time, don’t think it will never reoccur.
While you might consider buying a new external keyboard to solve the problem, it might not be the best solution. Well, this only adds more hardware to the laptop, making it uncomfortable to carry around. Also, additional hardware components will just make your machine a desktop.
To avoid such, consider buying a newer laptop model with warranty coverage.
8. Flat Battery
With time, your laptop’s battery capacity can diminish after being charged repeatedly. Thus, your new laptop can last for hours with a full charge, reducing as the laptop gets older. Eventually, the battery may just last for ten minutes imply you’ll need to keep your laptop plugged in when using it.
While the direct solution is changing the outdated battery, at times, it’s not possible. This could be the case for laptops with power packs that aren’t replaceable by the user. Even though the manufacturer may offer services to replace the power pack, you may be better off buying a new laptop.
9. Gadget Paranoia
Are you planning to travel to an area considered to have high crime rates? If you have an expensive laptop and one you can’t afford to lose, you might consider buying a cheaper one just in case. In such a sitch, you don’t want to replace your laptop but want a cheaper secondary device that you’ll use rather than relying on your phone.
The secondary laptop will come in handy in such scenarios. Also, it will become a backup machine if the primary one is not properly functioning. And if the secondary gadget is destroyed or stolen in high-risk areas, you’ll have mitigated the consequences.
Thus, if you feel your high-end laptop won’t be safe where you’re traveling, buy a very cheap, secondary laptop.
10. Hard Drive Hang-ups
If your laptop uses a hard drive, it might be considered outmoded. Today’s newer models of laptops are using an upgraded storage technology known as solid-state drives or SSD. The SSD laptops are very fast, and if you shift to them from hard drives, you’ll notice a significant change in terms of overall performance.
Apart from being very slow, hard disks utilize moving parts, making them unsuitable for laptops. For instance, if you drop your laptop with a hard drive, the storage component is likely to sustain damage. This is disastrous when you haven’t backed up your files in case of such an accident.
To improve the robustness, performance, and safety of your files, consider replacing your outmoded laptop with a new SSD laptop.
11. Incompatibility Issues
It’s normal to try and upgrade their machine’s performance by switching hardware components. This may include switching from RAM to SSD drive. However, there are cases when you may run into incompatibility issues as you try to upgrade.
You may need to have all other components replaced to match the new ones in such situations. In such instances, the costs might be astronomical, and it would be a better decision to buy a computer.
12. Decrease in Performance
There’re several reasons why you may notice the decreased performance of your laptop. It could be the hard drive is full, your laptop has viruses, or the system is overheating, stressing all the components. Here, you’ll need to run antivirus, check on RAM or determine if the problem is caused by overheating.
If none of these is causing the issue, then your laptop may need to be replaced. Chances are there’s no other way to increase performance but to buy a new laptop.
13. Hardware Devices Not Detected
If you’ve had your laptop for more than four years, you may start noticing it’s not detecting hardware devices. This causes some of the components, such as the keyboard or speakers, to stop working. If the issue doesn’t resolve after rebooting or installing new drivers, start planning for a new laptop.
If you notice some hardware devices are not being detected, back up your data to an external hard drive just to be safe. The next step will be looking for options for the best laptop to buy and which will meet your needs.
14. Sales Fever
One of the obvious reasons that you need to get a new laptop is when there’s a big sale. If you come across a reputable laptop with a huge discount, your hands might get itchy. And well, if you had plans or you just had extra cash, why not buy it.
For this case, you’ll be wanting rather than needing but at the end of it all, you’ll get incredible deals on laptops.
Here Are Computer Problems Signaling the Need to Buy a New Laptop
There are so many ways a laptop makes our lives easier and more practical. However, to enjoy the key benefits of owning a laptop, make sure you have a newer model with the latest features. But does your current laptop need to be replaced?
Above are common computer problems indicating the need to buy a new laptop.
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