How long will a laptop last?

I recently been talking to E.B.E. about ASUS laptops and I wanted my laptop to last five years, but he said that's not realistic, maybe three is. So I made this post to ask some more questions before the other thread became too off topic.

Is the approximate 3 year range typical for all laptops or just the lower budget ASUS laptops like my A8JP?

I have a low-budget dumpy ($400) Emachines desktop, which is four years old. My question is, because it's a desktop and not a laptop, it doesn't receive the same treatment, isn't carried around, etc. Is that why I can expect my desktop to last a little longer?

In general, are laptops more prone to shorter lifespans? (beside the fact they are more likely to be dropped)

Is it because it's an ASUS? I'm guessing I can expect longer-lasting laptops with hp, dell?

Is there anything that will help a laptop last longer? e.g. use a cooler. Anything else?

Any additional info would be great.

Thanks in advance.

 

A laptop will last as long as it gets proper care. Also depends on what kind of use you would have for it in the last two years.

Personally, I've used laptops older than 5 years..but I can only use them for basic internet and word processing. They were running fine on Windows 98. Those were all IBM Thinkpads though.

I can't give an opinion regarding ASUS since this is my first ASUS laptop.

 

Check out the Thinkpads and Panasonic Toughbooks. Business class machines are typically built to last as well. Previous to my Asus F9Dc-A1 notebook I owned a Toshiba Tecra 8100. Back then the Tecra model was considered their business class line and were backed by a standard 3 yr warranty. Bought it new nearly 7-8 years ago and it still runs like a champ. The Asus F9, though not considered a business class model, comes with an above avg warranty, 2 years standard with even 1 year of accidental coverage.

 

The "Freshness Sticker" on my notebook says "Best If Used Now" and doesn't seem to have any expiration date. Cheers!

 

Depends on what you use it for, ie. basic internet, gaming, work, school, graphics editing etc.

For gaming having a top of the line desktop will last you a good 2-3 years no problem. As in you can play the most graphics demanding game (currently) on highest detail no problem when you buy the laptop, but after 2-3 years you might only be able to play the most graphics demanding game (whatever comes out in the future) on low/medium settings.

Since laptops are inherently less powerful than desktops (space and power contraints) you can expect your top of the line laptop to last a bit shorter than that. (for gaming)

But for normal school, work or internet, since they don't require too much computing power you can expect your laptop to last 4-5+ years no problem as long as you take good care of it, ie. as you would any other electrical device (don't throw it around, expose it to high heat etc, coolers aren't really needed)

As for which company makes better laptops there really is no general statement you can say for one company. They all have low-budget to high quality well built laptops. My advice would be to find out the build quality of your chosen laptop on reviews or by asking around forums such as this.

Hope this helps

 

To add to the gaming comments, a good mobile performance graphics card (for instance, Nvidia's 8600M GT in current notebooks)ought to be able to play any game currently in release and and most games that come out within the next 2 years. I bought my Z71v in April 2005 and just within the last week have found the first game that it absolutely cannot play because it doesn't meet the minimum specifications (Crysis).

For all other operations except gaming, it depends on how often you update software. Most likely, you'll be able to run programs 4-5 years from now just fine.

Regarding hardware, your initial battery will almost certainly wear out within 2-3 years maximum (although it could be as little as one year) and you'll have to get another one every couple years in order to maintain battery life. Hard drives, if you go by their warranty periods, typically wear out in 3-5 years, depending on brand. Most everything else is based on build quality, which isn't that great in notebooks in general, but is noticeable between models. If you get a well built model like something in the Asus U, V, or W series or the Lenovo Thinkpad T series, it's likely to last as long as it's practical to use it.

 

I would just get the best notebook for your budget now and take good care of it =) Don't put an expectation on how long it'll last, because you can't predict the future. The only way to ensure something will run for 4-5 years is to get a warranty from a trustworthy manufacturer that'll cover you for 4-5 years. If you're lucky, you won't ever use the warranty, and if you're unlucky, you're covered by the warranty.

I've been able to break Thinkpad T series every two years or so and I also have a 486DX2-66 from '92 that still runs.

 

I agree that the gaming or video encoding capabilities of a notebook will not match those of notebooks in 3 years from now. In fact, they won't match those of notebooks in 6 months from now! But I don't think that's what the OP was asking.

He was asking how long the notebook itself will last, i.e., for how long all the components will serve the same function they served when they were new.

I will say that the limiting factor here is the build quality of the notebook. The internal components will last without issues more than 5 years. I have no doubts the CPU will last that much; similarly for the HDD. My desktop HDD is from 2001, and still works without a hitch. Similarly for the other electronics (the desktop still uses the 2001 video card and sound card). The ODD might wear out sooner, but that's unlikely and depends on usage.

One thing that deserves a mention is the motherboard. That's what usually goes first on desktops (it went after 5 years on mine), but I expect that the 300-400 USD notebook motherboards are not the cheap stuff that you find in stores for desktops, which are made cheap by selecting e.g., the cheapeast possible capacitors. Capacitors that will later fizzle and burst, rendering the motherboard unusable. It might be that some very low-budget laptops will have that kind of motherboards, but I expect that starting from mid-range this will no longer be the case. At least I hope so.

That being said, we return to the limiting factor which is build quality. To ensure a good build quality, that will endure while the notebook is used and moved around, you need to pay more for a laptop, and get out of the budget range to the business range. My realistic estimation is that current budget notebooks are made to last no more that around 3 years. The really low-budget crap (under 900-1000 USD), I expect they're designed to last for the warranty period and maybe a little more.

Since the OP has an ASUS A8 which is a budget notebook, I estimated a lifetime of around 3 years.

The good news is, of course, that you can control the time your notebook lasts, to a certain extent independently of build quality. If it's treated badly, I'm sure even the toughest notebook will break sooner than a budget notebook. If it's treated with great care, I'm sure a budget notebook will last more than if it were treated carelessly.

 

Ohh, so it's the capacitors. I will definitely take care of my laptop and spend more money on my next laptop. You have been really helpful E.B.E. Thanks everyone. I greatly appreciate it.

 

Well my point was that (at least hopefully) laptop motherboards do not suffer from bad capacitors as the desktop ones do. In any case, my relatively cheap desktop motherboard lasted for 5 years with bad capacitors, so probably you needn't worry much about that.

 

he's right i once had a computer motherboard last me 8 years

 

Yeah, it depends of care. I had a Sony Vaio PCG-FX140 from January 2001 to February 2006. It technically begings to far apart. First was the hinges of the screen and one day the power input broke, one month later it died. I travel with from my home to the the University all weekends and used it in the University. Always with care.

 

Right... build quality makes a big difference. My Asus M6Ne was bought back in 2004 and it's still going strong right now. I'm sure I could use it for the next 2-3 years if I really wanted to... but then again, I get bored easily (that's a different story though)

 

Yeah build quility is very important, and also the caring of it, usually a normal laptop would last as long as you want if you just do text editing and stuff, but for gamming and benchmarking, a laptop wont last more then a year... and for really solid laptops, i really do suggest thinkpad, if you want it to last like 10 years XD, lenovo's moblie visual processing station, i think the the laptop they are giving out, the 5 grand one, solid, powerful, and gg, really good build quility XD~

 

Can someone point me to an up-to-date guide for how best to care for a new notebook computer (Vista)? Though I"ve used computers for a long time, and my first notebook for about 4 years now, I really don't have a clear idea of what I"m supposed to do (and NOT do) regarding basic care and maintenance. Thanks.

 

All my thinkpads still work.. the oldest is 600E with a 300Mhz Pentium.. Can't tell you 'bout ASUS, since it is my first one too.. bu a friend had one for 4 years and he isn't exactly soft with computers if you know what i mean.

But I am worried about the temperatures in new coputers, which are know to shorten the lifespan of a rig..

 

read your manual, like dont put it in dusty areas, un even surface, extream tempretures. dont over clock it, reinstall and format once every so often, open your back plate and get compressed air to get the dust out once every so often, and wipe your laptop, and once every so often take every key out, and clean underneath, blow your dvd/cd rom with compressed air too, store it in a safe cushioned computer bag, dont store it in if you have the computer on, cuz of the static electricity, dont open and close your lcd too often, dont touch it, dont press or "squeeze" it like a jello *tho it is XD*, use a mouse then a touchpad more, because if you press too hard for too long o.o ur touch pad will break ...~ other then these take it in to a shop to get it checked once every like 2-3 years, your comp should last as long as you want.

 

I think the bold things are at best optional; realistically they are overkill and don't need to be done.

I also added some stuff in CAPS (cause I was lazy to make it italics).

 

Sorry, a bit off-topic but: A year of daily office use has caused what can be seen on the pictures.

Not that it came as a surprise, since I haven't once connected an external keyboard, and been using this V1J maybe 30-40hrs a week regularly.

But I just thought this might be interesting to somebody. If you have a similar palm rest, consider protecting it somehow to avoid the wear and tear, might be easier to sell it later without those stains

To the subject itself: otherwise this notebook is as good as new, no scratches or other visible changes. I've packed and unpacked this thing about 10 times a week. I'd estimate since it hasn't gotten squeaky or otherwise suffered during the first year, it could last for many years still.

From what I've seen, I think there's a major difference in durability between budget and quality models... I've witnessed a couple of budget HP's deteriorating in about a year.

 

regarding palm rest wear, I think it also must have something to do with how you rest your hands when you type, etc. The wear or my 2.5 year old Z71v looks like this:

 

Brushed aluminum palm rests are without a doubt the best material you can have. No wear at all shows on that material.

For plastic, there is I think some film/tape that can be applied to the surface to protect it. I'm not sure how the laptop would look with that on, however.

Truth is, laptops wear out. If it's just the stains on the palmrests and the laptop works fine. don't worry.

 

I tried to make sure these tips weren't already mentioned (also note this is from someone who doesn't have a laptop at time of writing and has just done a bit of research - as someone who also wants the laptop to last at least a few years):

- Cooling as you said, but especially for the battery - perhaps disconnect the battery when using AC power, refer:
http://www.batteryuniversity.com/parttwo-34.htm

- Ensure efficient battery usage, refer:
http://www.batteryuniversity.com/partone-23.htm
http://www.batteryuniversity.com/partone-21.htm
http://www.batteryuniversity.com/partone-16a.htm

- Monitor temperatures, fan speeds, voltages etc., nTune helps

- Reformat once a year or so to ensure it keeps up with the increasing needs of the latest games and apps, slipstreaming with nLite works wonders for this

- General care, cleaning the screen especially, as well as storage, use a purpose designed carry case / backpack, waterproofing is also useful

- Don't rest palms on the laptop: other than wearing it, it is bad ergonomics, refer:
http://www.rsi.deas.harvard.edu/preventing.html
(thanks theorist for the find)

- Prevent physical damage (obviously), e.g. from drops, spills, vigorous shaking

- Perhaps buy a laptop that can be upgraded relatively easily, if you can upgrade a component or two instead of giving up on it...

- ... ran out of ideas, might add more later

 

How do you take your keys off? And closing the lid is something I need to do for privacy reasons, and to reduce distraction in my office when clients are there. So I've been doing it many times a day with my old laptop. (I want to take good care of the new one!) The computer sits behind me on a desk and I turn my chair to face my clients across the room when I am seeing them. Sounds like I might need to rearrange my furniture? Also, when you say reformat, do you mean wipe everything off and reinstall the operating system, the programs, and restore backed up data? Is it bad for the computer to shut it off by unplugging and taking the battery out? I have done this with my old laptop when it wouldn't shut down normally......

 

Some comments.

Most of the times this is overkill. I only recommend it if you go for weeks at a time without using the battery.

Rather an unattainable goal at this point. Besides HDD and RAM and in some isolated cases (like Core Duo to Merom) CPU, laptops are pretty much un-upradeable.

Supposedly the C90 from asus changes that, but it's very limited as well.

- ... ran out of ideas, might add more later[/QUOTE]

 

"How do you take your keys off?"
Don't as per my previous message.

"And closing the lid is something I need to do for privacy reasons, and to reduce distraction in my office when clients are there. So I've been doing it many times a day with my old laptop. (I want to take good care of the new one!) The computer sits behind me on a desk and I turn my chair to face my clients across the room when I am seeing them. Sounds like I might need to rearrange my furniture?"

No you're ok closing it. A good set of hinges should hold for closing the lid many times a day.

"Also, when you say reformat, do you mean wipe everything off and reinstall the operating system, the programs, and restore backed up data?"

yes for the OS and apps. No for the data. If properly stored on a separate partition the data shouldn't be touched by these episodes.

"Is it bad for the computer to shut it off by unplugging and taking the battery out? I have done this with my old laptop when it wouldn't shut down normally......"

To some extent yes, there are physical effects. But these should be nearly (or completely) canceled out by protection mechanisms.

It will only be bad for the OS and filesystem, but that is minimized by good filesystems like NTFS or ext3 and later for linux.

 

It's certainly not ideal. A much better method if the computer is unresponsive is this: hold down the power button for 5-10 seconds. It acts like a hard shutdown and will power off the computer. I haven't had a single instance where this method did not work.

 

I have a few laptops that are 7-9 years old. Just dont drop them and make sure you keep the heatsinks clean.