dell notebook lifespan

with the new core2duo technology and santa rosa platform, do you think dell laptops or any other ones have significantly expanded in the lifespan?

 

Laptops last as long as they are physically able. New technology may make the old technology 'less valuable,' but so long as a laptop serves your needs...

What I'm trying to say is that the lifespan of a notebook is determined by two things...(1) hardware lifetime and (2) user preferences and needs. And unless you're a heavy gamer or power user, even the most basic of notebooks will serve your needs for years and years to come. Gamers and powerusers - lifetimes are more dependant on the games they play and how often they need to upgrade to continue to fulfill their needs.

 

what if you're a light gamer? that plays games like 3-4 years ago? would that affect the notebook much?

 

A laptop will last maybe 4-5 years. Then it's time to buy a new one. Rinse and repeat.

 

this is what i don't understand, how come i have people telling me they last as long as u take good care of them and not run things over the system specs
then i get other ppl telling me they die by themselves after 4-5 years

 

Read your post! People who don't take care of their computers (drops, spills, poor heat care, etc) will notice a vastly diminished lifespan. Those who do take care of their electronics will not have this problem.

Personally, it really comes down to what you'll be using the computer for, as previous posters mentioned. If you are not satisfied with the current level of performance, you will tend to upgrade. So, as said, power gamers/users will find their technology obsolete more quickly.

Of course, there are ways to stretch that lifespan: keep an eye on your components; keep vents clear and heat down; take care of your battery; upgrade RAM and HD to suit expansion needs.

You will see degredation of the plastics and battery eventually; that's the cost of doing business. To be honest, I don't see a computer lasting longer than five years. Of course, YMWV.

If you want your computer to last longer, purchase a better model to begin with. A business-class notebook is going to be made of better components. Buy a strong graphics card if that's important to you.

 

Purchase a good computer, take care of it, it'll last you longer then you need it to.

 

Yeah, for normal needs, a laptop would last about 5 years before a user will get so frustrated he/she will have to upgrade...

but, the life of the laptop will not soon die afterwords. You could pass it down to someone, sell it...

or, do like I did, break the hinges, frame it, and make it into a digital picture screen ^^

 

Stagnating Software, is whats making laptops last longer
we have had a lot of stagnation in the past few years with the huge gap of xp - vista.
But physically? Id say the average dell laptop will last a year, before its battery needs replacing (if you use it as a laptop not just at a desk) and the hardware will last 3-4 years by which time the system will feel too slow to use (new programs demanding more resources)

Example, i still use my 10+ year old laptop to take notes, bits of it are missing but it still is fine for what I need.

But my Two year old e1505 feels great running XP/Osx10.5 but sluggish under vista ultimate and takes longer to open basic word proccessing programs and photoshop than im prepared to wait

 

I'm counting on my M1730 lasting at least 18 months before I sell it and upgrade to the then latest and greatest machine.

There are already better laptops from Clevo (via Rock) featuring better CPU's and GPU's.

In 18 months time Intel may be offering something better than 45nm and Nvidia will be on the 9xxx series (making Crysis playable and smooth at 1920x1200!), built in audio could be EAX compatible (even through HDMI/DisplayPort) and there will be one or more external powered eSATA ports. Oh, and battery life should be improved

 

about 5-6 years depending on what you use it for as previous posts say.. although innovation will result in newer and faster technology so if you're a gamer then it should last for quite a while but depends on your specs..

with my laptop i personally would expect it to last me for about 6-7 years but by then i should've saved up enough money to purchase a newer model.. my pc meanwhile has lasted me for 5 years and is still running nice and fast but it all depends on how u use it and what u use it for..

 

oh thanks people! thats all the info i need for now

 

Yes, but in 18 months they'll be a new "crysis" that systems will struggle on.

Not sure about laptops (this i my first), but desktops usually last 2.5-3 years before becoming too slow as long as you buy mid-high end. Buying full high end might buy you an extra 6 months but at double the purchase price.

It's just tha nature of computer technology.

 

Luck, care and use are the 3 factors. If you've got a good system, then really care and use are the two big ones. Gaming really won't help it if you plan to keep a laptop a while - try to do those tasks on a desktop.

 

would it even matter if u play games from 2003-2005 which reqiure low graphics and stuff?