How "fixable" are laptops in the long run?

For example, say I've owned a laptop for 2 years and the warranty expired 1 year ago. If a component within the laptop were to break (mobo, LCD, etc.) how easy would it be to replace that component. I'm not talking about swappable parts such as memory and harddrives. Also, what would be the availabity of those components overtime? Are there limited quantities of specific laptop hardware components? Also, what are the more typical parts that tend to die first overtime?

It seems with laptops a lot of folks simply "trash" them when a component breaks after the warranty has expired. Whereas, with desktops if something breaks after the warrantly one can simply replace that specific part (with a large variety of parts to choose from) and the computer is functional again. I enjoy the ease and simplicity of being able to replace desktop parts on my own.

I ask these questions because I'm thinking about purchasing one of Asus's BB gaming laptops for a little over $1000 and plan on using it for years to come. I just want to know if something happens to it in 2-3 years could I fix it without the parts being ridiculously expensive...or will there even be replacement parts for it?

Thanks for the advice and info!

 

The problem with laptops is that many components are custom made for a particular model, or if you're lucky, series. Therefore, if something breaks, you'll have to replace it with a specific part, which may or may not be available.

With some laptops, such as Thinkpads, which are widely used by professionals and businesses, replacement parts are relatively easy to procure on eBay or other sources. For other laptops, such as my old Averatec, so few people own a particular model that replacement parts are virtually impossible to find.

But, even presuming you can find the part that is dead, it could still be very costly to replace, unlike many desktop parts. For example, if you need to replace the LCD screen, that replacement will cost you hundreds already.

 

You can replace parts in a laptop just as you can with a desktop; just that it is often more fiddly to do due to the confined space.

Unfortunately, often the dealers such as Asus, Dell, etc don't maintain a supply of all parts for older machines. Here you will find different hardware suppliers are better than others.

However, there are other (and often cheaper options). There are specific parts suppliers, for example the-parts-people for Dell machines, but others for other manufacturers. Also there is always eBay, where you can sometimes find a specific part, or you may need to buy a machine that no longer fully functions, but you can salvage a few pieces from it.

Typically though, you are correct. Many laptop owners buy their machine, and then buy a new one if it breaks and the warranty is up. It's far harder to find the components for your laptop mainly because most desktops have pretty much the same configuration inside. Laptops are always changing, and are often quite highly bespoke for the associated chassis.

 

I appreciate the comments thus far.

I have built and upgraded numerous desktops so I think it wouldn't be too difficult replacing laptop components. I'm quite meticulous. Thinking about it more, I think I like the upgradeability or "evolution" capability that a desktop offers. Overtime, one can replace parts here and there to keep the computer fairly up to date.

 

everytime I've had a broken laptop I've been able to sell it to somone, somewhere that wanted it for spare parts. Three years ago I sold a Dell 630 for $450 to a guy who needed a screen, chassis, powersupply, etc, to fix a couple of other D630s.

One mans trash is anothers treasure.

 

As Fragilexx did an excellent job of pointing out, some models have large aftermarket parts markets. Parts-people.com and resaleremarketing.net both specialize in Dell laptop parts, and have plenty of stock from older, more obscure models. Everything from motherboards, to hinge assemblies, to display panels, to interior cables, to palmrests. You could easily build a laptop from scratch using just the parts available on these sites, of course assuming you match up models. In fact, I've been considering doing that and building an Inspiron 1420 or XPS M1330 or so from scratch. These two sites have everything I would need: all the plastics for the casing and palmrest, display panels, lids, motherboards, optical drives, speaker assemblies, etc. It should prove to be a fun DIY project.

 

I think its easier to find parts, in the used market (ie: eBay, websites, etc.) for the common and well-known *business* laptops that tend to have longer lifecycles, greater reliability and higher production numbers, than it is to find parts for some 3 or 4 year-old MSI or Asus laptop, or even a Dell consumer machine that's a few years old.

For some laptop brands that are more obscure and are a couple years old, its pretty much gotten to the point that aftermarket batteries are unavailable, and custom rebuilding of battery packs with standard 18650 cells is the only way to keep them going. Whereas, if a person bought a standard business Thinkpad or Dell Latitude 5 years ago, they wouldn't have problems finding batteries even today.

Business laptops, IMHO, are cheap enough these days (ie: Dell Latitude E6400/E6500, Thinkpad T400/T500, HP 6930/8530, etc.) that its hardly worth messing with the off-brand stuff if you actually value longevity, and access to spares. Its so weird, 10 years ago, nobody had a problem shelling out $3k for a good laptop or desktop, that would only last for a couple years -- it was just the 'price' of doing business. A decade later, people freak out if their PC or laptop costs them even $1500, *and* they want to run it for 5-7 years before replacement.