Like any other laptop, the answer to how long gaming laptops will last depends on several factors. How well you take care of it, what kind of games you play, and what settings you have your games on are just some things that can affect its lifespan.
How Long do Gaming Laptops Last?
Without taking care of it, a gaming laptop will last for 5–6 years, while a budget laptop with a plastic chassis will last for 3–4 years. Some things will last for at least five years, but when games start to look better, the best parts won’t be able to do as well.
What Affects the Lifespan of a Gaming Laptop?
The build’s overall quality is essential when looking for a gaming computer. This is one of the reasons it’s worth it to pay more for a high-end computer.
A more expensive model that lasts for a long time could save you money if your device lasts five to six years.
In addition to the quality of the parts and the strength of the structure, a few other essential factors can significantly impact how long a piece of equipment lasts.
Graphics Processing Unit Heat Dissipation
Extremely powerful GPUs make a lot of heat, which is one of the main reasons that gaming laptops break down. Parts exposed to high temperatures for a long time are more likely to break or malfunction.
That means that any model that has better cooling options is always better. Keep this in mind when comparing the specs of different gaming machines.
Defending Against Future Graphics Upgrades
You need to consider more than which parts will eventually break down and when. It would help if you also thought about how long a component would be helpful as new games require better hardware.
Real-time ray tracing ensures your gaming laptop can run any game at high settings for years to come.
The RTX graphics cards are the best on the market right now and will keep improving. Even though they were expensive, they had the most powerful and fastest graphics available in 2019.
On the other hand, the new laptops with RTX-enabled processors aren’t worth it yet because very few games fully use them (yet).
Bottlenecks in the CPU
Apart from the graphics card, the processor is the part of your gaming rig that impacts how long it lasts.
Choose the fastest, most efficient, and most powerful CPU that your money can buy.
While other parts like RAM and hard drives can be changed over time, your laptop’s CPU will likely stay the same for a long time.
How to Make Your Gaming Laptop Last Longer
Physical Protection
Some obvious things to remember, like not jerking the computer around too much while in the car, can damage parts inside the motherboard.
A small carry case with extra space for power cords, Ethernet cables, and external hard drives is a must-have for gamers who like to play on the go.
Making Sure That the Battery Lives Longer
Another way to protect your money is to change how you charge your battery.
It can be hard to do this with gaming laptops because they have short battery lives, but it is essential not to leave your computer plugged in at all times.
Constantly charging the battery makes it run out of space and shortens its life.
Cleaning And Maintaining Things
In the same way that regular oil changes and air filter replacements can help your car, they can also help your laptop.
Another simple, effective way to avoid overheating or damaging internal parts is to clean ports regularly with canned air. The accumulation of dust makes parts break down more quickly than they would under normal wear and tear.
Keeping Cooling Options in Check
Other ways to keep your parts cool and efficient besides using canned air to clean them. A cooling pad is worth the extra money if your laptop doesn’t have the built-in cooling features mentioned before.
You usually have to pay a fair price to find cooling pads on Amazon. They come in a lot of different colors and styles. If you want to find a pad that’s both comfortable and fits your laptop’s color scheme, you can easily make it yourself.
Recognize your needs for an SSD and a hard disk drive (HDD).
Solid-state drives are becoming more common in gaming laptops, but many still have traditional hard disk drives.
RAM needs to be changed
As well as cooling and cleaning, the best way to keep a gaming laptop running for a long time is to upgrade its parts in the first two to three years after you buy it.
Upgrades to RAM are the easiest way to make laptops run faster and keep up with new technology.
Switch From HDD To SSD
After increasing the amount of RAM, replacing the old hard drive with a newer solid-state drive makes the computer run much faster and quieter.
SSDs last longer than hard drives because there are no moving parts that can overheat and fail.
In the last few years, replacing drives has become a lot easier. Many gaming laptops have an M.2 slot that can be easily removed and replaced.
Know Which Parts Aren’t Worth Replacing
It’s essential to keep in mind that upgrading or fixing laptops is more complex than upgrading or fixing desktops.
Some parts can’t be replaced, cost more to fix than they’re worth, or have already expired from the manufacturer’s warranty by the time they break down, so they can’t be set.
The display screen and the video cable connecting it to the motherboard are the most critical parts of the computer that can go wrong.
How to Make Your Gaming Laptop Last Longer
Cost is the main reason people don’t want to play high-end portable games.
Gaming laptops, in particular, can be very pricey for people who don’t want to spend much money. This is even more true because a new technology comes out so quickly.
Most people expect their gaming laptops to last between three and six years. At that point, either the hardware on your laptop will break down, or your laptop’s specs won’t be high enough to play newer games. This is what will happen. You can keep your machine running for a long time by following these steps:
- Regular maintenance
- Clean the ports with canned air.
- In handling, be careful.
- Changing the method of battery charging
- Your SSD or HDD needs to be kept up.
- Use the proper cooling methods to keep the heat down.
- RAM, for example, should be changed every few years.
- If your computer or laptop breaks down, having an extra hard drive or screen on hand is a good idea.
Final Thoughts
The best way to keep your gaming laptop running for a long time is by taking good care of it and upgrading its parts every few years. This way, you won’t have to spend money on a new laptop as often, and you’ll always be able to play the latest games. What other tips do you have for making a gaming laptop last longer? Let us know in the comments!
