Should I upgrade my laptop?

Should You Replace Your Laptop? A Complete Decision Guide

That aging laptop might just need an SSD—or it might be time to move on. Here’s how to decide.

Signs It’s Time for a New Laptop

Performance Red Flags:

• Boot time over 2 minutes
• Apps crash frequently
• Fan runs constantly and loudly
• Multiple seconds to open programs
• Videos stutter or lag

Hardware Red Flags:

• Battery lasts under 2 hours
• Screen has dead pixels or dim spots
• Keys don’t work reliably
• Trackpad is erratic
• Ports are damaged

Software Red Flags:

• Can’t update to current OS version
• Security updates have ended
• Can’t run software you need
• Browser struggles with modern websites

Signs You Can Keep It Going

Your laptop may have more life if:

• It has an SSD (or can be upgraded to one)
• RAM is 8GB+ (or can be upgraded)
• It still receives security updates
• The screen, keyboard, and ports work fine
• Only the battery needs replacing ($50-150)

The Productivity Cost of a Slow Laptop

If your laptop is slow, it’s costing you time:

Daily slowness cost:

• 10 seconds extra per app launch
• 20 app launches per day
• = 3.3 minutes lost daily
• = 16.5 minutes lost per week
• = 14 hours lost per year

If that time is worth $50/hour: $700/year in lost productivity.

And that’s conservative. Many slow laptops cause much more delay.

The Upgrade Path: Fix Before Replace

Before buying new, try these cheaper fixes:

SSD Upgrade ($50-100):

• Single biggest performance improvement
• Boot times drop from 2 minutes to 20 seconds
• Apps open instantly
• Works on most laptops 4-7 years old

RAM Upgrade ($30-60):

• If you’re running 4GB, upgrade to 8GB+
• Reduces slowdown with multiple tabs/apps
• Not all laptops allow RAM upgrades (check first)

Fresh OS Install:

• Free, just takes time
• Removes years of software cruft
• Can feel like a new laptop
• Back up everything first

New Battery ($50-150):

• Restores portability
• Third-party batteries are often fine
• Check iFixit for replacement guides

Total cost: $100-250 for fixes that can add 2-4 years of life.

When to Buy New Instead of Fix

Skip repairs if:

• Laptop is over 7 years old
• CPU is too old for current software (pre-2017)
• Multiple things need fixing
• Total repair cost exceeds $250
• Laptop wasn’t high-quality to begin with

How Much to Spend on a New Laptop

Budget laptops ($300-500):

• Chromebooks, entry Windows laptops
• Good for: basic web, email, documents
• Expect: 3-4 year lifespan
• Skip if: you need performance

Mid-range laptops ($600-1,000):

• MacBook Air, quality Windows laptops
• Good for: productivity, light creative work
• Expect: 5-7 year lifespan
• Best value for most people

Premium laptops ($1,200-2,000):

• MacBook Pro, high-end ThinkPads, Dell XPS
• Good for: heavy productivity, creative work
• Expect: 6-8 year lifespan
• Worth it for power users

High-performance ($2,000+):

• Pro-grade MacBooks, gaming laptops
• Good for: video editing, gaming, development
• Specialized needs justify the cost

Laptop Choice by Use Case

Basic Use (web, email, streaming):

• Chromebook: $300-500
• Basic Windows: $400-600
• M1/M2 MacBook Air: $900-1,000
• Best value: Chromebook if you’re in Google ecosystem

Productivity (business, multiple apps):

• Mid-range Windows: $700-1,000
• MacBook Air: $1,000-1,200
• ThinkPad/Latitude: $800-1,200
• Best value: MacBook Air for longevity

Creative (photo/video editing):

• MacBook Pro: $1,300-2,000
• High-spec Windows: $1,200-1,800
• RAM matters: 16GB+ recommended
• Storage matters: 512GB+ recommended

Gaming:

• Dedicated gaming laptop: $1,000-2,000+
• Discrete GPU required
• Consider desktop for better value
• Gaming laptops have shorter lifespans

The Cost-Per-Year Perspective

$1,000 laptop lasting 5 years:

• Cost per year: $200
• Cost per month: $16.67

$500 laptop lasting 3 years:

• Cost per year: $167
• Cost per month: $13.89

$1,500 laptop lasting 7 years:

• Cost per year: $214
• Cost per month: $17.86

Cheap laptops aren’t always cheaper when you factor in replacement frequency.

Work vs Personal Considerations

If laptop is for income-producing work:

• Reliability is worth paying for
• Downtime has real cost
• Consider AppleCare or business warranty
• Don’t cheap out on critical tools

If laptop is purely personal:

• Budget options work fine for most needs
• Refurbished can be excellent value
• Chromebooks handle basic tasks
• Less pressure on performance

Making Your Decision

Keep current laptop if:

• An SSD/RAM upgrade would solve your issues
• It’s under 5 years old and was quality
• Repair costs are under $200
• You can tolerate minor issues
• No income depends on it

Buy new if:

• Multiple components are failing
• It’s over 6-7 years old
• Security updates have ended
• Productivity loss exceeds $500/year
• You need capabilities it can’t provide

Buy refurbished if:

• Budget is tight but you need reliability
• Previous-gen flagship is sufficient
• Apple Certified Refurbished is available
• You want a quality laptop at mid-range price

The Bottom Line

Many laptops can be revived with a $100 SSD upgrade. Try that first if your laptop is 3-6 years old and otherwise healthy.

But if your laptop is truly dying—multiple failures, ancient CPU, no security updates—a new laptop is an investment in productivity and sanity. Spending $1,000 on a laptop you’ll use for 6 years costs under $17/month and likely pays for itself in time saved.