Investing in a new laptop can be a significant decision given the array of choices and the financial commitment involved. A common question that arises is, "How often should I buy a new laptop?" The answer isn't one-size-fits-all, as it depends on several factors including your usage requirements, the laptop's performance and current condition, and technological advancements. This article explores these factors to help you make an informed decision.
Usage Requirements:
Professional Needs: Professionals in fields like graphic design, video editing, or software development might need to upgrade more frequently to keep pace with software demands.
Laptop Performance and Current Condition:
Repairs and Upgrades: Before deciding on a new purchase, consider if your current laptop's performance can be improved with repairs or upgrades like increasing RAM or swapping to an SSD. Sometimes, it will be possible to upgrade an existing laptop instead of buying a new laptop altogether.
Technological Advancements
Software Requirements: If your laptop experiences slow load or boot times, or can't run necessary software efficiently, it's time to consider an upgrade.
Financial Considerations:
Your budget will significantly impact your decision. It's essential to balance the cost and the benefits of a new laptop.
Environmental Impact
E-Waste: Laptops contribute to e-waste. By extending the life of your current laptop or buying a refurbished one, you can make a more environmentally friendly choice.
Market Trends
Resale Value: The resale value of laptops tends to decrease over time. If you plan on selling your old laptop to finance a new one, monitoring the market trends can be beneficial.
General Upgrade Timeline
On average, considering a laptop upgrade every three years is a good rule of thumb, although with proper maintenance, many laptops can reliably perform for five years or more. Unlike desktops, laptops have fewer upgradable components and are more prone to overheating and other hardware issues, necessitating more frequent replacements.
Conclusion
Your decision to purchase a new laptop should be based on a mix of personal and professional needs, current laptop performance, and financial considerations. Monitoring the signs that it's time for an upgrade, like changed needs or deteriorating performance, will help ensure that your computing setup continues to serve you well.
5 Best Laptops for How often should I buy a new Laptop?
1.ASUS ZenBook 13 UX325EA-EH71
ASUS ZenBook 13 UX325EA-EH71: Powerful and Lightweight, with Some Drawbacks.- Sleek, lightweight frame
- Powerful overall and gaming performance
- Excellent battery life
- Very comfortable keyboard
- Weak speakers
- Display could be brighter
- Lacks a headphone jack
- Hinges are weak
Summary
The ASUS ZenBook 13 UX325EA-EH71 is a sleek and lightweight laptop with excellent overall performance and long battery life. It offers a comfortable keyboard and color-accurate OLED display. However, it has weak speakers, a display that could be brighter, and lacks a headphone jack.
Reviews
Alternatives
$850HP 17
- Adequate processor (i5-1235U)
- Sufficient memory amount (32GB)
- No IPS Panel (worse viewing angles)
2.HP 17
How often should I buy a new Laptop? laptop- Up to scratch processor (i5-1235U)
- Featherweight (0.37 lbs)
- Monumental 4TB SSD
- Numpad
- Unexceptional memory amount (64GB)
- No IPS Panel (subpar viewing angles)
Alternatives
ASUS TUF Dash F15
- Lightweight and well built
- Good inputs and IO
- Ergonomic quirks
- Ports squeezed together on left edge
3.Dell G16
The Dell G16 offers solid gaming and productivity performance at an affordable price, but falls short in areas such as display quality and battery life.- Relatively affordable
- Powerful performance
- Good cooling system
- Fast refresh rate options with G-Sync
- Heavier and thicker than competitors
- Thunderbolt 4 only available on higher-end models
- No SD card reader
- Short battery life
Summary
The Dell G16 is a budget-friendly gaming laptop that delivers impressive gaming and productivity performance. Its design is minimalistic yet sturdy. However, it suffers from a lackluster display, below-average battery life, and weaker speakers.
Reviews
Alternatives
GIGABYTE AORUS 15 XE5
- Highly responsive 165Hz panel
- Wide color gamut
- High power usage at idle and low load
- No card reader
4.ASUS ROG Strix G15
Powerful gaming laptop with high performance and good display, but lacking in connectivity.- High performance CPU and GPU
- Good workmanship
- Good display
- Sophisticated design
- Skimpy connectivity
- Coil whine in certain situations
Summary
The ASUS ROG Strix G15 is a powerful gaming laptop with an RTX 3000 GPU and a Ryzen 5000 CPU, offering high performance and a 300 Hz display for optimal gaming. It features a good build quality, user-friendly maintenance, and impressive input devices. However, it falls short in terms of connectivity options and may have coil whine in certain situations.
Reviews
Alternatives
$1,800HP Envy 16
- Plenty of CPU and GPU power
- New 120Hz screen refresh rate
- Merely adequate base screen
- Optional OLED has fewer pixels than before
5.Lenovo Legion Pro 7i 16
Lenovo Legion Pro 7i 16: Powerful Performance at a Fair Price.- Strong overall performance
- Big, bright, and fast display
- Per-key RGB lighting
- Some flex to keyboard deck
- Poor battery life
Summary
The Lenovo Legion Pro 7i 16 offers impressive performance with its i9-13900HX processor and RTX 4090 graphics card, all at a reasonable price. While it may have some limitations in terms of GPU performance and battery life, it's still a great choice for gamers seeking efficient performance and affordability.
Alternatives
HP Omen 17
- QHD display with 165 Hz
- Expandable working memory
- Slightly below-average performance for an RTX 4080
- High noise level
Table of the Best Laptops for How often should I buy a new Laptop?
| Laptop | Price (approx) |
| ASUS ZenBook 13 UX325EA-EH71 | $730 |
| HP 17 | $1,050 |
| Dell G16 | $1,510 |
| ASUS ROG Strix G15 | $1,750 |
| Lenovo Legion Pro 7i 16 | $3,390 |
