Are you planning to buy a brand new gaming laptop or have purchased one recently, a common question that comes into mind is how long a gaming laptop will last. Am I right? Well, the answer to this question depends upon different factors which we will discuss in this article.
Usually, we can expect a gaming laptop to last for around 3 years but if you’ll do properly care for and maintain it then it can extend its lifespan to around 5-6 years. However, there are some components like a processor and a graphics card that start to become outdated around the 4 years of the time period and also there is a chance you may also need a replacement of a battery.
The components like CPU and GPU become outdated it doesn’t mean like that you can’t use your gaming laptop. But it means that after a few years if you want to use some demanding games then it might not be able to handle them easily and it starts to lag.
The reason behind to start lagging after a few years is that developers try to use the latest technology to fix some bugs, and provide new features which improve the overall gaming experience. Due to this file size increases in every update and eventually it reaches the maximum system requirement and starts to struggle.
After a few years, if your laptop can’t be able to match the minimum system requirements for the games or apps that you want to run then you need to use that laptop for normal day to day tasks like web browsing, checking emails, watching movies, etc.
Actually, there is very less chance that a gaming laptop can run for around 10 years. But you can make it possible if you’ll take the required steps to properly care for and maintain properly of your gaming machine.
Well, I know that many of you are eager to know how long gaming laptops last then let’s get started without further ado.
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How Long Do Gaming Laptops Last?
Sooner or later all electronic devices start to fail as time goes on, however, some devices work perfectly while others need to be replaced before time. So, the following are the things which impact how long your gaming laptop will last.
1. Quality Of Components:
Similar to other devices like tablets and cell phones, laptops also vary from one to another by their specs, build quality, features, etc. Actually, the hardware components you start with that impact on gaming laptop’s lifespan significantly.
As we are discussing about the gaming laptop’s lifespan then the CPU, graphics card, build quality of chassis, and cooling technology of the system plays a major role in the gaming laptop’s overall lifespan. The reason behind this is that these components are not upgradeable just like storage and RAM.
1. The Processor (CPU):
As time goes on technology gets advanced and advanced day by day.
Let’s talk about the processor, it plays a very important role in any laptop/computer as it is fully responsible for processing all the input getting from the keyboard, mouse, etc., and also sends the graphics data to the graphics card for rendering images.
For instance, an intel core i9 CPU is very much faster compared to an intel i5 processor. So, if you are going to buy a gaming laptop with an i9 CPU then it’ll overkill almost all the games and apps but this might not be the same case after 4 years down the line.
In recent years, games are getting more advanced by providing more realistic visuals, features, and assets which require the fastest CPU to handle them with ease. This is why buying a gaming laptop with a powerful CPU like an i9 or i7 processor would be the best decision rather than buying a laptop with an i5 processor because it makes it future-proof your purchase.
2. Graphics Card (GPU):
There are only two manufacturers who are very popular in the gaming industry for manufacturing GPUs, which are Nvidia and AMD.
In a gaming laptop, graphics cards play a very important role because they are fully responsible for rendering images of the games that you see on screen.
Similar to the CPU, GPUs are also getting better and more powerful as new technology comes like ray tracing and Deep Learning Super Sampling (DLSS).
This latest technology only runs on the latest graphics card and not the old outdated one which includes the GTX 10 and 16 series GPU because it doesn’t support ray-tracing and DLSS. By keeping this in mind, try to get a gaming laptop with RTX 20 series GPU as GTX 10 and 16 series GPUs become obsolete in upcoming years.
However, it is good to get a gaming laptop with the latest graphics card as it will serve you longer as compared to the old one and also can be able to handle the games which were released in the future which makes your machine future proof.
3. Cooling System:
When we are running any CPU and GPU intensive games and apps for a long time, these both generate a lot of heat inside the chassis. And due to the limited space for airflow, the temperature rises.
Actually, extreme heat inside the chassis is one of the main reasons for hardware failure and throttling.
When the system starts to throttle it affects the overall performance of the laptop by lagging or suddenly shutting down the system when gaming.
All gaming laptop manufacturers have built their own cooling technology that helps to cool down the temperature inside the system and keep it under control. On top of that, there are some ways that help to dissipate the heat from inside the chassis like using multiple high speed fans and built casing with metallic as it helps to vanish heat better compared to a plastic body.
In case, if your gaming laptop’s cooling system doesn’t work properly then the lifespan of your gaming laptop will reduce drastically and also there is a higher chance that the components on the motherboard will be failing before the time.
4. Build Quality:
The build quality of the outer body or chassis of a gaming laptop also plays an important role in its longevity. The reason behind this is that it is the only one responsible for holding all the components inside the chassis and protecting them from daily wear and tear such as shock or physical damage.
For instance, the outer body built with aluminum is much better in terms of protecting the laptop as compared to the one which is made out of plastic. But on the other side, aluminum chassis tend to get dent while the chassis built with plastic is more likely to break and warp.
Well, here I want to clarify one thing as I have said above aluminum chassis are better than plastic. It doesn’t mean that plastic chassis is not good. But the thing is that the quality of plastic matters a lot which is used to build the chassis because in fact almost all gaming laptops are built with plastic and still it is durable and lasts long.
Usually, high-end gaming laptops come with a more rigid chassis as compared to low to mid-budget gaming laptops.
What To Do For A Better Lifespan Of Gaming Laptop: Choose A Gaming Laptop With The Powerful Hardware Components That You Can Get In Your Budget
One of the most important things that you should keep in mind when you are going to buy a gaming laptop that is to try to avoid gaming laptops which are low in budget because they have less powerful and older hardware components and it can’t be able to serve you for a long.
In addition, always try to give first priority to a gaming laptop which comes with a powerful processor and graphics card than the one which has more RAM and storage. The reason behind is that you can upgrade RAM and storage at anytime while CPU and GPU are not upgradable in most of the cases.
Before going to buy a gaming laptop first check it out online its specifications, features, cooling system, build quality, etc., so that you can get better idea about which is suitable for you. Also, check the reviews of the owner who has bought that gaming laptop because it is worth checking out.
2. What Is The Uses Of Gaming Laptop:
As we all know that gaming laptops are specially built for playing games.
But due to its powerful specs, we can also use it for many other low to high CPU intensive tasks like editing documents in MS Office, video/photo editing, 3D rendering/modeling, etc.
However, some games and apps are more and less demanding than each other and this is why the stress which gets on your gaming laptop also differs, mainly on CPU and GPU. If your gaming laptop gets more stress then it’ll generate more heat and in that case the excess heat becomes one of the main reason for premature hardware failure.
Let’s take an example, a gaming laptop which is used by a college student for normal casual gaming, taking notes, creating/editing documents, surfing the web, and watching videos will likely last longer than another which is used for high-end tasks such as for heavy gaming, video editing, 3D modeling, etc.
What To Do For A Better Lifespan Of Gaming Laptop: Make Sure That Your Gaming Laptop Meets The Minimum System Requirements
If you are planning to use your gaming laptop for CPU and GPU intensive tasks then make sure that your gaming laptop meets the minimum system requirements of the games and apps which you want to use.
So, it ensures that your gaming laptop can easily run those tasks without overloading its internal components or generating excess heat, which prevents hardware failure.
3. How To Care For Your Gaming Laptop:
If you’ll properly take care of your gaming laptop then it will last a long. Just like other electronic devices, gaming laptops also have some delicate parts and this is why should handle with care.
Following are a few things that you need to consider:
- Be careful not to drop your laptop
- Avoid spilling liquids on your laptop, as this can cause the motherboard to short-circuit
- Replace the thermal paste every few years to help dissipate heat more efficiently
- Always use your laptop on a hard or flat surface to prevent it from overheating
- Clean your laptop every six months to improve air circulation inside the machine
- Use a cushioned laptop bag when carrying your laptop to protect it from accidental falls or damage
- Always keep your laptop’s operating system, antivirus software, and other apps up to date
Learn more on how to keep your gaming laptop cool.
4. Gaming Laptop vs Normal Laptop Lifespan:
Well, if we compare the lifespan then gaming laptops last longer than normal laptops. It is because the overall build quality is much better than normal laptops. Also, the chassis, keyboard, and many other components are able to handle high temperatures which is generated by gaming and other heavy apps without failing.
Moreover, you’ll get longer battery life in normal laptops compared to gaming laptops because it doesn’t have that power-hungry resources. Actually, gaming laptops are very different from regular laptops in terms of specs, features, etc.
5. Gaming Laptop vs Gaming Desktop Lifespan:
As we all know that how properly we care for and maintain that helps to improve the lifespan of any electronic device. But in terms of lifespan performance and upgradability, then nothing better option than a gaming desktop.
If you want to know more about then you can check our in-depth comprehensive guide on gaming desktops vs gaming laptops.
Final Verdict
Finally, we are at the end of the article and I hope that you have found this article helpful. One of the main things that increase the lifespan of a gaming laptop is how you properly care for and maintain it.
Also, what kind of hardware components it has, and how you use it for gaming and other tasks too. But still, you can expect at least 3-4 years of lifespan of your new gaming laptop before you need to replace it. After 4-5 years of a mark, some of the hardware components will be outdated or faulty and may need replacement.
Hope you have got the answer that you are looking for but still if you want to ask something feel free to ask me through the below comment box.
Hello! I am Robbin Simmond a senior editor & writer of this blog. By profession, I am a computer hardware engineer with a passion for gaming and technology. With a deep understanding of the intricate workings of computers, I have spent years researching and testing the latest advancements in gaming laptops.