If I’m honest and precise, there are absolutely two reasons behind you reading this piece of article and me writing it. The first and the most vital one is, you can’t change a gaming laptop’s components as easily as you can do with a desktop. And the second reason? It’s the fact that they don’t come cheap!
When you think of these two reasons simultaneously, it gets easier to figure out how they can become a concern for someone who’s planning on buying a gaming laptop soon. That leaves us to the question here, ‘how long do gaming laptops last’? Well, I’m going to answer that but not right away!
I can just write the answer and hand it to you on a piece of paper, but that’d be like hanging you out in the dry. So, I’ve decided to prepare this article in a way that’ll help you to figure out the answer on your own. On top of that, I also have a few tips on how you can prolong the life span of your gaming laptop.
So, let’s start!
Contents
What Lifespan Can I Expect from a Gaming Laptop?
When it comes to the lifespan of a gaming laptop, most people fail to understand what kind of answer is really expected here. What I mean is, it’s not just about the laptop not being completely dead! It’s about how long you can have it as your up-to-date GAMING companion. So, let me answer it this way –
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The Average Expectation
By ‘gaming laptop’, I mean a laptop that’s convenient for modern gaming. The only thing that makes a gaming laptop superior to the usual ones is its dedicated build that allows its users to run all the latest & high-end (AAA) games smoothly. So the exact question should be, for how long you can do that!
Now that we’re on the same page about what answer we’re looking for let’s jump right to it. The average lifespan of a gaming laptop is roughly between 3-5 years. That means, if you buy a gaming laptop now, you should be able to play all the games that’ll be released within the next 3-5 years.
However, I guess that ‘3 to 5 years’ sounds a little bit optimistic considering the current gaming world. Each year the big shot game-producing companies are making games that are on a whole new level. And along with that, every year, gaming hardware is taking a huge leaf towards the future gaming.
So if I’m practical, with a high-end gaming laptop, you’ll be able to play the latest games with the best experience for 3 years. And with a mid-range gaming laptop, you can have a good gaming experience roughly for two years. After that, you’ll still be able to play but with a medium setting.
Speaking of your gaming experience and settings, these things depend on the major hardware of your gaming laptop. The price range of the gaming laptops usually varies based on those hardware (GPU, RAM, and the processor). We’ll get back to that topic later.
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The Physical Lifespan
The physical lifespan of a gaming laptop implies how long it can run as a device without you needing to change any major component in it. So the answer is, a gaming laptop can last between 4 to 6 years roughly. But If you take good care of it, this thing can last for nearly around ten years!
Does it seem quite impossible? Well, it’s not!
All the hardware of a gaming laptop is designed to undergo the pressure of intense gaming, while the standard laptops are sensitive and designed for light use. That brings us to the next question, ‘does a gaming laptop last longer than normal laptops’? Let’s get to that right away.
Does a Gaming Laptop Last Longer Than the Normal Laptops?
Honestly, there isn’t an easy answer to this particular question. Because it depends on how you take care of your gaming laptop and for what purpose you use it. But If you’re specifically asking if a gaming laptop is more durable and efficient than a normal laptop, then the answer is YES!
To be honest, a gaming laptop’s durability is usually twice the durability of a normal laptop. It can undergo the pressure of intense gaming, pretty much like a desktop. Just by looking at a gaming laptop, you can say how strong its build is, especially the chassis and the keyboard.
The chassis of a gaming laptop is made with high-quality material which can protect the sensitive components inside it. It’s durable enough to survive a few falls too! But there’s a possibility that it’ll cause some serious damages to some major hardware components. So, you better not let that happen.
On the other hand, a normal laptop’s chassis isn’t that strong. A minor fall can lead to a damaged display, and sometimes it can be much more than that. Well, it’s not like those chassis are bad in quality. It’s just that a normal laptop tends to be lightweight & for light use. So, they had to cut the corner with chassis.
The keyboard of a gaming laptop is designed to withstand a great amount of pressure. We all know how intense playing Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 can sometimes be. If a normal laptop goes through the same thing, it won’t be in its optimal condition for a long time.
Now comes the cooling system. The cooling system of a gaming laptop is much better than a normal laptop. In fact, it has to be! Because when you’re gaming, the laptop produces a lot of heat. If the cooling system of a gaming laptop was the same as a normal laptop, it’d go out of order in weeks!
Then comes the other significant hardware of a gaming laptop, such as – the GPU, RAM, processor, battery, and the SSD. They don’t just offer better performance compared to the ones in a normal laptop; they are also quite reliable in terms of durability.
| Hardware Components | Gaming Laptops | Normal Laptops |
|---|---|---|
| Chassis | ✔️ | |
| Keyboard | ✔️ | |
| Cooling System | ✔️ | |
| Convenient Weight | ✔️ | |
| Major Hardwares (GPU, RAM, Processor) | ✔️ |
Hopefully, this chart settles the score and answers the question at the same time.
Which Things Determine the Lifespan of a Gaming Laptop?
To be precise, a gaming laptop or a desktop is exactly what its components are. But the catch that we already know about is, you can’t change the major components (such as the GPU, processor) of a laptop. So, a gaming laptop’s lifespan directly depends on these major components and their performance.
However, there are a few gaming laptops, such as the Lenovo Legion 5i, that can be upgraded to some limits. Still, that doesn’t allow you to change all the major components in there. On the contrary, it sets the price range incredibly high! So, I stick to what I said.
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GPU – Graphics Processing Unit
It’s probably the most important part of a gaming laptop. Because firstly, a GPU renders high-quality images for a good gaming experience, and secondly, it’s one of those major components in a laptop that you can’t change. So, you must think deeply about the GPU before buying a gaming laptop.
Nvidia series and AMD series graphics cards are the most common ones in a gaming laptop. So, having a little bit of idea about these should be enough to understand how they’ll perform in different games. Just make sure that the GPU can run the latest AAA games at least in medium quality, if not high.
GTX 1050 can be the entry-level GPU for a gaming laptop, but I wouldn’t want to go any less than that. In fact, I’d suggest you go with GTX 1060 or GTX 1070 if you can. Whatever you choose, your GPU must render enough fps (frame per second) for a convenient frame rate and smooth gameplay.
Along with the advancement of technology, GPUs are getting more powerful. All the latest GPUs these days have ray tracing technology and DLSS technology. The DLSS technology is known as the Deep Learning Super Sampling technology. These two technologies take the visual graphics to the next level.
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The Processor
We all have a basic idea about what a processor means for a desktop or laptop. It’s the center of your gaming laptop that process all the data, command, and instructs all the other hardware components. You simply can’t boot your laptop if the processor is down.
A few years back, the Core i5 processor was the benchmark of a good gaming laptop. The gaming laptops with a Core i5 processor can still run most of the demanding AAA games, but one or two years down the line it’ll be quite difficult. That’s why you need to think this through.
Core i7 and core i9 would’ve been overkill a few years ago, but it’d be the smart choice for someone who’s planning on buying a gaming laptop in 2021 or within 2022. A high-end processor will never be a bottleneck for your GPU. So, you don’t need to worry about that.
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RAM (Random Access Memory)
The RAM is another vital part of your gaming laptop as it’s essential for a smooth gaming experience. If you’re into gaming, then I guess you’re quite familiar with the term ‘lagging’. Having insufficient RAM is one of the major reasons behind that.
Your gaming laptop’s RAM shouldn’t be any less than 8 GB. All the latest gaming laptops these days come with 8 GB RAM, and that’s pretty much enough to play all the latest games in a medium setting. However, you should go with 12 GB RAM if you can. (The RAM is upgradable)
With 12 GB RAM, you can play all the modern games such as the Red Dead Redemption 2 with a high setting. And the best thing is, you’ll be safe for another 3-4 years at least. However, it’s always safe to have an extra RAM slot on your laptop.
Few Other Things That are Chanagable but Shouldn’t be Overlooked
There are a few other things that you can change in your laptop but that doesn’t mean you can be carefree about them. There are sound cards, batteries, and storage cards that are as important as the other things. So, you’ve to keep those into account too.
- Sound Card: Sound is important for a good gaming experience. In fact, you can’t properly play a game without sound. That’s why you need to make sure that the sound of your gaming laptop is enough for you because you won’t be able to carry a headphone all the time.
- Battery: The battery of a gaming laptop is something that you should never be overlooked. Efficient battery life doesn’t only increase the gaming hours; it increases the laptop’s performance too. BTW, changing the battery once every two years can ensure the best results.
- Storage Card: Make sure that your gaming laptop has an SSD instead of an HDD. Because SSD is faster and does the same job as an HDD. Your laptop should have at least 512 GB of SSD, but that won’t be enough after a year. So, it’s always wise to go with a 1 TB SSD in the first place.
Tips for Increasing the Lifespan of Your Gaming Laptop
Like I said earlier, taking good care of your gaming laptop can almost double its lifespan. In this part, I’ll tell you about some basic tips that can significantly increase the laptop’s longevity. Here are the things that you should do and the things that you shouldn’t –
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Clean Your Laptop Once in Every 6 Months
Cleaning the laptop is like the most basic and easy maintenance task and still, we don’t care enough to do that. Your gaming laptop should be thoroughly cleaned once every six months. Open the chassis of your laptop and clean the specks of dust. You can use the XPOWER A-2 Airrow Pro Air Blower for that.
If you’re not sure how to open your laptop, it’s just one google search away. And if you still feel uncomfortable, don’t bother to do it yourself. Take it to a tech servicing store and get it done by a professional. You can’t even imagine how this little effort can increase the efficiency of your laptop.
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Change the Thermal Paste Every One or Two Years
The thermal paste plays a very important role in keeping the GPU and the processor cool. As we know already, a gaming laptop tends to produce a lot of heat when you’re playing a high-end game. When that happens, the efficiency of the components tends to take a dive downwards!
When the thermal paste is there, it doesn’t let the heat damage your sensitive components. But this thermal paste usually dries out within a year or two. That’s why changing it every one or two years is important for your laptop’s efficiency.
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Never Keep Your Foods & Drinks Beside the Laptop
You don’t get a warning right before an accident takes place. That’s why it’s always wise to be careful beforehand. If you keep your drinks and food beside your laptop, it can accidentally spill on your laptop and cause some major damages. Especially if the laptop is running!
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Keeping The Charger Plugged In Increases Battery Life
Gaming drains charge faster than anything else. You shouldn’t just charge your laptop again and again because that’d be harmful to the battery. The lithium-ion batteries in the gaming laptops charge in a few charge cycles. So, interrupting those cycles can hamper efficient charging.
That’s why you should always keep the charger plugged into your gaming laptop when you’re playing. That won’t just charge your laptop efficiently, it’ll also increase the gaming performance.
Few Words at The End
A laptop is always a big investment, especially when it’s a gaming laptop. That’s why it’s important to know beforehand how long it’ll last. Even after its prime, a gaming laptop can last for a long time. You may not be able to play the latest games after 5-10 years but you’ll still be able to do a lot of things.
If you take good care of your laptop, it’ll be in an optimal condition more than it’s supposed to. Proper maintenance doesn’t just increase the efficiency; it increases the life span too. So, first of all, you should get the best quality gaming laptop you can afford, and then you should follow all the maintenance tips.
By this point, you should have a complete idea about how long gaming laptops last. I’ve written this article based on my experience, thorough research, and subtle comparisons. Hopefully, you’ll find this article helpful and easy to comprehend.
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