Business laptops typically last around five years, but heavy use can shorten that lifespan. Especially if you’re always on the go, your laptop might start acting up after about three years, no matter how good the brand is.
But here’s the good part: If you take good care of your business laptop and use it wisely, you can extend its lifespan by up to seven years!
With a little know-how and following some smart tips, you can make sure your business laptop stays in tip-top shape. We’ve gathered some foolproof ways to help your laptop last longer.
Just like you take care of yourself, your computer needs some looking after too. By giving it some basic care, you can make it last longer and work better. Remember to follow these easy steps to make your laptop last longer.
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Handling and taking care:
We’ve all seen or experienced spills on laptops before. It’s important to keep food and drinks away from your laptop because even a small spill can cause serious damage.
Use a protective case or sleeve when you’re carrying or storing your laptop to keep it safe.
When handling your laptop, be careful and gentle. Don’t drop it or handle it roughly. If you’re carrying it in a backpack or bag, make sure not to squeeze it too tightly or toss it around like you would with papers.
Keep your laptop clean on the outside:
Stuff like dust, dirt, hair, crumbs, and spills can get into your computer. They’re not good and can mess things up, especially if they stop the fan from working properly. It’s best to keep these things out in the first place by closing your laptop when you’re not using it and keeping food and drinks away. But some gunk is bound to sneak in, so clean your laptop regularly with the right tools. If it gets too messy, you might need to get a professional to clean it for you.
Keep it cool:
Make sure your computer doesn’t get too hot! Just like you wouldn’t want to be in a super hot room, your computer doesn’t like it either. Keep it away from sunlight and make sure nothing is blocking its vents. If it gets too hot, it can damage the parts inside and make your computer not last as long. So, keeping it cool means it will last longer.
Regular cleaning of the keyboard, screen, and ports:
No matter what laptop you have, it can start to look messy after a while. The screen might get cluttered, the keyboard could get dirty, and the vents and ports might get dusty.
Some laptops, like the latest Macbooks, have keyboards that can easily get messed up by dust and dirt. Keeping your keyboard clean can help avoid problems.
I keep a can of spray in my office to keep my machine clean!
Maintenance:
One of the most common problems with laptops is that software slows down their operation over time. Consequently, they become less efficient.
For your laptop to work well, it needs regular maintenance. This includes both hardware and software care.
Software Maintenance
Various reasons may require you to maintain your business laptop’s software or operating system. It could be for their continued smooth running, the addition of new features, preparation for future changes, or shifting files to the cloud.
Taking good care of your software is crucial for business purposes because it is not just about fixing bugs; everything should be kept in proper working order.
Data backup can be done in different ways, but safety is paramount when using any laptop. This refers to duplicating files so that if anything goes wrong, like a virus attack or breakdown of the machine itself, there will still be copies somewhere else.
Hardware Maintenance:
Hardware Care Taking care of the physical parts of your laptop is also important. This includes things like cleaning the keyboard, CD drive, hard disk, battery, and other parts to make sure they work well.
Keep the operating system updated regularly:
It’s very important to regularly update the operating system (OS) of your laptop. Updating it is really important, whether you have an Apple or Windows PC. They release these updates oftentimes so that laptops can work better.
These improvements are designed for certain laptops in order to boost their performance. Some people think that updates make laptops slow down, especially older ones. This is not true; only those computers are sent OS updates that can handle them well.
To ensure a longer life span for your business laptop, keep automatic updates turned on at all times. Let your laptop update itself with the latest security and performance-enhancing OS versions. Not only will this make your device more secure but it will also help it perform optimally.
Be wise with your battery usage:
Plugging your laptop all the time can appear to be a good idea; this way, you will always have a full battery at hand. However, this may not be the right thing to do because the battery will become inefficient over time if done too much.
This means you won’t be able to use your laptop unplugged for as long before it needs to be plugged in again.
In the past, this was more of a problem because older laptops had less advanced batteries. But even with newer laptops, it’s still something to think about. If your goal is to maximize the lifespan of an older laptop, don’t leave it plugged in at 100% power continuously.
The rule of thumb here, therefore, is that every time you charge your battery, there is a possibility of it wearing out sooner than later. If possible, try using up some battery power before plugging it in again so as to extend its life.
Upgrade what you can:
Upgrading is a fantastic way to enhance the performance and lifespan of your laptop. For instance, changing from an old hard drive to a solid-state drive (SSD) can help make your laptop quieter while also transferring data at a faster rate.
If you have the option to upgrade RAM, then go for it. This is because more RAM can drastically increase the performance of your laptop, especially when it has slots for additional sticks.
However, ensure that you first check how much RAM your laptop supports before making any purchases.
You should read through the user manual or contact the manufacturer of your laptop in order to know what kind of upgrades are possible.
Avoid spending money on upgrades that cannot be accommodated by your laptop! If it can handle more RAM, adding as much as possible can greatly improve its speed.
Security Measures
Your laptop could be infected with malware and have its battery drained by some malicious software if you visit non-secure sites. Thus, it is advisable to keep off suspicious places and not go where your browser cautions against.
Investing in strong protection from viruses, malware, and unauthorized entry is necessary today because of the prevalence of cybercrime.
Employee Training and Education
Laptops are a crucial resource for employees. They can accomplish tasks, collaborate with co-workers, and research data. Businesses should customize laptops for employees to get the best results.
This includes adding shortcuts to frequently used programs so they are easy to access from the home screen and folders where your office personnel can store documents that will only be accessed by a selected few people.
Employers should also ensure plenty of storage space is available on laptops. So, workers have enough room for all their files without worrying about running out of memory halfway through an important project or presentation.
If there is the threat of a break-in into your system or in case of misplaced laptops, you can label each laptop with the employee’s name and the department name for easy identification in case of any lost and found claims.
Conclusion
Many factors can extend or shorten the lifespan of laptops. Laptops can last many years if properly handled and maintained, but other elements can restrict their productivity and usability in a business environment.
Latest business machines are very tough to upgrade, but many laptops can be given a new lease of life by changing a hard disk with an SSD, getting a new battery, or even alternating the hinge on the screen.
Whatever suits your company dynamic the best, investing in good quality business laptops can save you plenty of finances and headaches. Which, in return, enables you to run a smooth business and not worry about random upgrades on your laptops.