Let’s define forever first. Well, it certainly doesn’t mean 50 years from now. Or does it! Assumptions and retorts aside, a practical scenario would be to make the laptop last for at least 5 years. While you might consider going even longer, I would suggest against the same as in that case, the applications and software modules start outgrowing the hardware setup, thereby slowing down the system significantly.
So, five years then! Sounds easy right. Well, it isn’t as maintaining a laptop for it to last for something close to 5 years is a herculean effort in itself. But fret not, I have put together a list of strategies that you can follow to keep your machine well-oiled for a long time and eventually justify the moolah that you invested in the first place.
Here are 12 ways to make your laptop last forever if you implement these steps properly.
1. Keep Stuff Updated
If you want the laptop to last, you must keep the system software updated at all times. Turning the updates off to save some trivial internet bandwidth might just come back to bite you hard. But if you are eyeing longevity here, you must focus on other laptop resources as well. These include keeping the applications and even the malware or virus protection support at the most current levels.
Also, instead of updating each entity separately, you can simply turn on the ‘Auto Update’ to let the device manage it for you.
2. Keep the Device Clean
If you want your laptop to be in great shape even a few years down the line, you must keep an eye on the external cleanliness. This means keeping the device free of coffee stains, crumbs, hair, dirt, and dust. Over time the keys and fans end up attracting gunk, which increases heat generation due to amplified resistance. Apart from the dirt and any other form of gunk, you must handle your drinks and food items carefully, when close to the device.
3. Maintain the Device Internally
Wait, does that mean that you must unscrew and scrub the hell out of the motherboard! Not by a long shot. Instead, you should dig deep into the software side of the laptop, including the SSD, and defragment it periodically. As a rule of thumb, Windows 10 defragments the storage drive once a month but you can perform a manual session if you feel that the device is slowing down. MacBooks, however, do not need manual defragging.
Another way of cleaning the device internally is to uninstall and delete the apps and files that aren’t being used. This frees up the RAM and keeps the laptop in good stead.
4. Keep it from Burning Up
If you want the laptop to last longer than expected, it is better to place it under a cooling fan. This way you can achieve the highest level of heat dissipation and ensure that your baby doesn’t burn up in a way that might hit the internals in a negative way.
5. Follow a Consistent Plan
How would you feel if someone disturbs your natural workflow? Well, you wouldn’t like it in the first place and this feeling holds even for your laptop. The essence here is to be consistent with the laptop moving approach on the whole by first putting it to sleep or shutting it down before transporting it from one point to the other.
However, this is a more pronounced issue for laptops with hard drives as unlike SSDs, the HDDs spin and might take a hit while being moved without putting the laptop in a resting state.
6. Care for the Cord
While caring for the laptop, you should never end up disregarding the power cord. Therefore, from now on, stop throwing it into the backpack by simply yanking at them and bending them as desired. It is better for the laptop if the power adapter lasts longer than expected as nothing works better for the device than the original charger.
7. Use a Cushioned Folio
While purchasing a cushioned backpack goes without saying, you should even invest in a cushioned folio, for moving the device from one point to the other. This approach works best for smaller devices like the MacBook Air and the 13-inch MacBook Pro. Plus, you should know how to carry an open laptop in case it is an absolute emergency. In case you need to move it from one point to the other, try to keep a hand underneath the surface and not lift the device by the screen.
8. Stop being Erratic
Are you going for a shower? If yes, you do not need to turn the laptop off, just yet. You need to understand that turning the gadget off at every given pretext does nothing but stress out. Therefore, if you plan on using the device throughout the day, keep it turned on for the period and only switch it off when done and give it a well-deserved rest.
9. Accessorize the Laptop
If you have a good-looking laptop by your side, you might want to stick to its built-in setup, like the existing backlit keyboard and the gesture supported trackpad, provided your device boasts these entities. But then, if you want to keep the device up and running for long, you must consider accessorizing the same to minimize mechanical stress.
10. Fix Issues, as they Show Up
Yes, your device will age. And with age, it will start showing signs of deterioration. But then you must keep fixing the issues as they show up by connecting with the official service provider and even extending the warranty if needed.
11. Use a Surge Protector
Last but not the least, you must use a surge protector to work in tandem with your standard adapter. This precautionary measure lets you keep the power outages and sudden electrical surges into account, whilst providing an additional layer of defense to the hardware components.
12. Consider Upgrades
Are you seriously planning to take the laptop the distance? In that case, you are better off upgrading whatever is upgradable, including the RAM to speed up the relevant processes and SSD to ensure that the device doesn’t slow down after the existing resources run out. If you can upgrade the existing setup, you automatically add to the processing chops of the device and ensure that it lasts longer.
Wrap-Up
Following these completely relatable strategies will automatically add a few extra years to your laptop. However, your focus should be on implementing the techniques depending on the existing state of the machine, which would then allow you to build on its existing performance.
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