How long do (gaming) laptops really last?

RedViking

RedViking

Nord of the South
Joined
Feb 23, 2012
Messages
87,350
Reaction score
73,464
Location
>> CLICK HERE TO FIND COFFEE <<
The focus would be gaming or workstation laptops, laptops running hot and fast. Laptops that cost a lot of money.

My Dell Precision didn't last 2-3 years before it started giving issues.

I now have a new Precision, but it is running HOT. And they do not come cheap. I just ride the Dell Pro Warranty.

Cooling pads also is a myth and doesn't do anything in my experience, best is to keep the vents open and good circulation. Room temperature makes a difference.

My view is that workstation and gaming laptops only last about 3 years before issues starts. My reference includes MSI GE, Lenovo Flex (wasn't a gaming laptop but hinges broke within 2 years), Dell G series, Dell Precision, Asus Nitro. All of them started experiencing hardware issues within 3 years.

What's your experience and opinion. Do non professional and non gaming laptops tend to last longer?

Does modern hardware , pushing the limits, last longer than 3 years on average?

Have we seen over the last decade a drop in lifespan on laptops?

Is this deliberate or just the nature of going hot and fast and smaller?


www.pcworld.com

How long do gaming laptops really last? What you need to know

We tackle two interpretations: how long before it'll die and how long it'll remain relevant. Either way, gaming laptops last quite a while.
www.pcworld.com www.pcworld.com

With typical use, you can expect a gaming laptop to last about 4 to 6 years. If you take care of it, it could last up to 10 years or more; if you neglect it, it could die within 3 years.
Click to expand...
 
Have you opened and cleaned the Precision?

Also for myself, I would not mind a laptop that 5cm thick if it meant better cooling.
 
For strategy gaming they tend to last longer. Less intense graphics I guess. FPS is a different story. My Dell latitude I used for gaming lasted me 5 years and then it needed a service to replace thermal paste and clean out the vents etc. Kids are still using it now at 7 years of age. My Dell G15 is now 3 years old I think and zero heating issues so far.
 
  • Like
Reactions: SHL
Like most things, they last if looked after.
The DELL laptops of now have very small fan apertures, and even a speck of paper dust causes the dreaded "FAN FAILURE" warning in the BIOS.

Most people do not look after their things. They drop laptops, they sit on them, they put the laptop on a bed and the thing cooks it gets that hot. And in many cases they run the poor thing flat out 24/7.
 
RedViking said:
Cooling pads also is a myth and doesn't do anything in my experience, best is to keep the vents open and good circulation. Room temperature makes a difference.
Click to expand...

Cooling pads do work but is dependent on the laptop underside being accessible to air being pushed onto the board by the blowing fan, for example the lenovo t14 has a lot of air vents underneath that allows for cool air to easily be blown in,

2-21.jpg



As opposed to a dell xps 13 that has minimal vents which makes cooling pads useless,

Dell-XPS-13-9310-2-in-1-Bottom-View.jpg



The issue with some gaming laptops is that they have minimal air vents so that the incoming air is focused on the intake fans to cool the heatsinks, leaving the others parts of the laptop to not be cooled.
 
My experience has been a couple of years.

Lenovo Y5070 I think is still working from 2015, though got its screen replaced in 2016 (I think as don't think it's in use anymore since 2021, a GTX960M isn't great).

Wootware's one from 2018 is still working today and gets occasional use, just had to replace the battery (gave issues last year but ignored it, so 5-6 years).

My experience is they last as long as you treat them well, but are no longer really fit for gaming like 3 years later. My laptops were both used in Uni, so in a backpack with public transit for 2-3 years each, so wouldn't say perfectly treated, but probably still better than most do (have seen so many people with broken hinges / damaged displays/keyboards, it's a bit crazy).

And no, you don't need a cooling pad in most modern laptops / have little effect unless design flaw, just get a small stand for it instead.
 
kolaval said:
Have you opened and cleaned the Precision?

Also for myself, I would not mind a laptop that 5cm thick if it meant better cooling.
Click to expand...
It's a beautiful machine. But don't want to focus on the Precision. More on modern gaming and workstations in general. Once this one's warranty is over, I'm not sure if I should further invest in workstation laptops and consider a good PC again and then remote stream to a general notebook. As long as network stays reliable. We have Clients who don't want to send us the project files and make us work on their machines in another country via RDP and it actually doesnt work too bad.

If I am wrong and longevity is not reduced with modern hardware then it might still be worth it. Interesting to hear others opinion and experience on this topic. But I guess not many have these kinds of machines due to the excessive pricing.
 
Most people don't clean their laptops, pet hair and dust blocks the fansink.

Thermal paste doesn't last forever, it gets hard and cannot transfer heat well. The average laptop gamer will have to take it in for a repaste.
 
Johnatan56 said:
My experience has been a couple of years.

Lenovo Y5070 I think is still working from 2015, though got its screen replaced in 2016 (I think as don't think it's in use anymore since 2021, a GTX960M isn't great).

Wootware's one from 2018 is still working today and gets occasional use, just had to replace the battery (gave issues last year but ignored it, so 5-6 years).

My experience is they last as long as you treat them well, but are no longer really fit for gaming like 3 years later. My laptops were both used in Uni, so in a backpack with public transit for 2-3 years each, so wouldn't say perfectly treated, but probably still better than most do (have seen so many people with broken hinges / damaged displays/keyboards, it's a bit crazy).
Click to expand...
I handle my machines with great respect and care. So to me how I treat them has no impact on lifespan. But I am also referring to others I know and who's machines stay on a desks.
 
In my opinion gaming laptops are not meant to be used the same way as a gaming desktop.

They gonna die quicker because of cooling issues if you game 8 hours daily on a laptop as compared to a AIO desktop with multiple case fans.
 
Rickster said:
Most people don't clean their laptops, pet hair and dust blocks the fansink.

Thermal paste doesn't last forever, it gets hard and cannot transfer heat well. The average laptop gamer will have to take it in for a repaste.
Click to expand...
I have a can of air on my desk. I use it to clean the vents and grills. It's not very strong, a little compressor would be nice. But then again I would not want to use something too strong on these fans as everything is extremely thin.

1732696565679.png
 
RedViking said:
I have a can of air on my desk. I use it to clean the vents and grills. It's not very strong, a little compressor would be nice. But then again I would not want to use something too strong on these fans as everything is extremely thin.

View attachment 1776831
Click to expand...

Yeah this is correct. I'd also replace thermal paste every 2-3 years since it hardens over time.
 
Longboi said:
In my opinion gaming laptops are not meant to be used the same way as a gaming desktop.

They gonna die quicker because of cooling issues if you game 8 hours daily on a laptop as compared to a AIO desktop with multiple case fans.
Click to expand...
If you pay R100 000 for a workstation it better be designed to be abused. That is why companies buy these machines.

So my final thoughts are that no matter how well built they are, there is just no way from stopping the rapid degrading due to the thermals. Heat is a killer.

We forget how powerful they have become and maybe that is why lifespan "feels" reduced. The trade we have to make for power?
 
RedViking said:
If you pay R100 000 for a workstation it better be designed to be abused. That is why companies buy these machines.

So my final thoughts are that no matter how well built they are, there is just no way from stopping the rapid degrading due to the thermals. Heat is a killer.

We forget how powerful they have become and maybe that is why lifespan "feels" reduced. The trade we have to make for power?
Click to expand...

Agreed.
 
RedViking said:
It's a beautiful machine. But don't want to focus on the Precision. More on modern gaming and workstations in general. Once this one's warranty is over, I'm not sure if I should further invest in workstation laptops and consider a good PC again and then remote stream to a general notebook. As long as network stays reliable. We have Clients who don't want to send us the project files and make us work on their machines in another country via RDP and it actually doesnt work too bad.

If I am wrong and longevity is not reduced with modern hardware then it might still be worth it. Interesting to hear others opinion and experience on this topic. But I guess not many have these kinds of machines due to the excessive pricing.
Click to expand...
Would generally recommend going the remote into PC route if you can keep the latency stable, would get a Parsec license since you like going to coffee shops with laptops (other alternative is Sunshine+Moonlight, but that's self set-up and dealing with ports and stuff, just recommending as you're doing something graphic/movement vs normal RDP where you sometimes get odd little pieces that don't refresh/reduced color, etc., (I permanently RDP into work laptop since like my screens/PC desk set-up, but this is code)).

Do keep mobile net costs into account though, but still think it will probably end up cheaper due to device longevity and you're probably on cafe WiFi.
 
Johnatan56 said:
Would generally recommend going the remote into PC route if you can keep the latency stable, would get a Parsec license since you like going to coffee shops with laptops (other alternative is Sunshine+Moonlight, but that's self set-up and dealing with ports and stuff, just recommending as you're doing something graphic/movement vs normal RDP where you sometimes get odd little pieces that don't refresh/reduced color, etc., (I permanently RDP into work laptop since like my screens/PC desk set-up, but this is code)).

Do keep mobile net costs into account though, but still think it will probably end up cheaper due to device longevity and you're probably on cafe WiFi.
Click to expand...
I don't use cafe wifi due to security risks and not always fast enough due to all the people using it. I have Telkom Fixed LTE I take with me (second sim in phone) and it is pretty consistent if there are no technical issues somewhere. Moonlight I find very temperamental when not on the same network and doesn't always want to connect remotely. I end up just using Chrome Desktop Connection. But yeah, need to look into something more reliable, even Windows RDP. Mobile costs are not a concern as I spend a lot of time in coffee shops and these Telkom Fixed LTE is fairly affordable. As it is not gaming the bitrate doesn't have to be high.

But the reason I haven't considered it permanently is that WifI and Mobile consistency has left me disappointed a couple of times
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top
Sign up to the MyBroadband newsletter
X