The lower lifetime value of a laptop
The years my laptop can last me through has decreased by more than half since around 10–15 years ago. The first laptop that I received was from Acer. It was among the cheapest at that time, but it lasted me the longest — 6 years in total. My next laptop was purchased through loan financing when I was about to start University. Yes, it was the cheapest model that the University offered — Acer, again. It held up pretty well and lasted me for around 4 years. Thereafter, I got myself a Macbook Pro 2015, which held up pretty respectably for 5 years before its motherboard and battery both died. But the recent Macbook Air M1 that I bought in 2020 lasted less than 2 years before its motherboard gave way for the second time outside the warranty period with a potential repair fee of over $600.
Why did the first Acer laptop that I received last the longest?
There could be a couple of reasons:
- It has the most durable build quality with easily replaceable parts (such as battery, RAM, keyboard, and screen).
- Programs 10–20 years ago can run efficiently on the basic computing hardware.
- Less complexity in terms of design, hardware, and software.
- Lower expectations in technology at that point in time (such as willingness to wait as long as it works).
The typing experience on the keyboard was far superior to any laptop keyboard I have used in recent years. But the good seems to have disappeared in recent years. Or is it because my expectations of technology were manipulated by endless marketing ads and social influences?
Has the build quality of laptops deteriorated over the years? Is it a deliberate move to reduce costs or boost sales?
When my M1 Macbook Air died, I went ahead and purchased a used Thinkpad X220. Replaced the battery, keyboard and screen that were still readily available on Aliexpress, and upgraded the RAM. By loading Ubuntu, the performance for basic tasks such as web browsing, writing and coding is not an issue with the laptop. Plus, the build quality of the laptop was both portable and rugged. Of course, people would assume certain social and wealth status if you bring that to Starbucks and work with it. That said, it held up very well till today considering that it was released around 2011. It’s probably at least 10 years old and only cost barely $200. Given the price and age of the laptop, it’s also easier for me to manage my expectations when using the laptop. Sometimes I can allow myself more time to think and ponder deeply about a problem while waiting for my code to finish running. It’s not all bad considering the constant distractions that have been flooding my life from god knows when. It seems a worthwhile investment, but it also makes me wonder if I can find a comparable option if this laptop gives way eventually. The sad answer is probably not.
