Give your computer a new lease of life

A computer is a sizable investment (especially a Mac) that you most likely wish to keep running for as long as possible. The average lifespan of a computer is four years but with good care and hardware upgrades/repairs, it can last for many years more. Sarah and Bo from Tekkie Help share their tips on how to get the most from your computer and keep it ticking along

Upgrade the hard drive 

A sluggish system is usually an indicator that the hard drive is failing. Traditional SATA hard drives have a design life of 3-5 years and after this time they can slow down or fail altogether. This doesn’t mean you have to bin the PC, the hard drive can be replaced to give your computer a new lease of life. It is also a good opportunity to upgrade to a Solid State Drive (SSD) for enhanced performance.

Upgrading to an SSD will hands down significantly enhance the overall performance of your computer, by reducing load times and making your machine run quicker as a whole. This not only means that your programmes will run faster, but you will also be able to load applications and handle huge downloads with no problem.

At Tekkie Help, we can replace your hard drive and copy back your data. This will usually be a fraction of the price of a new computer and so a very worthwhile investment if your computer is seven years old or younger.

Hardware repairs 

A computer that doesn’t boot up at all is usually caused by a hard drive or logic board failure. Fear not, there are still options to bring it back to life. We also have the expertise to make these repairs usually for around $250-500. This is much cheaper than buying a new computer or taking it to Apple for repair. 

We would advise against investment in upgrading (or undertaking significant repairs) if your Mac is older than 2014, or your Windows PC is older than six years. It’s also worth noting that if the price of a new Mac fills you with horror, don’t fret, we sell refurbished Apples which offer a cost-effective solution.  

A little bit of TLC 

Avoiding physical abuse and caring for your computer is an easy way to increase the longevity. If you travel with your laptop, always carry it in a protective case and avoid holding or opening the computer by the corners as this can damage the screen. With the newer Mac laptops, we see many screens crack by closing the lid with papers on the keyboard.

Keep the computer well ventilated by regularly vacuuming out the fans/vents. What’s also really important is to not run your laptop on a cushion or bed too often as this blocks the flow of air around the computer and can cause overheating.

In terms of your operating system, ensure you run the updates when available as this will ensure any security patches are run to keep your system safe and secure and running optimally – do remember though to backup before running any updates.

For further advice and help, please contact Tekkie Help on 81138682 or visit tekkiehelp.com for more information.