This is the question we get asked most. Someone's got a laptop that's 4, 5, 6 years old — it's slow, the battery's dying, maybe the screen has a crack. Is it worth fixing, or should they just buy new?
Here's how we think about it.
The 50% rule
As a general guideline: if the repair costs less than 50% of what a replacement would cost, repair is usually the better choice. With laptop prices up significantly in 2025-26 due to the global memory shortage, the maths favour repair more than ever.
A mid-range laptop that cost £600 a few years ago now costs £750-£900 to replace. A £45 SSD upgrade and £45 clean suddenly looks very attractive.
Age isn't the deciding factor
A 5-year-old business laptop (ThinkPad, Latitude, EliteBook) with an SSD and 16GB RAM can still be a perfectly good everyday machine. Age matters less than specs and condition.
What actually matters: Does it have an SSD? (If not, add one — it'll transform the machine.) Does it have at least 8GB RAM? (16GB is better.) Is the screen, keyboard, and trackpad working? Is the chassis physically intact?
When to repair
The machine has good specs but runs slowly — probably needs an SSD upgrade and a clean. The battery doesn't last long — a replacement battery costs £30-£80 depending on the model, which is much cheaper than a new laptop. The screen is cracked — screen replacements are £35 labour plus the cost of the panel, typically £70-£160 total. Single-component failures — charging port, keyboard, fan — are almost always worth fixing.
When to replace
The motherboard has failed and the machine is more than 5 years old — motherboard repairs can be expensive and unpredictable. Multiple things are wrong at once — cracked screen AND dead battery AND broken keyboard starts to add up. The machine has less than 4GB RAM and can't be upgraded (some ultrabooks have soldered RAM). It's running a processor from before 2016 — some modern software simply won't run well.
When to buy refurbished instead of new
If you need a replacement, consider a refurbished business laptop. A 2-3 year old ThinkPad or Latitude with 16GB RAM, a fresh SSD, and Windows 11 costs £150-£250 and performs identically to a new £500 machine for everyday tasks. We can source these for you.
Not sure? Ask us.
We'll give you an honest assessment. We make money from repairs, but we also make money from sourcing refurbished machines and setting up new ones — so we genuinely have no reason to push you in either direction. The diagnosis is always free.