Buyer beware of buying laptops etc.

Another Zombie thread dating from 2024

My previous laptop lasted 4 years before it started to run very slowly, the battery died and Windows Updates either failed or took hours. I perservered for another 6 months before dumping it for a Chromebook. The Chromebook doesn't rely on Windows, so runs much faster, and apparently has a longer life. 3 years and I've had no problems.

This message is being written on a computer running Windows 10. I've just bought a new laptop with Windows 11 and am in the process of transferring everything over.

The old computer still works (obviously - or I wouldn't be able to write this message), although it's a bit slow and I'm a little concerned it will crash suddenly. It's 11 years old.

I've just replaced my Android phone. The old one was about the same age as my computer - 11 years. Again it worked, although it could be glitchy. The Covid app wouldn't work on it (not that I wanted it anyway) and the battery life was irritatingly short.

Unless you buy really cheap, anything bought from reasonable retailers should last a few years. I only buy from places where I can ask questions about what I'm buying.

A Windows laptop shouldn't be end of life if it is only 18 months old as it will run Windows 11. Windows 11 will keep getting updates indefinitely. If it was a Windows 10 laptop then Windows 10 would have been end of life in October 2025, but even then it will upgrade to Windows 11. Phones yes - about 5 years for Apple and 3 years for Android I think. But I don't think the laptop you saw would have an "end of life". Mine is 6 years old and running Windows 11 and will continue to do so for many years.

Message deleted by Gransnet. Here's a link to our Talk guidelines.

biglouis

Any of my tech needs replacing I just do it as a business expense (courtesy of the tax man) every 1-2 years. I have two laptops, one tablet (about to replace that) and 2 phones. I also have two desk tops but they were custom built by my nephew so we just update the parts as required.

Lucky to have a techie nephiew who keeps everything running.

Many people are not that lucky to have someone who knows what they are talking about re technology, I certainly don't, that is why I learned about technology a few years ago. I do not have a bank or post office near where I live, the bus routes are more and more unreliable and often miss. I have to do online banking and when I need cash, I have to get taxis to the nearest town and use a bank there, that costs me £30 return so I make a day of it. I tried buying a few things at Asda and asking for cash back but I could not get more than £50 but that does not give me enough money to pay my gardener and diy man as they do not accept cheques or online payment. If they did accept cheques etc. I would not have to withdraw cash at all as I would use my debit and credit cards for everything.

The ATM in the Asda store would not accept my Barclays Debit card and stated this machine does not accept this card. Even though there was a few hundred pounds on it. I rang the bank and they said that more and more new ATM's are refusing cards for some reason or another due to the newer machines being installed so it is the fault of the ATM manufacturers. It had cost me £20 return taxi fare to get to Asda to withdraw cash all for nothing.

So, that is why I am an absolute stickler for having my laptop up todate with new software and security updates.

Any of my tech needs replacing I just do it as a business expense (courtesy of the tax man) every 1-2 years. I have two laptops, one tablet (about to replace that) and 2 phones. I also have two desk tops but they were custom built by my nephew so we just update the parts as required.

Lucky to have a techie nephiew who keeps everything running.

M0nica

I suspect this is a problem that only geeks suffer from.

I don’t think my 100 year old mother-in-law is a geek!
😂

well i don't do online banking and don't want to, so that's one less risk.
i can barely cope with what i do use.
i never had a smart phone before, i simply bought the cheapest one available, and recommended by the shop.
it's a samsung galaxy A04.s ? e?.
cost £100. was new but i don't know about manufacture date.
there are different following letters on the front of the box and the sticker, so i don't know what it is.
i am still awaiting the promised sim card from the new service, been over 2 weeks now.
rang them y'day.
i have tried to avoid as much technology as poss, it's very confusing to some of us.
i don't understand the terms, upload download, even subscription, which i assumed was paying to join something, but isn't always?? eg on youtube.
i used what i had to at work; but it's like knowing one's way between 2 points, and never venturing beyond.
there be dragons . . .

I have been watching these forums as I recently purchased a brand new laptop (so I thought) that was manufactured in 2021, a Windows 11 and found that the software updates etc. would cease in 2025. That meant I would only get one year of updates. I went online and found that Bigmamma is correct in what she says.

You need to ensure the laptop was a recent release in order for you to get the full years of updates you are entitled to otherwise you will have security issues and any apps that you want to install will not work on an out of date laptop.

Like Bigmamma says, you could have a laptop that is quite a few years old and still working, but without the software updates and security updates it is an accident waiting to happen.

I am now in the process of returning this out of date laptop to the seller.

This is what I found on the internet.......

The Top 5 Cyber Risks Associated with Outdated Software & Operating Systems:

1. Ransomware Risk Outdated systems are low-hanging fruit for cybercriminals looking to perpetrate ransomware attacks. ...
2. Business and Functional Disruption Outdated systems can also cause major business disruption. ...

3. Third-Party Breach ...

4. Mobile Device Compromise ...

5. Internet of Things Risk ...

Paperbackwriter

"I am not sure about Apple as I keep away from them as I don't like how you are stuck with all the apple apps under their control and also they are much too expensive."

They may be expensive but I'm writing this on an Apple MacBook Pro that is over 13 years old and still doing really well! I'd say cost-per-year is pretty low compared with a lot of cheaper computers.

It is not about the laptop still working, a laptop can still work after many years but it is the software and security updates that will stop being updated on your laptop after a number of years depending on the manufacturer.

If you are using an old laptop where the software and security updates have stopped then you are putting yourself at risk if you do online banking or surf the web as you can be hacked if you do not have software updates and security installed.

Your bank should have enough security updates in place but it has been shown that they don't always work.

It is up to the person using the laptop to decide if they want to use an out of date laptop which no longers gets security updates etc.

I have a 15 year old Dell laptop that still works but I would never think of using it to access online banking as the security updates have stopped.

For myself, better safe than sorry.

albertina

Oh Lord, I didn't know anything about this. Thank you for the information. I bought a new computer ( on H.P.) recently.
It's disturbing to know that its life may be short.

It is not about the laptop still working, a laptop can still work after many years but it is the software and security updates that will stop being updated on your laptop after a number of years depending on the manufacturer.

If you are using an old laptop where the software and security updates have stopped then you are putting yourself at risk if you do online banking or surf the web as you can be hacked if you do not have software updates and security installed.

Your bank should have enough security updates in place but it has been shown that they don't always work.

It is up to the person using the laptop to decide if they want to use an out of date laptop which no longers gets security updates etc.

For myself, better safe than sorry.

"I am not sure about Apple as I keep away from them as I don't like how you are stuck with all the apple apps under their control and also they are much too expensive."

They may be expensive but I'm writing this on an Apple MacBook Pro that is over 13 years old and still doing really well! I'd say cost-per-year is pretty low compared with a lot of cheaper computers.

I suspect this is a problem that only geeks suffer from.

I always buy used Dell laptops with a high spec from a well known online auction site and I've never had problems of the kind referred to above

If you buy a "new" car now it may have been sitting as stock in a garage or manufacturer's storage area for several years.

Shinamae

I had no idea about this and my iPad mini must be six years old and I bought a reconditioned Apple phone which was iPhone 11, don’t seem to have any problems so far…🤔

I don’t think Apple products have this problem. We always buy Apple technology, they last and and the support from Apple is very good should anything go wrong.
My Apple MacBook Air is 12 years old, phone about 4 years old and my IPad was replaced last Autumn after about 8 years.
The battery was playing up, the Apple tech said it could have been replaced for £90, but the model was no longer in production.

Most android cameras will recognise a QR unless they are quite old, in which case you can probably download a QR reader app.

welbeck

i'm wondering about the mobile phone i recently bought.
since it doesn't have a QR reader . . .
anyway, too late now.
can't even use it as still awaiting sim card from new service . . .
at least i have got my original number transferred, as when i ring it, it goes to the new service's messages.
it's only just occurred to me that i should have inserted the original sim into the new phone, used up the credit with old service, then transferred to new service.
oh well, i can't be brilliant at everything.

If it’s an iPhone you just use your camera.

I had no idea about this and my iPad mini must be six years old and I bought a reconditioned Apple phone which was iPhone 11, don’t seem to have any problems so far…🤔

I bought my HP laptop as an end of line as it had all the features I needed for a better price. I knew it was end of line and that was about four years ago and had no problems.

You could always run Linux on your laptop. It's less picky about hardware so your laptop would last a long time. Once you get used to the idea, it's a better user experience too!

BigMamma
Hers was a 2016 model and it stopped updating several years ago.
I tried to give her our roku to try after failing to encourage her to get a firestick.
Then I thought she may have a new TV... but she says she doesn't want a new gadget "to learn".

Ridiculous really as she's had a new mobile and a new laptop in the last couple of years! She has recently learned to text so obviously could learn to do it if she wanted!

gigi1958

At my last job the technical department told me that the lifespan of most laptops is about 3 years due to hardware failures etc. Windows the operating system when they come out with a new version they have to keep updating the previous version for I think 5 years. Due to price and vulnerability issues I have resorted to buying refurbished Dell laptops. The cost here in the U.S. sometimes less than 200.00 and bonus you keep using what would have been dumped in the landfill. What interestingly enough goes bad in laptops is the keyboards, which is an easy fix just plug in a accessory keyboard and you are up and running again I currently run both my laptops on Windows 10 professional, and it works perfectly

I have only ever bought one new laptop and since then it's always been refurbished ones only. I've never had any trouble and they seem to last just as long as my new one did.

At my last job the technical department told me that the lifespan of most laptops is about 3 years due to hardware failures etc. Windows the operating system when they come out with a new version they have to keep updating the previous version for I think 5 years. Due to price and vulnerability issues I have resorted to buying refurbished Dell laptops. The cost here in the U.S. sometimes less than 200.00 and bonus you keep using what would have been dumped in the landfill. What interestingly enough goes bad in laptops is the keyboards, which is an easy fix just plug in a accessory keyboard and you are up and running again I currently run both my laptops on Windows 10 professional, and it works perfectly