How to buy a laptop that lasts: 6 things you need to know

When buying a new or refurbished laptop, you’ll likely be prioritising your current needs. However, that new laptop will hopefully last you for many years, so it’s worth doing some extra checks before you buy to make sure it will go the distance.

By thinking ahead and making a checklist of what you might need, you'll save money on having to replace it if you outgrow it before too long.

Read on for six things you need to consider before buying. 

For more advice, head to our best laptops guide.

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1. Work out how much you need to spend

With so many things to consider – be it the shape, size and specs – it can be easy to focus on your requirements for the here and now. But, it's worth thinking about what you might need from it in a year or two, while also not veering outside of your budget.

If it will only ever be for the basics, such as browsing online, sending emails, watching the odd video, then you won't need an ultra-lightweight, speed demon.

But, if there's a chance it could eventually double up as your work laptop, join you on your travels or be called into action for photo or video editing, then you'll need one that can keep up.   

Compromises can always be made, but it's worth making sure you're making them in the right places. We award Best Buys to our top-scoring laptops – there are currently seven that come in at less than £550 that are Best Buys.

Use our quick guide below to help you understand what sort of laptop your money will typically get you and whether this is all you'll ever need it for:

• Less than £200 Fine for emails and browsing the internet, but might lack speed. Choose Intel Celeron over Atom processors and you'll likely get 2GB of Ram and 32GB of storage.
• Less than £300 Not hugely fast, but likely to make simple tasks run more smoothly. You'll get newer Intel Celeron processors, around 4GB of Ram and up to 64GB of storage.
• Less than £450 Speedier for web browsing and research. Aim for a Full HD and a solid-state drive (SSD), if you can. Aim for at least Intel Pentium Core i3 or AMD Ryzen 3 and 4GB of Ram.
• Less than £600 Usually good enough for photo editing and some light video editing. Seek out a Full HD screen and an SSD. Aim for at least Intel Core i5/i7 or AMD Ryzen 5/7 and 8GB of Ram.
• Less than £800 Similar specs to the price band above, but with increasingly high-end designs. Look for great battery life on premium ultrabooks.
• Over £800 High-end laptops that will suit more intensive tasks, such as video editing or playing games, and combine power with stylish designs, punchy screens and decent speakers.

2. Factor in laptop security update periods

Like most smart tech, laptops have a finite lifetime in which they will receive important software and security updates. How much you need to worry about this depends on what type of laptop you're buying.

• Windows If it's a laptop that's preinstalled with, or compatible with, Windows 11, you should be set for a while. Microsoft has historically updated operating systems for around 10 years, which would make Windows 11 safe into 2031. However, Windows 10 updates will cease on 14 October 2025, so it's important to make sure that any Windows laptop you buy now is Windows 11 compatible. Had to our Windows 11 compatibility checker to find out whether the laptop you're interested in is likely to work with Windows 11.
• Apple Macbooks Things are a bit more complicated when it comes to Macbooks – Apple tends to support these for around eight years from launch, although it can vary.
• Chromebooks If you're shopping for a Chromebook, you'll need to pay attention. Google lists 'end dates' for Chromebook support on its website, so it's possible to know exactly how long a Chromebook will last.

Fortunately, we're here to help. Use the 'Estimated remaining security support' filter on our laptop reviews page to narrow down the results to models that will remain support for the minimum time you specify. 

3. Shop carefully for refurbished and second-hand

If you need more from a laptop than your budget will allow, it's certainly worth turning your attention to refurbished models as you'll likely get more for your money.

You'll often find refurbished models sold directly by a manufacturer, retailer or professional reseller. Examples include Laptops Direct, Laptop Outlet and Apple.

What's important if you're shopping in this market is to stick to these reputable resellers and to look out for any guarantees that can offer peace of mind after you buy. You should also pay attention to the quality grading as this can vary – some will be listed 'as new', otherwise they might have varying degrees of wear.

Second-hand laptops are also an option, but tend to be a riskier purchase, especially if bought from an individual (such as via an online marketplace). If you're shopping in this market, pay careful attention any ratings for the seller you're buying from and check out the return process in case it's needed.

For more advice, read our guide on how to buy second-hand or refurbished laptops.

4. Calling DIY'ers

For those confident with their technology DIY skills, the Framework laptop could make an excellent long-term investment for you and the environment. Its USP is that is can be upgraded and repaired yourself – be it replacing a broken screen, adding a new battery or replacing your motherboard.

It comes with a screwdriver which is the only tool required to swap parts. There are 'how to' written and video guides on their website to assist you along the way.

If this peaks your interest, take a look at our full Framework laptop review to see what our lab experts thought of it.

5. Consider repairing a laptop

If your laptop is giving up the ghost, it can be tempting to immediately consider replacing it. 

We live in a throwaway society where enticing brand launches and convenience draw us in, but you can save a significant amount if you can get your old laptop back up and running. In our March 2022 survey of more than 16,000 people*, we discovered that the two most common faults to affect your laptop are actually pretty affordable to repair, going by the average repair price people paid.  

The most common laptop fault was the battery life getting significantly worse over a short period of time – 22% of owners whose laptops had faults said they had experienced this issue.

Some 71% carried on using their laptop as normal without repairing or replacing it, which is fine if you predominantly use it near a mains source. However, if you're regularly out and about with yours, you'll want to get it fixed – 23% of people chose to get it fixed and the average cost was £67 to £87.

Before paying to get it fixed, check whether your laptop is still within its manufacturer's warranty period. If it is, read the small print to see what's actually covered. Typically, it's hardware problems that weren't caused by the owner.

If it's outside the warranty period, you can use Which? Trusted Traders to find local, trustworthy computer repairers. Be sure to get a few quotes so you can compare. 

Either way, if your laptop battery is playing up, it's much cheaper to repair rather than replace. Even cheaper is having a go at fixing it yourself – read our guide on how to speed up a laptop or computer. Or you can join our Tech Support service for £4.99 a month and cancel any time. There are no extra charges.

Read more of our advice on how much does it really cost to fix a laptop?

6. Call in the experts

Ultimately, purchasing a laptop that will last is about doing thorough research before you buy. We can help here, as well. At Which?, we test more than 100 laptops in our specialist lab each year. Our rigorous assessments include technical tests and real-life ease-of-use testing to make sure we cover all of the important things – be it ease of use, speed and performance, screen quality and sound, battery life, portability and any key features it might come with.

So, before you buy, our laptop reviews can tell you what you need to know to make the right choice.

If a laptop scores 75% or higher, we make it a Which? Best Buy and rest assured, it comes with a firm recommendation, although you should still read our reviews to check for any weaknesses that might impact your buying decision.

Head straight to all of our laptop reviews, so that we can be that trustworthy arm around your shoulder when it comes to making your decision.

*Our laptop repair research

In an online survey in March 2022 of 16,097 adults – members of the Which? Connect panel and members of the public – we asked about the tech they had bought between 2015 and 2022. Of the respondents, 10,978 were laptop owners.