How to Keep Your Tech Lasting Longer

It can be annoying forking out decent money on technology, only for it to start deteriorating within 12 months, eventually becoming unusable. It’s a common issue with laptops, mobile phones and portable tech, as things such as the battery and other internal components can become worn out and drained, leading to less than desirable performance from your gadgets. 

Then there’s also the ever-present risk of damage that can instantly put your devices out of commission. To help avoid these issues and to make your technology last even longer, here are some tips that should boost your technologies’ lifespan. 

Protect it properly 

There are various pieces of kit that can be used to help protect your phones and devices and make them more likely to withstand bumps, drops and scratches. The most obvious is a case, which can be used as a protective shell to ensure that your device doesn’t get any chips, indentations or scratches when dropped. Cases are advisable as they usually help provide increased grip, making handling accidents far less likely. 

As well as a case, you can also get a screen protector to safeguard the display of your device. A screen protector is an additional, translucent plastic layer that sticks to the screen and can be used to help prevent scratches that weaken the glass, meaning it’s far less likely to shatter and crack. 

Replace parts 

Sometimes, when a piece of equipment starts to exhibit faults, the issue can usually be pinned down to one malfunctioning or faulty component and isn’t indicative of the entire device. Replacing these components and upgrading them with more current versions can help keep your devices up-to-date and fighting fit. This is highly recommended for laptops and computers, but can also come in handy to help elongate the life of a mobile phone. 

One of the biggest offenders when it comes to faulty internal components is the battery, as these can become drained over time. You can find replacement parts for multiple devices on Octopart and get a good deal while you do so. Do be aware, however, that replacing parts on your technology can void your warranty, so only do so if that warranty has expired. If it hasn’t, get in touch with your technology provider and they might be able to make repairs to get your devices in better condition.

Keep it clean 

A lot of the time, the only thing that’s making a device such as a games console, laptop, or mobile phone from performing at optimal capacity is because it’s a bit dirty. This can be because dust and hair can easily get inside the circuitry and components of the device and can short-circuit it. Furthermore, a buildup of dust also traps the built-in fans in devices, making them far more likely to overheat and damage components this way. 

The best solution to this problem is to simply clean your devices fairly regularly. For mobiles, you want to look inside the charging ports and earphone jacks and clear any debris with a sewing needle, and for computers, blow out the fans with a small vacuum. You may need to open the case to reveal the fans first.