It's a commonly asked question. Is this even worth fixing? It is a fair question, and I would rather answer it honestly than sell you a repair you will regret. So here is how I actually decide, and how you can make a good guess before you ever call me.

Start with the age of the machine. A laptop or desktop tends to have a comfortable working life of somewhere around five to seven years. That is not a hard wall, plenty run fine longer, but it is the range where parts start aging out. Under about four years old, most problems are worth fixing. Older than seven, and replacing is more likely to be the right choice.

Look at what needs to be repaired, because not all repairs are equal. Some are cheap and change everything. Adding memory or swapping an old hard drive for an SSD can make a tired machine feel new for a modest cost*, and I will almost always tell you to do it. Others are expensive and buy you very little. A failed screen or a dead board on an older laptop can cost more than the computer is worth.

Rough rule-of-thumb: If the repair costs more than about half the price of replacing the machine, and the machine is already several years old, replacing is usually the smarter money. If the repair is a small fraction of a new computer, or the machine is still young, fix it. This settles the question most of the time.

One thing to keep in mind is your files. A dying hard drive full of photos is not really a "repair or replace" question, it is a "get the data off first" question. The hardware might not be worth saving, but what is on it usually is. If that is your situation, deal with the files before you decide anything about the computer itself.

There is one more cost to consider. Setting up a new computer takes time. Moving your files, reinstalling programs, signing back into everything, getting it to feel like yours again. Often that hassle is worth paying to avoid, which tips the scale toward a repair even when the numbers are close. That is a legitimate reason. I just want you deciding it on purpose instead of finding out later.

That's your guide: Age of the machine, cost of the fix against the cost of a new one, and whether your files are safe.

Still not sure? Bring it in, and I will tell you, because we are both better off when you make the correct choice.

-Mike

*at the time of this writing, memory and SSD cost are dramatically elevated due to demand and pre-orders from data centers. Expect this to go down considerably in 2027 as it becomes apparent that large data centers are not necessary for future AI developmen