Fragile hardware can turn a great deal into a future expense

[Redaktion]

Find a great deal on an expensive piece of tech can make a purchase especially tempting. However, such deals can come at an added cost. If you hold onto your tech for more than a year, internal repairability is something you should consider.

https://www.notebookcheck.net/Fragile-hardware-can-turn-a-great-deal-into-a-future-expense.448225.0.html

[Anon]

Sadly nothings designed for repaiability. Except thinkpads and expensive pro models.
Manufacturers are pushing us into extended warranty more and more

[A]

I don't buy ANY laptop without in-home warranty. Not gonna waste my time if things end up breaking, let them come to me. Well worth it.

Unfortunately that becomes a bit harder with gaming laptops (as many of the brands don't have that option), so I just use a credit card that extends purchase warranty.

[LHPSU]

Many low-cost gaming laptops have fragile hinges. The ones on my old Acer also gave up after a little more than a year.
Partly it's the materials, but I think there's also something about certain types of hinge designs that make them less likely to last.

[Leibide]

"Sadly nothings designed for repaiability. Except thinkpads and expensive pro models.
Manufacturers are pushing us into extended warranty more and more".

Largely true. There are a few other exceptions out there. This makes them all the more interesting. I discovered Pine64 recently. You're expected to deal with problems yourself rather than return devices for repair though. On the smartphone front there's the recently reviewed Gigaset. Glued shut but 2 year warranty. Or one could just make one's own computer. You could even make it somewhat portable. Including a battery could be trikey though. Especially if you use an embedded processor. Most x86 boards require 19V input and all ARM boards I've come across require 5V input. A 12V 150W DC converter was covered  on this site about 3 months ago. All you need then is a portable external monitor and Bob's your uncle.

[Thw0rted]

This is why I like to look for "enthusiast" / niche brands, like Clevo / Sager, or more recently TongFang.  Nothing is ever soldered on or glued down, and if something breaks you can go to your dealer and have them order a replacement.

My dogs knocked my Clevo W230ST off a nightstand and shattered one corner of the housing, including one hinge mechanism.  I was able to ask the vendor for an exploded parts diagram, identify the 3-4 that had been damaged, and order them all directly for about 80 bucks.  Since the motherboard had to be moved over, I had the local repair shop do the work for me, but it was pretty quick so he only charged me 40 bucks extra -- and even today, it still works like new.  I can't imagine that kind of service from a modern Dell or Lenovo, let alone Apple.