If your laptop has begun malfunctioning in some way, then you have a decision to make. You can either pay to have the machine repaired, or you can just replace the computer with a new one. Which is the better option depends on a lot of factors. Here are some questions to ask yourself to help determine whether repair or replacement is better suited to your situation.

How old is the laptop?

Computer technology becomes outdated rather quickly. If your laptop is more than 3 or 4 years old, chances are, you're about due for an upgrade anyway. You've probably realized that your machine is running slowly because its memory just can't keep pace with the large amounts of data that it must process to run today's modern apps. If you repair the laptop, you may find yourself wanting a new one in a few months anyways, so why waste the money on repairs? Just buy a new computer.

On the other hand, if your computer is only a year or two old, it probably has some life left in it. If the repairs are significantly cheaper than the price of a new laptop, then making the repairs is likely worthwhile.

Do you need to recover certain information?

If your computer is malfunctioning to the point that you cannot turn it on and access your files, then consider whether or not you really need to access the information on that hard drive. If you have it backed up on a spare hard drive or in the cloud, you may not need to have the computer repaired since you don't really need access to the files. On the other hand, if there are files found on the computer that you have no other way to access, making the repairs may cost barely more than paying someone to extract the files -- making repair a worthwhile choice.

Is the problem an external one?

If the problem is a mechanical one, such as the screen on your laptop does not hinge down properly or the keys are not staying in place, then it's probably not worth it to make repairs. The exteriors of most laptops these days are made quite cheaply, and if they break, there's not usually a good way to repair them. Your repair technician can tell you for sure whether or not the repair is possible, but don't get your hopes up.

For more information, contact companies like Colorado Computers​.