Repair or Replace? A 5-Minute Guide to the Best Value in Oldham

The quick value test

Answer these three questions:

  1. How old is it?

  • Under 5 years: repair/upgrade usually best value.

  • 5–8 years: consider an SSD + fresh OS; still good for everyday use.

  • Over 8 years: replacement may be wiser unless it’s lightly used.

  1. What storage do you have?

  • HDD: upgrade to SSD for a big speed boost at low cost.

  • SSD already: look at RAM, cleanup, or OS reinstall.

  1. What’s the fault?

  • Software issues (slow, pop-ups, broken updates): often cheap to fix.

  • Hardware (liquid damage, dead board): get a quote and compare with the value of the device.

Typical “best value” scenarios we see

  • Slow family PC with hard drive → SSD + clean install = “feels new”.

  • Student laptop with weak battery → battery swap = 2–3 more years.

  • Old office tower used for browsing → dust clean + SSD = quiet, reliable.

When replacing makes sense

  • Multiple major parts failing (board + screen + battery).

  • You need features the old machine can’t support (e.g., Windows 11 on very old CPUs).

  • High-end tasks (video editing, gaming) where a new CPU/GPU will save hours.

We’ll do the maths for you

Bring it in (or book pickup). We’ll give you two prices:

  • Repair/upgrade cost (with expected lifespan)

  • Equivalent replacement (new/refurb options)

Consultation is £0 and we cover Oldham + nearby towns.

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