At Advanced Computers, one of the hardest conversations we have with customers in our Penrose and Rosedale workshops isn’t about fixing laptops. It’s explaining why a replacement is sometimes recommended, even when the customer believes a repair should be much cheaper.
From the outside, it often feels simple. Something is broken. Surely fixing it must cost less than replacing the laptop. But from a technician’s point of view, that assumption doesn’t always hold up once real-world costs, reliability, and long-term value are taken into account.
Here are three anonymised examples we see regularly in our Auckland workshops.
Case Study 1: Older Laptop With a Cracked Screen
A customer brings in a laptop that’s around six years old. The screen is badly cracked, but the laptop still powers on and works when connected to an external monitor.
The expectation is clear:
“It’s just the screen. Repair will be cheaper than replacement.”
After inspection, the repair quote comes in at $450–$600.
This is usually where the complaint starts.
From our side of the bench, we have to look at more than just the broken screen:
- The laptop is already past the point where other components commonly fail
- The cost of the repair is close to half the value of a modern equivalent laptop
- There’s no guarantee another issue won’t appear within 6–12 months
In this situation, we often explain that while the screen can be repaired, putting that amount of money into an ageing device may not make sense. Replacement isn’t suggested because repair is impossible—it’s suggested because the value equation no longer stacks up.
Some customers accept that immediately. Others feel the laptop repair should be cheaper simply because it’s a repair. That’s where expectations and reality collide.
Case Study 2: Battery Issues That Aren’t Just a Battery
Another common example is battery-related complaints. A laptop comes in shutting down unexpectedly or refusing to hold a charge.
The assumption:
“Just replace the battery. That’ll be cheap.”
In many cases, the battery alone isn’t the full story. Diagnostics may show:
- Charging circuit degradation
- Power management faults on the motherboard
- Battery wear combined with system instability
By the time everything is properly diagnosed and addressed, the cost of repair can reach $300–$500, sometimes more depending on the model.
At that point, customers often push back hard. They compare the number in their head to the quote in front of them and feel replacement is being pushed unnecessarily.
From our perspective, recommending replacement here is about avoiding repeat failures. Repairing part of the problem while leaving underlying issues unresolved usually leads to the laptop coming back—often with more damage and more cost.
Case Study 3: Motherboard (Logic Board) Failure
This is usually common with Apple MacBooks, and this is where expectations break down the most.
A laptop or MacBook comes in completely dead or randomly freezing. After diagnostics, the fault traces back to the motherboard (or the logic board – using Apple’s terminology).
The repair quote lands around $900–$1,100.
The reaction is almost always the same:
“How can repairing it cost that much? Replacing it shouldn’t be cheaper than fixing it.”
Here’s the technician reality:
- Motherboard faults are not minor issues
- Apple MacBook repair is usually more complex, time‑intensive, and carries risk than Windows-based laptops
- Even after repair, the rest of the laptop or MacBook is still ageing
In these cases, replacement is often the financially safer option, even though the customer expected repair to be cheaper. The cost isn’t about upselling—it’s about not sinking serious money into a machine that may never be fully reliable again.
Why This Disconnect Happens
Most customers don’t see what we see on the workbench every day.
They see:
- One visible problem
- A belief that “repair” automatically means low cost
We see:
- Age-related wear across multiple components
- Time, labour, testing, and reliability risk
- Whether the money spent today will actually buy usable time
When we recommend replacement, it’s rarely because repair can’t be done. It’s because repair no longer makes sense once cost, lifespan, and reliability are weighed properly.
Our Technician Rule of Thumb
At Advanced Computers, we ask three questions before recommending anything:
- Will the repair meaningfully extend the laptop’s life?
- Does the cost make sense relative to the laptop’s age and performance?
- Will the customer likely be back with another major fault soon?
If the answer to those questions doesn’t line up, replacement is discussed honestly—even when the customer expected repair to be cheaper.
Final Word
We understand why customers push back. On paper, repair sounds like it should cost less. In practice, modern laptops don’t always work that way.
From our Penrose and Rosedale workshops, our job isn’t to sell the most expensive option. It’s to help Auckland customers avoid throwing good money after bad—and to be upfront when repair no longer delivers real value.
That honesty isn’t always what people want to hear, but it’s what saves them money in the long run.