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Maybe you just want to see what year your laptop was manufactured. Or check if the laptop warranty is still valid.
Either way, this article lists 3 easy methods to find out how old your laptop is.
We’ll also cover how to check the manufacturing and end-of-life date of your Macbook and Chromebook respectively. So, let’s dive right in!
Table of Contents
How to Tell How Old My Computer/Laptop Is?
There are 3 different methods you can use to check your computer/laptop’s age:
- By checking your laptop/computer’s serial number and
- using the manufacturer’s website
- contacting the manufacturer
- With the help of BIOS version via command prompt: systeminfo.exe
- By checking the release date of your CPU
1) Find the Serial Number of Your Laptop
If you want to know how old your laptop is, with this method, you first need to get your laptop/computer’s serial number.
While a desktop computer contains the serial number on its back, a laptop (including MacBooks) will have it on the underside of the chassis.
a) Check On the Manufacturer’s Website Using The Serial Number
You can easily get an answer to your question: “How old is my computer?” by going to the manufacturer’s website. Here, we take an HP laptop as an example.
- In your web browser, search for:
Brand name + laptop warranty lookup
For example: hp laptop warranty lookup
- Click on the official HP Support for a warranty check.
- Type in your serial number in the space provided. Make sure you input the correct country of purchase.
- Clicking on “Check warranty” will show you the model number and all the other specifications.
b) Call the Manufacturer or Check Online With the Serial Number
Once you have found the serial number, contact your laptop’s manufacturer by phone. The customer service representative will provide you with details on when your laptop was manufactured.
Or, you could simply check online: just type in the serial number into Google and you should see the manufacturer’s website, along with the details about your laptop.
2) Run Command Prompt: systeminfo.exe
Although Run Command Prompt tells the original installation date of your Windows, this may not be accurate in some cases as the date keeps changing every time a major update of Windows takes place.
That’s why we would recommend that you check the BIOS version instead. It is not only more accurate but easy, as well. The steps are as follows:
- Press “Win + R” simultaneously. Type “cmd” in the Run app. Then hit “Enter”.
- A new window will appear. Type “systeminfo.exe”, then press “Enter”.
- Scroll down and search for the “BIOS Version” in the list. Check the date on the right side.
3) Look Into the Release Date of Your CPU
Although this is not a perfectly accurate method because manufacturers tend to use older generations of processors, it will, nonetheless, give a decent estimate.
Here is how you can check your CPU’s release date:
- Type “system information” in your Window’s search bar and hit “Enter”.
- Search for the “BIOS Version/Date” from the system summary that shows up.
- The date listed in front of the BIOS Version is the same on which your laptop was released.
How to Check the Manufacturing Date of Your Mac?
The easiest way to find the age of your Mac computer is by looking at the system info in the “About this Mac” menu. See steps 1-5 below. And if your Mac won’t turn on and you still need the manufacturing date, locate the serial number at the back of your Mac and go to step 7.
- Find the serial number of your laptop on the back.
- If it’s not available, you can find out the serial number through the OS itself.
- To find out the serial number through the OS, click the Apple icon on the top left of your screen.
- A list will appear. Click on “About this Mac”.
- Then click on “More Info”.
- You will find the serial number of your laptop under the “Overview” category. Here, you can find the manufacturing date of your laptop.
- Go to the “Apple’s Check Coverage Website”.
- Enter your serial number in the box and click on “Continue”.
- You will be provided with the warranty status of your laptop.
How to Check the End-of-Life Date of Your Chromebook?
The Chromebook is different from other laptops in that its system has an expiry date.
Although this doesn’t mean that the laptop will stop working altogether when it reaches the expiry date, it will no longer get the updates from Google.
If the laptop is no longer updated, the system faces compatibility errors. That’s why it is extremely important to keep a check on your Chromebook’s End-of-Life date.
You can check your Chromebook’s system expiry date with the help of the following steps:
- Open the Settings menu on your Chromebook.
- Click on “About Chrome OS” at the bottom of the menu bar.
- Click on “Additional Details”.
- You will find the End-of-Life date of your Chromebook under the “Update Schedule”.
Why is it Important to Know How Old Your Laptop is?
Knowing the age of your laptop is important for many reasons. Sometimes, we buy pre-owned laptops that may look classy but might be old. As a result, they will start malfunctioning within a few months of use.
The current software of your laptop may face compatibility issues with the hardware. When you know how to find the right age of a computer, you can easily avoid this problem.
You can check on your system’s state to decide when is the right time to sell it or upgrade. Find out what parts you can upgrade.
Moreover, the latest laptop models might offer features that are not present in an older version. By knowing the age of your laptop, you can figure out if a certain feature is incorporated into your laptop or not. So you can decide if you require the latest model or if you are okay with the one you have.
Frequently Asked Questions
Let’s check out some frequently asked questions below.
How to find out what year my HP laptop is?
The latest models of HP laptops have their manufacturing date shown in the 4th, 5th, and 6th digits in their serial number code. The 4th number is the last digit of the year, followed by two digits for the week. In the case of HP laptops, you can also contact the company to find out the age.
How to find out how old my Dell laptop is?
If you have bought a used Dell laptop and want to find out its manufacturing date, you can easily do it by checking out Dell’s website.
The ‘Ship Date’ will be the same as the manufacturing date as it tells you when the laptop was manufactured and shipped to the retailer.
How long do laptops last?
A laptop is expected to last three to five years on average. However, it can survive longer than that. But, its components will become less compatible and the utility will be limited, as well.
When should I replace my old laptop?
If you have a laptop for personal use only, you can expect it to last longer. However, professionals should replace it whenever they notice significant lags or feel that the new laptop can boost their work performance.
Conclusion
You now have different methods at your disposal to find out the age of your laptop. You can do it through the serial number, by checking out the BIOS version via command prompt i.e. systeminfo.exe, or your CPU’s release date.
While some of these methods provide estimates only, it is better that you cross-check the results to get an accurate estimate. Furthermore, you can also call the manufacturer to find out your laptop’s manufacturing date.
We hope this guide answered all your concerns regarding the age of your laptop. However, if you still have questions, feel free to leave a comment in the section below.
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