If your laptop or desktop acts up in early 2026, you have two questions right away: how much will this cost, and is repair smarter than replacement. This guide gives you clear price ranges, typical timelines, and a practical decision framework so you can act with confidence, whether you manage a small business fleet or make tech choices at home.

Quick answers to the most searched questions

• How much does a laptop repair usually cost? Most common laptop fixes land between $75 and $450 parts and labor. Batteries and keyboards are on the low end, screens and motherboards on the high end. Water damage or board-level work can exceed $600 on premium models.
• How much does a PC repair usually cost? For desktops, many repairs fall in the $75 to $350 range, with power supplies, storage, and RAM at the low end. Motherboards or specialty graphics cards can push well above $400.
• How much should you pay someone to fix your computer? Expect $80 to $150 per hour in 2026, depending on shop type and location. Flat-rate menu pricing is common for routine work.
• How much do computer repair shops charge per hour? National chains often advertise $129 to $199 per hour equivalent, sometimes wrapped in service tiers. Local shops typically land at $90 to $140, with lower minimums and more flexible diagnostics.

Typical 2026 repair price ranges and timelines

Every market varies. Use these ranges as ballpark guidance for parts plus labor.

• Diagnostics
• Cost: Free to $79 for basic checks; $99 to $149 for deep board-level or liquid-damage assessment
• Timeline: Same day for basic; 1 to 3 days for complex faults
• SSD or HDD replacement
• Cost: $60 to $120 labor, plus $40 to $120 for SATA SSD, $60 to $180 for NVMe
• Data migration add-on: $60 to $180, based on data size and drive health
• Timeline: Same day to 2 days
• RAM upgrade
• Cost: $30 to $80 labor, plus $30 to $120 parts
• Timeline: Same day
• Keyboard or trackpad (laptops)
• Cost: $90 to $180 labor, plus $30 to $180 parts; unibody designs trend higher
• Timeline: 1 to 3 days, longer if parts need to be ordered
• DC jack or charging port
• Cost: $120 to $220 for cabled jacks; $200 to $350 if soldered on the board
• Timeline: 2 to 5 days
• Battery (laptops)
• Cost: $40 to $120 labor, plus $50 to $180 parts; glued-in packs cost more
• Timeline: Same day to 2 days
• Motherboard or logic board
• Cost: $299 to $900+, highly model dependent; used or refurbished boards can reduce cost
• Timeline: 3 to 7 days, plus parts lead time
• Screen replacement (laptops)
• Cost: $120 to $220 labor, plus $80 to $350 for standard panels; $350 to $700 for high-refresh, OLED, or integrated glass assemblies
• Timeline: 1 to 3 days, longer for rare panels

What is the most expensive part of a laptop to repair? Logic boards and high-end display assemblies lead the list, followed by GPUs in gaming laptops. Water damage remediation can exceed both if parts stack up.

Repair versus replace in 2026: a simple decision framework

Use device age and workload to guide your call. Layer in total cost of ownership and the time value of your team’s productivity.

• At 3 years old
• Most issues are worth fixing, especially batteries, SSDs, keyboards, or screens under $300 to $400.
• If performance feels tight, an NVMe SSD and RAM bump can extend life another 2 to 3 years at modest cost.
• At 5 years old
• Fix if the repair is under 30 to 40 percent of a comparable replacement. SSD upgrades can make a big impact. Screens and batteries are still reasonable on business-class models.
• Skip board replacements unless the device has unique value or specialized ports you need.
• At 7 years old
• Is a 7 year old computer worth fixing? Sometimes, if the fix is under $200 to $250 and your workloads are light, such as web, email, office docs, or dedicated kiosk tasks. Larger repairs are usually a pass.
• Consider OS support, security updates, and energy efficiency. Newer systems can lower power costs and support modern encryption and video calls without strain.
• At 10+ years old
• Replace unless it is a specialty system with irreplaceable software or I/O. Data migration and secure retirement are the best investments here.

Is it cheaper to repair or replace a computer? For single issues under $300 to $400 on systems younger than 5 years, repair usually wins. Over $500 on anything older than 5 years, replacement starts to make sense once you factor warranty, performance gains, and downtime.

Total cost of ownership: look beyond the parts

• Productivity: A slow or unreliable system can cost more in lost time than the repair price.
• Software and OS support: Unsupported operating systems add security and compliance risk.
• Warranty and durability: Business-class replacements often include better warranties and sturdier keyboards, hinges, and ports, lowering future repair rates.
• Energy and thermal performance: Newer CPUs and SSDs run cooler and use less power, important for mobile teams and packed offices.

National chains versus local repair shops

• National chains
• Pros: Consistent process, visible locations, weekend hours.
• Cons: Higher hourly equivalents, add-on fees, rigid workflows, longer queue times during peak seasons.
• Local shops
• Pros: More direct communication, faster turnaround, flexible diagnostics, better value per hour, and realistic advice about fix versus replace.
• Cons: Quality varies; vet reviews, parts policy, and warranty terms.

How TechVoo avoids surprises: we offer no-pressure, free onsite or phone estimates for many issues, then confirm scope during a quick site walk. You get an exact quote before work begins, clear timelines, and plain-English options that respect your budget. That approach reflects our owner-operated model and team review of tricky cases so the first fix is the right fix.

If you need quick triage for a workhorse desktop or a family laptop, you can request same day computer diagnostics in schaumburg through our team for a fast, practical plan.

Protect your warranty and your data

• Check your warranty first: Some brands allow end-user RAM or SSD upgrades, others restrict opening the case. Keep your receipts and photos of the work.
• Back up before repair: Even simple jobs carry risk. Ask for a backup or provide your own external drive.
• Keep your OS license and recovery info handy: Saves time if a reinstall is needed.
• Separate data recovery from repair: If the drive is failing or you see clicking, grinding, or repeated read errors, stop using it and request a separate data recovery quote. This avoids further damage and sets the right expectations for cost and timeline. If you are in the northwest suburbs, our data recovery schaumburg team can walk you through options and pricing.
• Ask for a written scope: Parts list, labor, turn time, and post-repair warranty terms, so there are no surprises.

When to ask for a separate data recovery quote

• The computer powers on but the drive is missing, clicking, or very slow.
• Liquid damage touched the storage or logic board.
• You need deleted files or a formatted drive recovered.
• The device is critical for finance, medical, or legal records.

In these cases, recovery work and repair are different services. The right move is to stabilize data first, then return to repair or replacement.

Timelines you can plan around

• Same day: RAM, SSD swaps with simple migrations, quick diagnostics, and many power supply replacements.
• 1 to 3 days: Screens, batteries, keyboards, DC jacks with available parts.
• 3 to 7 days: Logic boards, rare panels, or complex liquid-damage remediation; add shipping time for specialty parts.

For busy offices, on-site triage helps limit downtime. If you manage endpoints across Glendale Heights, our pc repair in glendale heights service can coordinate pick up, on-site estimates, and prioritized turnaround.

Final guidance and next steps

• Under $250 and under 5 years old, repair.
• $250 to $500, evaluate age, workload, and downtime. Compare with a mid-range replacement including warranty.
• Over $500 on systems older than 5 years, replacement often wins unless the device is specialized or business critical with no easy substitute.
• Always protect data first, then decide on repair or replace with a clear quote.

TechVoo has helped thousands of clients stay up and running with practical advice, fair pricing, and owner-operated oversight. If you want clear numbers, realistic timelines, and a plan that fits your business or household, request a quick phone estimate or a short site walk. For hands-on help in the western suburbs, we also handle computer repair bloomingdale with free estimates and flexible scheduling so you can get back to work without the guesswork.