How long will your monitor last? Experts state that you’ll get between 30,000 to 60,000 hours of use from a standard computer monitor. Depending on how often you use it, this translates to around 10-20 years of service.
That’s the short answer, but there’s plenty more to answer on this subject. Let’s dive into it now.
How to Determine How Long a Monitor Lasts
Several factors influence just how long a monitor lasts. Not every screen is created equal, and these individual differences will make or break their longevity.
Build Quality
This is the most significant factor in deciding how long a monitor lasts.
You get what you pay for in the world of technology, and a cheap, poorly made monitor will burn out faster than a top-quality one.
To ensure you get the most longevity out of your computer monitor, treat it as an investment and spend the extra money on a screen that’ll last decades.
How You Treat/Service Your Monitor
If your monitor is often hit, banged, or dropped, then it’s more likely to break down sooner. It’s also vital to keep your screen safe from bacteria and other elements by cleaning it regularly.
Take great caution with your computer monitor. Though it may feel durable and sturdy, it features many delicate components such as wires, chips, and buttons. It would be best if you also aimed to clean the display at least once a month with a soft wipe and some anti-bacterial spray.
Total Usage
We stated earlier that the average lifespan for a computer monitor ranges between 30 thousand and 60 thousand hours. Chances are, your home computer sees a little less action than this, but the rise of home-working in recent years has seen people depend on their home desktops more and more.
Of course, a monitor with eight or ten hours of daily usage will burn out much faster than one only seeing two or three. Also common is a set-up involving two or more monitors being used at once.
To get the most mileage out of your monitor, limit overuse as much as possible. The sweet spot would be between three to five hours of use every day.
How Do I Make my Computer Monitor Last Longer?
You can do several things to ensure you get the most bang for your buck out of your monitor.
Let’s explore these below.
Keep Your Monitor Clean
This may sound like obvious advice, but plenty of people out there don’t take proper care when it comes to their monitors.
Dust, bacteria, and particles will all inevitably end up on your screen, and a build-up of any one of these could wreak havoc with your monitor’s inner workings.
To prevent this, make sure you clean your monitor regularly and thoroughly.
Keep the Brightness Level Moderate
Not only is a highly bright computer screen terrible for your eyes, but it’s also bad for its mechanics.
Screens constantly on full-beam will burn out much faster than ones on a moderate brightness level. Turn the level down to the mid-point or below to save the bulbs inside.
Try to Be Conservative with the Use
If you can, try not to use your monitor for longer than eight hours a day. This will improve its lifespan in the long run and prevent you from buying a new monitor every few years.
It’s also essential to turn your monitor off at the main when you’re not using it. This will keep the power supply nice and healthy and prevent it from burning itself out.
Frequently Asked Questions
There are a few telltale signs your monitor is on its way out. These include (but are not limited to): Flickering lights, Dim areas, Dead pixels on-screen, Burned-in images that linger or stay indefinitely, Image distortion, Trouble powering on. Any one of these signs are giveaways that your monitor may not be long for this world. If you experience several of these, it may be time to replace your screen as soon as possible.
There’s no concrete answer to this question, but it’s advisable to change your monitor every five years. However, it depends on how often you use your monitor, what condition you keep it in, and its overall build quality.
A well-made monitor will last you several years, and maybe even a decade, so you don’t have to worry about replacing yours soon if it’s in good condition and performing as well as it did when you originally purchased it.
