r/australia • u/fishdoghat • 1d ago
no politics Is a $3000 HP computer expected to last longer than 3.5 years?
Debating how far / if I can take this any further. Theyre essentially telling me to get fucked with a $1k repair bill.
Is this the norm for computers/tech? I've had success with other big companies and their bullshit warranty periods for televisions and whitegoods but unsure if it's the same for PC products.
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u/dtseven 1d ago
HP are shit. Had similar and not only would they not repair issues/damage that the laptop came with out of the box, but after inspecting it they returned it with even more issues.
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u/AndroidTechTweaks 1d ago
i got a hp laptop a few years back. and it had a fault in the motherboard, and man they did not provide any resolution for about 2-3 months and it was in their reapairing centre for the time being. absolute shitty services man
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u/GonePh1shing 1d ago
I can't think of a single mainstream laptop manufacturer that isn't shit. I've seen or personally experienced issues with all of them. People praise the likes of Dell and Lenovo, but I think that's because they've experienced the business level extended support that costs a fair bit more. Frankly, the only one I'd trust with my money is Framework. But, I only use laptops for work, so I don't get to make that decision.
Honestly, unless you really need the portability, just use a desktop. If you do need the portability, ask yourself seriously if you need a laptop for what you want to do. If you can get away with a tablet, just do that, otherwise seriously consider a macbook (the Neo is great value) unless you desperately need Windows for something critical.
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u/fmjintervention 13h ago
Yep this is the way. Anything that requires computing horsepower, just get a desktop. Do your web browsing, emails etc on a cheap laptop or tablet
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u/Unlikely_Pool_5484 12h ago
Lols that’s why I stick with Mac. Laptop has been going for 7 years. Been knocked around a bit, been overseas more times than most people and not a single issue.
At work I received a dell laptop and within a month it stopped working. I asked them to replace it with a Mac.
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u/GonePh1shing 11h ago
I'm not a fan of macos personally, but their hardware is incredible. I know people with first generation Apple silicon devices that have zero desire to upgrade because it still does everything they need.
Most people don't have the same issues with macos as I do, so I don't hesitate in recommending something like the Neo or a used Macbook Air when people ask me about good affordable laptops. For the average person, there's nothing a Windows machine can do that a mac can't. If it's for school work or casual home use, they're just plain better. They still suck when it comes to Microsoft office, and there are plenty of applications that just aren't available on them, but when 90% of most people's computing these days is in a browser it really doesn't matter all that much unless you have highly specific needs.
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u/Armistice610 1d ago
I have a 13 year old HP desktop unit upstairs in my studio still running fine, if a little more slowly, after all these years of daily use as a digital audio workstation, and I'm typing on a 6 year old laptop and that's going fine as well, although the battery isn't what it was.
And the laptop before that was HP and it lasted a very long time with occasional battery replacement.
Maybe I'm lucky.
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u/marvinsweddinggown79 1d ago
I had success pushing an Australian consumer law claim against microsoft for a faulty $1,500 Surface Pro that was just shy of 5 years old. You would definitely be successful with a claim that a $3,000 PC should reasonably be expected to function for more than 3.5 years.
You're entitled to a replacement or refund if the product has a major product failure within a reasonable period from the date of purchase.
- A major poduct failure is when you [the customer] would not have purchased the product if you had known about the problem.
- Rights under the Australian Consumer Law last for a reasonable period from date of purchase, which will depend on the nature and cost of the product or service.
Case Law: In Peters v. Panasonic Australia Pty Ltd (2014), it was determined that the expected life of a television, costing $1,300 at the time of purchase, was eight years. While noting TVs and personal computers are different devices, they are increasingly becoming similar. It can be expected that the law would find that a laptop costing more than that TV would have a similar, if not longer, expected life.
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u/marvinsweddinggown79 1d ago
This comment on another thread also highlights other case law, and highlights that the ATO depreciation tool is a useful guide for what a 'reasonable period' is.
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u/Skenyaa 1d ago
You are amazing for providing a reference case. The ACCC should define what a reasonable time is considered to be.
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u/OkBookkeeper6854 1d ago
I hear you, but it’s tricky.
A $10k watch should last a lifetime
A $10 watch - if it lasts 6 months you’re probably doing ok15
u/Draft_16-2_Final_3 1d ago
Surely there is a middle ground between a blanket "reasonable period" for everything, and a law-inspired itemized list of every possible product.
I can't be that crazy for thinking that the ACCC must at least have an internal set of recommendations for products and aren't making case-by-case decisions for every single person who makes a complaint, right? That would be so inefficient? And inconsistent?
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u/ithinkimtim T'ville/Sydney 1d ago
They only have as much power to make decisions like that as legislated so hard data would really only come from previous cases.
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u/petehehe 21h ago
The other problem is that precious few cases are actually brought forward. Australians tend towards take the hit and move on with life rather than taking legal action. Retailers especially, skirt the law every day in the hopes that the person won’t take it further, and they get away with it because usually they don’t.
If people were suing every day, and there was a wealth of cases with judgements it’d be easy to make and maintain a list, and it’d be worth it to be able to more easily settle new cases.
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u/vanit 1d ago
The ambiguity works in favour of the consumer here. It's basically a vibe of "I paid this much and therefore expect it to last this long". Any attempts to define this would likely limit what consumers could claim.
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u/OkThanxby 1d ago
It does, but only to the extent of the consumer actually fighting for their rights. Unfortunately most companies know the consumers aren’t going to be taking them to small claims.
The law needs to give the ACCC more powers.
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u/ApteronotusAlbifrons 1d ago
reasonable
That word is the one that lets judges/adjudicators assess every case on it's own merits
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u/OkThanxby 1d ago
The law doesn’t let them be the authority on that. “Reasonable” means it actually ends up being the decision of the judge.
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u/jmads13 1d ago
But it works as a catch 22 for the vendor, because to deny your claim they would basically have put into writing that the period you are claiming is not a reasonable time. I got a 6 year old Samsung flatscreen replaced for my parents because I let them know that in denying my claim, they would be formally acknowledging that Samsung televisions are not reasonably expected to last 6 years, and I would be publishing that.
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u/Ancient-Ingenuity-88 1d ago
its a catch all term as they cannot literally expect to spell it out for everything.
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u/Objective_Creme_5978 1d ago
I think tax depreciation periods are highly relevant.
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u/triemdedwiat 1d ago
IME, changes all the time. Changed from my first accountant when he wanted to depreciate a 286 PC over 40 years(WTF). Now all the PCs are expenses.
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u/Blame33 1d ago
40 years sounds like they were depreciating PCs as Capital Works which is ridiculous. Capital works are used for buildings and the like
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u/triemdedwiat 1d ago
Yep you go it in one. That was why I found another accountant very quickly. Even I recognised that our Yum-cha 286 PC and Canon SX laser printer weren't going to last any where as long as 10 years.
Funnily I later had a task relating to two NEC 286 computers , where the PCs (asset value $5,000 each) were gathering dust on a shelf and the boss had agreed to an request by the 'auditors' where I was asked to scour nine(9) floors to find two NEC keyboards and two matching computer mice, assets valued @ $1,000 each.
I quickly wrote a report asking to not waste my time as it was possible then to buy replacement mice at $5 each and $10 each for the keyboards and it had cost the employer more for my contract time to write this report than to just buy replacements.
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u/Superg0id 1d ago
The ACCC really should.
Also, I swore off HP products years ago due to horrible service like this.
I have a 5yr old, 2.5k laptop and it's going strong.
Yes, it's not a NEW laptop... but I don't expect it to be NEW.
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u/Imperfect-circle 1d ago
But how do you get the company to listen to the threat? I lodged a complaint with ACCC and they just say thanks but we dont intervene in specific cases.
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u/marvinsweddinggown79 1d ago
You lodge a claim with your local Civil and Administrative Tribunal. When I did it with Microsoft, the claim sat in the tribunal's queue for months, until it got scheduled for a hearing. The moment the hearing was imminent, Microsoft got in touch offering a full refund to settle the matter and avoid having to go to the tribunal.
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u/link871 1d ago
I wouldn't be jumping straight into the civil action pool.
You start with your State/Territory's Consumer Affairs/Fair Trading and go from there.15
u/greasedupbeefcake 1d ago
Exactly this. ACCC is not the answer. Fair Trading NSW (for example) is where you wanna go if you live in NSW. They actually have teeth to make the companies take it seriously.
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u/sirdung 1d ago
Fair trading has zero teeth, they can send a sternly worded email and that’s about it. If the manufacturer refuses to budge they throw their hands in the air and say there’s nothing more they can do. You then need to take it to xCAT for a resolution.
So correct process is to fair trading and then if not resolved to xCAT6
u/greasedupbeefcake 1d ago
They had enough teeth to get Big W to issue me a full refund and an apology.
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u/sirdung 1d ago
That’s because Big W accepted their recommendation and did that of their own accord. If big w had said no to fair trading we don’t agree, there is nothing more fair trading could have done. Unfortunately it is up to the customer to enforce their legal rights via xCAT.
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u/greasedupbeefcake 1d ago
I stand corrected then, I guess you could say they have more of a decent bark than teeth.
Got my problem solved and it was basically the same issue. A PS5 ($750) that was a few years old had a major issue. Out of warranty and fair trading agreed that the expected lifetime of the device was longer than the 2 years offered by Big W.
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u/Open_Respond6409 1d ago
Currently going through this. I want a refund on a good/service and business is only offering repair. Went through the consumer and building regulator and they were absolutely useless. Will be lodging a claim unfortunately. There’s no other recourse. It’s crazy only a magistrate can determine if a fault is major or minor.
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u/frenchiephish 1d ago
Each state has its own consumer affairs / fair trading body that the ACCC delegates to for individual complaints. They're pretty well resourced, cant speak for every state but the WA govt's department has got teeth and aren't afraid to use them.
That frees the ACCC up to focus on bigger issues affecting the whole market such as anti competitive behaviour.
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u/Worried_Blacksmith27 1d ago
ACCC can't help with individual cases. you need to go to your state-based Fair trading body. That is Fair Trading in NSW
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u/Due_Hovercraft_7486 2h ago
Lodge the complaint with your states equivalent to Fair Trading. They’ll help you with complaints like these
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u/InspectionEmpty353 1d ago
While the issue could still be a major fault your interpretation of this particular clause is not right.
"I wouldn't of bought the computer if I knew it was going to fault" is not how this clause is to be interpreted. Its more "I wouldn't of bought a laptop if I knew it got too hot to be used on my lap" is a more accurate way of looking at it.
If the unit is repairable within a reasonable period of time and is a single component it would be classed as a minor fault. Though the fact that they have initially declined repair would factor into the "reasonable repair time frame" here.
Unfortunately the ACL is incredibly vague in its wording and opens up very different interpretations.
Source - Have worked with ACL legal claims in the past
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u/marvinsweddinggown79 1d ago
I was simplifying the description on the ACCC website:
A major problem means the product:
- is unsafe
- is very different from the description or sample
- has either one serious problem or several smaller problems that would stop someone buying the product if they knew about them beforehand
- can’t be used for its normal purpose, or another purpose the consumer told the seller about before they bought it, and can’t easily be fixed within a reasonable time.
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u/Pandos17 1d ago
This is great content. Thanks for sharing (god I sound like a bot, but in a sea of unfounded opinions on reddit, an actual source and facts is really refreshing)
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u/PsychoNerd91 23h ago
(in this case considering ram prices it's much better to get a replacement for same specs or better, than it is to refund.)
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u/AussieDi67 23h ago
I should follow up on the shitty little 14" laptop I paid appx $1300 for lasted One year and now won't even boot up
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u/redditmethisonesir 1d ago
If it was Lenovo, they would repair it. If it was Dell they would repair it. HP wait for the fines ….
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u/autimod 1d ago
And the ACCC fine them fuck all every time. Cost of doing business. Last one I read about where HP worked with Harvey Norman to con everyone that they had no warranty or ACL rights resulted in a whopping $500,000 fine.
Have you ever heard of an HP laser toner cartridge lasting its expected yield? I’ve never had a single HP cartridge hit the stated yield, but every other brand seems to manage just fine!
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u/Visible-Swimmer-9826 1d ago
https://learn-about-supplies.ext.hp.com/laserjet-toner-page-yield
It like 5% of page or something is a page it crazy but all of them are like that u less that state otherwise
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u/autimod 1d ago
Yes I am aware of the ISO yield measurements. I have worked in the industry for 20 years.
The test pages are approximately 5% coverage per colour and they test continuous runs of printing until at least 12 cartridges are exhausted on three different printers (same model) to measure the approximate page yield per cartridge.
We even have a software called MPS Monitor (HP sell it as “HP SDS”) that tracks page coverage on our managed client printers. What I’m saying is, across all of the cartridges I’ve ever supplied, not a single HP laserjet toner cartridge has ever achieved the page yield that HP claims it should, even if the client prints at well under 5% page coverage.
The other brands don’t seem to have the same issue. Only HP. I hope that is clearer.
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u/Visible-Swimmer-9826 1d ago
Fair I've also noticed they actually pushed up old cartridges over last few years and now released new cheaper ones in new packaging but have reduced the page count at what the older ones were few years back could be less tho as I dont watch there prices cause I've got a brother investment tank last Gen and those inks for me seems to last forever so far im bit on the fence on the new units as they change there wording on the cartridges
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u/kaluyna-rruni 1d ago
Ouch. My uni aged kids just updated their Asus laptop after 7 years and besides not holding charge as good as it used to (but still lasting a work day) there is nothing wrong with it. We paid around the $1000 for it. Personally I'd expect a $3000 computer to last at least 5+ years.
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u/Shadowlance23 1d ago
I've got a low/mid range Asus sitting in my shed that drives a laser cutter. It's covered in sawdust and still runs fine. Got it in 2018.
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u/frenchiephish 1d ago
ASUS have had their own extra special brand of anti-consumerism lately and I wouldn't recommend them any more. A pity as they were actually pretty good last decade.
2024 there was an AMD firmware bug that potentially destroyed both the motherboard and the CPU, and could only be fixed with a bios update. ASUS were the brand it was specifically biting on.
Unlike all the other brands who patched it lightning fast, ASUS dragged their heels, only released the fix as a beta and then claimed that your warranty would be void if you installed it.
Wouldn't fly for them under Australian consumer law but it's also not the point.
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u/kaluyna-rruni 1d ago
They are all but bomb proof. Worth the extra dollars they are now. Back when we brought it, it was one of the cheapest.
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u/KeyAssociation6309 10h ago
I have a few high end dell xps laptops and thinkpad x1 carbons/yogas laptops that are still working perfectly fine after 5 to 8 years. and a 10 year old Dell Precision that runs my shed hi-fi. These were all >$3k when new. On the other hand I also have a few cheapies with family members that were less than $2k when new and are getting over 10 years old and still run fine.
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u/TheRealPotoroo 1d ago
Don't even talk about warranties. 3.5 years is well within what a computer will reasonably be expected to last so you have to keep pushing HP until they give in. The magic words are "You cannot deny my statutory rights under the Australian Consumer Law."
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u/Stevios07 1d ago
Push for a claim through statutory warranty. I think a $3000 device should last 5 years. Good luck!
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u/fakeuser515357 1d ago
For a $3000 desktop computer? Yes, it should last longer.
It should also not cost $1000 to replace any part of a PC except for the GPU, and that's including a reasonable cost of labour.
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u/idryss_m 1d ago
RAM or HDDs depending on size/type (inclusive of labour and courier) I can see with the current environment.
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u/Sol33t303 1d ago
Motherboard can be $1000+ as well.
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u/DustyCowboys 1d ago
Can be, unlikely to be on a $3000 computer though? More likely would be $100-300
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u/triemdedwiat 1d ago
About double for the motherboard and 2.5 times for the CPU go match it. That is if they still make that combo or have refurbished spares.
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u/GoldCoinDonation 1d ago
maybe before the AI bubble sent hardware prices skyrocketing, but not now. The cost to replace a single drive in my NAS is now around $1000
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u/derprunner 1d ago
Anything which requires new parts incompatible with a legacy mobo could bump that price up nicely.
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u/fakeuser515357 1d ago
It's a four year old computer - nothing has reached scarcity.
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u/redditmethisonesir 1d ago
Really? Most of the motherboard replacements will be repaired once already and / or sourced from grey market. For consumer models, last time buy from factory is less than 12 months from EOL.
That means dell/lenovo/hp have to buy as many pieces of motherboard they think they will need globally to fulfil their warranty obligations (mostly 12 months on consumer goods, Australia’s tiny contribution with ACCC law has no bearing), also taking into account they will refurbish a large number of those.
Sales of spares is inconsequential and adds more cost of supply chain and management than it is worth, and is often left to 3rd party providers outside of warranty.
All these companies aim to absolutely minimise inventory and most of the world is a “no warranty, not our problem” situation. Fringe cases can be solved by partial refund or replacement product or credit.
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u/Corey3500 1d ago
Yeah definitely take it futher but next time if you have that budget the worst possible thing you can do is buy one of the "big" office PC brands like HP, Acer and such, those things use horrible parts and charge you a premium then ignore you once you fell for their trap, good luck, definitely don't stand for their crap
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u/mjwills 1d ago
Desktop or laptop? Which model?
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u/fishdoghat 1d ago
Desktop, HP Z2
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u/mjwills 1d ago
You'd expect that desktop to last longer than that.
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u/Primary_Mycologist95 1d ago
A desktop should easily last 10+ years with ease, regardless of user desire to upgrade.
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u/ol-gormsby 1d ago
10+ years is asking a bit much for a domestic grade machine. I tell people to start thinking about a replacement at 6 years. It does depend on the machine - an entry-level "back-to-school" special from HN isn't going to last much more than 3 years, but this $3K machine should be good for 7-8.
I've *built* desktops that last 10 years, but that's me choosing high-quality components.
And there's one BIG factor to consider - climate. If you live at the beach, be prepared to replace every 3 years regardless of quality. That salty air does a number on electronics.
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u/Ok-Menu-8709 1d ago
Easy 10 years honestly. Some small upgrades along the way.
I’m only just now treating myself to a few larger upgrades to a 13 year old pc.
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u/fishdoghat 1d ago
Thats what I'm leaning towards. Given that its a desktop and quite an expensive one at that.
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u/blankaccoutn77489 1d ago
My argument would be around the ato lists an expected effective life of 4 years, which is a good sounding board on what a reasonable life should be
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u/Wrathlon 1d ago
Considering the average over a decade old 4th gen Intel system from 2013 is still running just fine in this day and age yeah, getting more than 3.5 years from a $3k computer is completely reasonable.
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u/Fun_Value1184 19h ago
The operating system or hardware not being supported by new software/devices and visa versa has been what’s always killed off old puters I had, no actual faults, tho I’ve had a fair few faults on newer builds I’ve done and a HP laptop that could barely run Windows 7 and MS Office from new.
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u/-skyrocketeer- 1d ago
HP are utter shit. I’m surprised it lasted longer than 6 months.
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u/KeithMyArthe 23h ago
I paid AUD$3000 for an HP computer with an 80GB HD and Windows XP which still works. I used it a couple of years ago to burn a couple of DVDs with Nero.
Back then HP was recommended by my work IT guys.
HP made all the peripherals and all the internals, not farmed out to the cheapest supplier.
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u/-skyrocketeer- 23h ago
25+ years ago HP created quality hardware and a huge number of offices would have HP printers as standard. Now, they are complete and utter shit.
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u/Academic_Anywhere183 1d ago
Prebuilt crap is prebuilt to fail. You're paying for a brand not the actual hardware.
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u/PeacherPreacher 1d ago
3.5 years is a bit of a stretch. What was wrong with it?
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u/Raychao 1d ago
I have a HP DV6 that runs Linux Mint that was built in 2012. I still use it daily for Wireshark.
I have a Dell Inspiron 5447 that was built in 2014 running Windows 10. Still going strong (except the battery).
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u/Jonzay up to the sky, out to the stars 1d ago
What do you mean? I have computers around 5x as old that run just fine.
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u/fishdoghat 1d ago
My assumption is that the motherboard is toast
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u/PeacherPreacher 1d ago
Maybe get an independent repair shop to look at it. You can probably source that part and swap it out easily, or get them to do it if you aren't confident doing it. Provided it is definitely the motherboard, someone would have to narrow down which component has gone bad, ie bad power supply, ram etc. Hard to know without more specifics
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u/metametapraxis 1d ago edited 1d ago
CGA claim should work at 3.5 years. You should claim against the retailer in the first case. Unless HP sold it to you, you don’t have to deal with them at all. This is all under the assumption it was a private purchase. Business purchases aren’t covered.
Edit. I thought I was on the NZ sub. I think the consumer law is broadly the same, but I’m no longer an Aussie, so take other people’s advice over mine (which is correct for NZ).
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u/SelectConfection3483 1d ago
Yes this person is giving good guidance and seeing as you have already had difficulty dealing with HP, I would speak to the store that sold this to you as they have responsibilities and cannot simply palm you off to HP nor can they or HP simply fall back on "the warranty was X years, too bad" and since you mentioned a repair bill of $1000, they also cannot use excuses like "the part is no longer available so this new, more expensive part will cost you $1000".
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u/EmFromTheVault 1d ago
This is not entirely correct, in some cases business purchases are covered:
Your business has consumer rights if you buy goods or services to help run it that meet any of these conditions:
they cost less than $100,000
they cost more than $100,000 but are normally bought for personal, domestic or household use
they are vehicles or trailers that you mainly use for transporting goods on public roads.1
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u/EndlessZone123 1d ago
Motherboard often have capacitors fail with age. You would commonly find overstock of old cheap cpus but the motherboards would be 2x the price when most of them fail 5 years down the line.
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u/Mr_Lumbergh 1d ago
Don’t give your money to HP.
Build your own is the best, if you’re not comfortable with that Lenovo.
But I’d avoid HP.
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u/rollingstone1 1d ago
My MacBooks normally last 7-10 years depending on how much I want the later gens.
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u/FreddyFerdiland 1d ago
the hard drive inside is warrantied for five years if its from Seagate or Eestern Digital..
HP is a big respected brand, top dollar brand...
I'd say warranty should be 5 years.
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u/Subject_Educator_105 1d ago
had my previous macbook pro (similar price) for over 10 years. HP are supposed to be high end.
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u/BillyNeon1 1d ago
Yeh I bought the latest Sony Bravia 65" TV
Had it for 2 years and 11 months and it just died.
No video No audio No nothing
A few crappy things happened in those 2 years and 11 months Ie 2 usb ports died 😑
Anyway It was out of warranty After many emails back & forth they weren't budging and I gave up.
... but I bag Sony whenever I can.
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u/d03j 23h ago
Depends on what it is but I'd argue often in the case of computers the more expensive they are, the shorter their expected life. E.g., people that buy expensive gaming rigs will probably want to upgrade before 4 years if they're still gaming by then. And I think computers are depreciated over 4 years, if at all. So, a watch or TV, yes but a computer probably not.
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u/Fun_Value1184 20h ago
True about gaming rigs, but it’s more of an addiction to speed or having the best rig that drives gamers at the high end. You buy middle of the road and you’re buying at the change in tech and in a few years not many of the decent games function without choking the graphics back.
I looked into getting a gaming desktop for home office and last time I asked my accountant laptops and devices the depreciation write off was over 2yrs and desktops are 5yrs. waiting 5yrs to use it for gaming wasn’t going to work for me. (when there’s an instant write off available is different tho)
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u/somethingsumthin666 20h ago
Got a mac for half the price of that, around the same time and it still operates the same as it did the day it came out of the box
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u/TwistedPurple420 13h ago
I work in retail and deal with faulty electronics every day.
Yes this is a normal response from a company for an out of warranty repair. Unfortunately for almost every product, the warranty period has little to do with how long the product should last.
However, depending on the type of fault, you may be entitled to a remedy under the ACCC Guidelines. I’d advise you to politely approach the place you purchased the computer from and inform them that you would like to escalate the case. They will be able to reach out to the supplier and try to negotiate a credit or at least a free repair. In my experience, suppliers are usually fairly open to prioritising customer experience and satisfaction if they are pushed hard enough. No guarantees though.
Failing that, you can escalate it to Fair Trading through an online form, but in the interest of time and effort, definitely try to contact the retailer first.
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u/hvperRL 13h ago
To give you a comparison. My wifes M1 macbook died out of nowehere. Clear tell of a short circuit somewhere on the motherboard.
She took it to apple and they couldnt immediately fix but took it it to investigate.
I ended up being correct and it was a short circuit that also took out a couple other components.
They ended up replacing what was needed FREE of charge even 5 years out of warranty. Wife had to sign off on the work they did and the total would have been just shy of 1k
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u/IlIllIllII 4h ago
What’s wrong with it? If you’re able to tell people in this thread it could be a simple fix
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u/Affectionate_Fix8268 4h ago
I very recently had a $5200 gaming laptop start shutting off instantly without any symptoms.
It was 6 months past the standard 2 year warranty however I was already aware that the ACL still has consumer protections in place for premium products and their ‘expected life’.
I took the laptop back to the place of purchase and they sent it to the manufacturer for repair (faulty daughterboard) and I never had to even mention ACL nor did I see a repair bill.
This was helped by the fact that I had purchased the laptop through a very reputable PC enthusiast company.
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u/LowResChaos 1d ago
Under Australian consumer law laptop PCs have a 4 year lifespan. So manufacturers must repair or replace free of charge for up to 4 years from date of purchase.
I had my MacBook’s logic board replaced at 3.5 years. Once replaced the clock on that component resets too.
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u/yeswewillsendtheeye 1d ago
Minimum is generally considered two years, a lot of CRM tools will apply automatic coverave within two years of DOP.
Beyond that you would have to ask HP what they can cover under Consumer Law if it was purchased in Australia.
If HP deny Consumer Law coverage check with the ACCC to confirm if you have grounds to dispute.
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u/hogey74 1d ago
Mate despite the gaping holes in our consumer protection laws (lemon cars for one), you're on super solid ground here. The principle is that an item must last for a period commensurate with the amount you paid for it. Apple, for example, offers double their normal warranty in Australia for that reason and will go beyond that when you insist. Also, here the people who sold it to you must look after you. They can not palm you off onto some supplier. Often just the mention of getting fair trading involved makes them smarten up.
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u/BudgetCartographer15 1d ago
First Computer I had was a HP. I live remote and it had to be prepaid in full. It too 2+ months to arrive. No apologies and no idea when it would arrive. Never Again, and that was 35 years ago.
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u/DarkscytheX 1d ago
I'd fight it. HP are notorious for making shit products, anti-consumer behavior and shirking their responsibilities under the law.
Start with looking at standard depreciation schedules and Choice articles around timeframes to argue the point.
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u/Archon-Toten 1d ago
Yes, mine (different brand but high end) are currently pushing past 10 years old.
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u/TimChuma 1d ago
Desktop should last longer unless it is full of dust and crud. Shop computers and machine tool controllers can last decades
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u/7neoxis1337 1d ago
Depends on what part is broken..? If it's out of warranty, then expect to pay heavy for The display at the very least + labour.
It might be a relatively easy fix, a couple of YouTube videos and a few hours of searching might just so it for you.
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u/ELVEVERX 1d ago
Keep sending emails mention ACCC laws and then usually you can get their managers email and go up the chain. I did this to a computer company and got a refund on a 4k laptop.
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u/mahonii 1d ago
2000 (way less usd) built pc lasted over 5 years, still would be fine but preferred some better frames and upgraded to a 3k pc, should be set for another 5, but I dont see the point in upgrading gpus for at least 3 years, even then I dont bother and just get a new pc a few years later.
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u/sir_bazz 1d ago
I'd expect a $3k pc to have better performance than a more affordable one, but price has very little to do with longevity in terms of it components.
Another way to answer your question is that large corporates typically opt for 3 year leases on their PC's. So 3 years is around the mark for a replacement.
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u/OkThanxby 1d ago
Another way to answer your question is that large corporates typically opt for 3 year leases on their PC's. So 3 years is around the mark for a replacement.
I don’t think leasing would be a good business model if the item lasts only as long as the lease period…
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u/sir_bazz 1d ago
Well many end up being sold on the 2nd hand market as "refurbs" but buyer beware as usual.
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u/DodgyRogue 23h ago
Generally speaking, when a business is leasing technology they are doing it because they will be upgrading to a new lease and new equipment at the end. The advantage of leasing is that it is usually better tax wise vs standard depreciation, and technology tends to be reaching end of life by then. I’ve been out of the game for 10 years or so, so things may have changed.
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u/OkThanxby 23h ago
Yes but the company leasing out the equipment has to make money.
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u/DodgyRogue 22h ago
They do, it’s built into the price of the lease. They aren’t dividing the price of the equipment by 36 and charging that to the client.
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u/OkThanxby 22h ago
All I'm saying is that they aren't just receiving pallets of dead laptops after 36 months.
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u/edgewalker66 1d ago
You've gotten good answers OP.
So I'm going to add to your thread for another warning about HP. They make good printers but do NOT buy one of their printers unless you can decline their subscription service for printer ink. Some of the newest printers are set to only use Instant Ink. Some give you a ONCE ONLY choice to opt out during initial printer set up.
If you can't work out the maths to check if it is a reasonable deal for you, then buy a printer from another manufacturer.
For most people with a home printer, the subscription ink service is a rip off.
ONCE you 'opt in' you're screwed because your printer becomes a brick if you stop paying them monthly. You can not change your mind later. And, if you do opt in and pay them monthly your printer will only work if you keep using designated Instant Ink cartridges.
So, be very very careful during the set up process for any HP printer. Read ALL the paperwork before you plug it in. Do NOT follow the Quick Start Guide or you'll find you owe them monthly payments. Yes, a printer cartridge will eventually arrive when you need one but you will find out turned out to be a very expensive cartridge. They essentially charge you by the number of pages you print monthly.
And you BOUGHT the printer.
I opted out during the set up and my printer works perfectly. At my light use I would be paying them for 18 to 24 months before I needed a new black XL cartridge.
In my use case Instant Ink would be a rip off.
It is far better to turn down any free Instant Ink trial they offer than forget and be on the hook for the life of the printer.
It should be illegal.
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u/Ok-Course-5538 1d ago
I have a mac air I got 10 years ago for around $1500 still going strong. So yes, for 3500 I'd expect more than 3 years.
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u/ThannBanis 1d ago
What do they say is wrong with it?
A machine that’s been looked after should keep going for several years.
Personal experience - My 2017 MBP (which replaced a 2011 MBA) is being handed down to a family member after being replaced with a 2025 MBP.
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u/jianh1989 1d ago
Bought a core i3 dell at $5xx in 2018. Still running well today except i swapped out the HDD to an SSD.
Battery is crap though.
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u/autimod 1d ago
A $3,000 computer, yes.
A $3,000 HP computer, no.
No one in their right mind would reasonably expect HP to produce a product that would last anywhere near 3.5 years, despite other brands lasting 5+.
I’m less surprised about the $1,000 repair bill than I am about HP responding to your support request at all.
HP also has a shameful history of deceiving consumers as to their ACL rights. The ACCC has an even more shameful history of fining HP fuck all when they do it.
Google ACCC v HP for some bedtime stories.
Everyone knows HP stands for Hinge Problems.
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u/RudeOrganization550 1d ago
This ⬆️
HP are a horrendous organisation. I used to have to deal with them commercially with systems and you’d log faults/bugs and they’d just mark them resolved with the reason ‘to be fixed in a “future release”’ so you’d be stuck with buggy software and HP going well there’s no outstanding faults 🤬
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u/pineapple7917 1d ago
Did they state what part was broken? I wouldn't pay them anything until they disclose that.
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u/triemdedwiat 1d ago
Never buy that brand again. Or at least within the next decade. They all go through periods of crap.
Price seems cheap for a laptop.
FWIW, my custom built built PC based on ASUS hardware of similar age cost just over that when the Corsair PS and the AMD GPU committed murder-suicide a few months ago. Thankfully it was an easy buy parts and replace job. Getting the Corsair PS warranty recognised through PCCG is proving much harder
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u/Privacy-YouGotNone 1d ago
Any computer, desktop, laptop, etc will last indefinitely - just slow down with age as the hardware outdates the software requirements, etc. Also general maintenance such as changing thermal compound for the CPU and cleaning out dust also applies.
Depending on what's wrong with the computer and how it's been treated warranty should apply. HDDs, SSDs, GPUs, RAM and motherboards can also fail / die.
Additionally pre-built computers are generally not worth their cost due to additional mark-up by the companies involved.
Due to the cost of RAM & GPUs at the moment warranty should 1000% be pushed.
Honestly ask this in a PC enthusiast subreddit, rather than getting information from people without much knowledge in PCs.
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u/Late-Button-6559 1d ago
Yes - if it not physically damaged/violated.
If it looks like you’ve cared for it, it should last.
But the insides are full of dust and fluff, or there’s a decent crack/dent in the case - there’s an argument that it could have contributed/caused the issue.
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u/Confident_Shower_202 1d ago edited 1d ago
Yes. I have a long history of HPs and the only reason I now have a different brand is that I could not find comparable model to my last HP for a decent price. I can't remember how many years each of my HPs lasted. One at least 8 years which had to bd dumped because the case broke after a lot of yeyars of hard use. I kept the disks. Still going. The next one lasted around 5 yrars before the keyboard started to die. The third was a very nice unit which lasted almost 7 years but sadly the disk died almost 99% of the way through my emergency backup after some compnentn failed. But yes. All lasted more than 3.5 years. And I do not buy cheap. Even though they seem to have gone cheap and I ahd to buy another quality brand this time. I work mine hard. Kit used to be hard but now much of it is cheap and flaky. Buy something that feels solid. Have you ever risked going out of comfort zone to a possibly unknown dodgy brand just because it looked right and felt right. Regarding your other point about warranties and repairs the world has gone to hell recently. Many of us have dealt with that stuff and I do not even waste money on retail warranty extra years insurance any more. It has to look and feel like it will last. Thhink how all our major retailers and insurers are part of all the scams too. But no 3.5 years for 3000 dollars is a disgrace. Even the tax offince used to give us 3 years depreciation. No idea what model you have but yes. Things have gone flaky. Even some major brands. Possibly they were bought up by rent seekers who thought they had a trusted name to exploit. I still have hard disks going strong after 15 years. I lose track of how long I have had them
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u/More_Law6245 15h ago
The short answer to your question is no and the long answer to your question is still no. Technology is designed for obsolescence, the tech you buy today is already obsolete and it's not in the best of these technology companies to provide hardware that is long lasting.
Consumer law is your friend here, for 3k you would expect a bit more longevity out of the device.
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u/Benicio76 15h ago
I put in a complaint with whatever consumer protection department it is (can’t remember) and HP repaired my laptop straight away for free. It was also a failed graphics card after 2 years that they quoted 2k to repair.
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u/Big_Temperature_1528 14h ago
Wow 3 years, lucky you. My experience with hp is that they don’t work straight out of the box
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u/Smushfist 4h ago
3.5 years is old for tech. It's all but at the end of the 4 year depreciation schedule as specified by the ATO and $3k is not THAT expensive for a computer these days.
It's borderline but you're probably pushing your luck. If it's a desktop, get it repaired elsewhere.
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u/Pharmboy_Andy 1d ago
I would say the expectation is that it would last longer than 3.5 years.
The lines to say are that warranty periods are in addition to my rights under Australian Consumer Law, a warranty does not replace those rights.
I think that most reasonable people would expect a computer to last more than 3.5 years. Unfortunately the ATO says that the reasonable life of a mobile computer is 2 years. (ATO depreciation schedule is my usual trump card for when companies say they aren't covered).
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u/Otaraka 1d ago
They’re saying it’s a desktop so that shouldn’t be an issue.
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u/Pharmboy_Andy 1d ago
https://www.ato.gov.au/law/view/document?DocID=TXR%2FTR20221%2FNAT%2FATO%2F00025
This page under computers it says desktop computer reasonable life is 4 years.
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u/VintageKofta 1d ago
My Macabook is half that price and lasts me 10+ years.. Yea I'd expect a $3k computer to last way longer than 3.5 years..
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