Computer owners often wonder when they should replace their monitors. It can be hard to know what the right answer is to this, and some personal preference comes into consideration of this question. Technology marches along, and you might be missing out on nice new monitor technology by keeping your current, older monitors.
There is no set timeframe that is right for replacing the monitors that you are using. You might decide that you are ready to access 4K technology or that you want to have monitors in a different size. You could also have decided that your existing monitors might not hold their value for much longer, and you should sell them before they cannot be marketed any longer. These are all acceptable reasons for wanting to replace your monitors.
Do Monitors go Bad?
Monitors can go bad and stop working, although this is not something that happens quickly. Most monitors can last for as many as 20 years, so you might never have trouble with your monitor going bad. Most monitors that go bad just stop turning on one day, and that is that.
Since people tend to upgrade their electronics much more regularly than every twenty years, you probably have never had a monitor that you owned cease to work. These kinds of monitors must be disposed of correctly and cannot just be thrown out in the trash. Make sure that you take any monitor that you cannot sell to the right electronics disposal drop-off location.
In cases where burn-in has ruined your monitor, there is no solution to be had either. While these monitors might still turn on, they are not going to be useable and will also need to be taken to a disposal location for this kind of device. Burn-in is not an issue for older CRT monitors, but it can be a problem for newer monitor styles.
Make sure that you are not leaving your monitors on twenty-four hours a day, and you will have much better luck with the longevity of your device. Then you can choose to sell or donate the monitors that you currently have to make room for new technology as you upgrade your home computer setup.
Monitors Can be Used for a Long Time Before They Need to be Replaced
So long as you take care of your monitors correctly, they should not go bad and need to be replaced for about twenty years. You should avoid burn-in by keeping your monitor use to about eight to ten hours a day and refraining from leaving your monitor on a set image for a very long time. Otherwise, you will likely upgrade your monitors to new technology before they cease to work for you.
Be sure to donate or sell your monitors that you are not going to keep and take broken or useless monitors to the right disposal locations rather than throwing them out in the trash.
This article was last updated on March 20, 2023 .
