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In recent years, many people have embraced the new generations of computers and laptops.
These super speedy devices have become a valuable item in many households and companies.
As time goes by, however, it is not uncommon for people to shift from their old laptops to a newer version.
But what do you do with your old laptop?
If you no longer use it, then donโt worry! This guide is designed to help you figure out how you can repurpose your old laptop.
This might significantly aid in lowering the volumes of electronic waste that are generated in the US and around the world.
Remember e-waste is becoming a concern, especially in this modern era where we have more than one device at a time and largely rely on them.
Laptops and other similar devices are often disposed of when they pass their lifespan or when they become too slow to work with.
But what if these units could be repurposed to work for the betterment of a community or even your life?
This article will help you understand what can be done with your old laptops, which will in turn assist you in keeping e-waste to a minimum.
Table of Contents
What to do with your old laptop: 11 amazing ideas
Old laptops and computers are still functional devices.
Therefore, with a little bit of innovation and ingenuity, you could still make them useful.
This will surely bring a smile to your face when you find out that you can make some of your old devices work for you!
1. Use it as a Guest PC
You may be hesitant about sharing your primary PC with a guest or other people.
In that case, you should turn your old laptop into a guest computer that can be easily accessed by anyone in the house.
This is one of the easiest things you can do with an old laptop, and all you need to do is to turn on the guest account and get it running!
Itโs important to protect your privacy by having a separate PC that visitors can use.
This will save you from frustrations and worries about your private information.
Also, if you use your PC for work, it makes sense to have a separate device for guests to use.
2. Set it up as a Media Center
If you have been using your old laptop to watch movies, music, and TV shows, you should think about setting it up to work as a media center.
There are various things you can do with an old laptop; have it wirelessly stream TV shows from other devices such as a smartphone or tablet, or play videos on a bigger screen using the laptop monitor.
It could be a media center that serves your TV content from streaming services and becomes the main entertainment hub at home.
Set up a wireless network connection, and you can stream music and videos directly onto any TV or monitor set up in your home.
Many laptops come with the ability to play audio and video files, so you could easily set it up as a media center.
That said, this is not necessarily the most useful option considering you can stream on almost every internet device nowadays.
3. Home Surveillance System
Most homes have been upgrading their security and safety systems to become more innovative and efficient.
Instead of getting a new security system to monitor everything that goes on in your home, consider using an old laptop to set up a basic surveillance system.
Itโs a good option if you want to save money on new technology.
In this case, the laptop works as a surveillance camera that could record images from various areas in the home.
This security system could be used to monitor the backyard, garage, or anywhere else you want to keep an eye on.
All you need to do is set up a wireless IP camera that can communicate with your old laptop.
These cameras are easy to find and are highly affordable, so donโt let this option slip through your fingers!
4. Retro Gaming Computer
As technology advances, there comes a point when you no longer have any use for old laptops because they become too slow and outdated.
Yet, you can still turn these units into functional retro gaming computers.
A retro gaming computer is a machine that works on an older operating system such as windows XP or windows 2000.
You can set it up to work with any type of games you want, which will make it a cool retro gaming machine that you can use to play your favorite games from the 90s and early 2000s.
This is perfect for those who love to play old video games and are looking for a new way to enjoy them.
5. Minecraft game server
Are you into Minecraft games?
Would you like to use your old laptop as a game server?
Well, you can do that by getting a case for it and putting in a large amount of memory.
In this matter, the main purpose of the server is to take care of the game.
It will provide the database with information such as coordinates, world maps, and other content that is needed by the game.
All you need to do is carry out all these functions via your old laptop.
This option is ideal because you can set up your private server and play on your terms by controlling the server from anywhere around the world.
Minecraft is quite a popular game, so you can expect many people to want to play it shortly.
Having a private game server will be a great way of keeping the servers running, as well as relaxing and enjoying your games.
6. Digital Photo Frame
With the development of technology, photography has become more sophisticated and easier to use.
But with so many digital cameras coming out every year, old laptops are now less useful because they cannot capture good photos.
Luckily, you can still use your old laptop as a digital photo frame and display any digital photos you have on it.
When you have old laptops lying around the house, this makes perfect sense to repurpose them into digital photo frames.
You donโt need to buy anything and simply use your laptop as a photo frame that can play digital content such as photos, videos, and even music! How cool is that?
7. Second Monitor
Whether youโre a tech-savvy person or not, itโs possible to hook up an old laptop to your existing computer and use it as a secondary monitor.
This is a good idea if you want to multitask and work on two things at once.
In this case, you wonโt have to buy and install a second monitor, nor will you need to set up the software that is needed.
This means you can use your old laptop as a secondary monitor with no additional expenses.
Microsoft has a feature that allows users to link the primary PC with the laptop wirelessly.
This way, you can have a second display on your laptop.
If this setup works for you, then go ahead and use your old laptop as a second monitor while you do your work on the main computer.
8. Gift it
There are times when you have old laptops laying around the house, but you donโt want to get rid of them.
Rather than throwing them away and letting them go to waste, think of giving the old laptops to someone.
Perhaps a friend or relative needs a laptop.
There are many different ways in which you can give your old laptop away to others.
It could be used as a gift for someone who uses the internet, or it can serve as a gift for a teenager who loves gaming and needs a new PC.
There are many uses to this kind of gift, and you might find yourself giving away quite a few old laptops in the future.
If you do not need it, consider giving your old laptop as a gift to someone who can use it productively.
Donโt let it collect dust somewhere in the corner!
9. Sell it
There are many websites online that offer the best deals for used laptops.
You can easily sell your laptop on these websites and get some cash in return.
If youโre looking for specific pricing, then youโll need to do some research before selling it on these sites.
Make sure to wipe the hard drive before selling it.
You donโt want any private information to be accessed by strangers.
A report by the FTC showed that computer manufacturers encourage users to wipe the hard drive before selling their old laptops.
If you donโt wipe the drive, buyers may get access to data in your laptop that you donโt want them to have.
There are many victims of cybercrimes and identity theft, so be careful before selling your old laptop.
10. Recycle
Recycling is a good way of disposing of old laptops.
Depending on your location, you can take your old laptop to a computer recycling service.
Many of these centers break down outdated and broken laptops and then recycle them.
They use the parts to make newer laptops, which makes for a great way of disposing of old laptops.
Since thereโs currently a shortage of chipsets and processors, many manufacturers use recycled parts in their new products.
This is why itโs a good idea to recycle old laptops when youโre done with them.
You might even get a dollar or two for recycling your laptop.
In addition, youโll be helping to cut down the ongoing increase in e-waste that is present in many countries.
11. Donate it to science
The computing power of laptops and computers is one thing that many types of scientists around the world use.
The high-tech world has been using this kind of hardware for nearly a century.
If you have an old laptop lying around the house, why not donate it to these scientists?
You can find many organizations that accept old laptops and computers, and your device could end up in the hands of top scientists who could do some research on it.
There are many different ways in which an old computer can be used by science, either as a mere source of computing power, for biomedical research, or as an actual working machine.
Regardless of what use your old computer will be put to by science, itโs nice to know that youโre doing your part by allowing others to advance their research.
Final Thoughts
Many people have old laptops in the house, and you can easily repurpose them for many different reasons.
There are many older models still out there that are capable of doing everything that new laptops can do.
If youโre looking to make your old laptop even more useful, then any one of these tricks is a must.
They will help you save money while also letting you use your old laptop in a manner in which it was not originally intended to be used.
FAQs
Can I just throw away my old laptop?
No, you canโt just throw away your old laptop.
Remember that it contains a lot of valuable data, and you donโt want to see that end up in the hands of someone who is not authorized to have access to it.
You should always erase your hard drive before disposing of your laptop.
Also, donโt throw it in the trash and instead take it to a recycling center for safe disposal.
How can I clean the screen of my laptop?
There are times when your laptop screen gets dirty and youโll have to clean it.
This is typically caused by dirt and dust that accumulates over time.
Buy special cleaning tools online that are used specifically for laptop screens.
Are old laptops worth anything?
If your old laptop is still in good shape, it might have some value.
However, if your laptop is outdated, or there are a lot of scratches or dents on it, itโs not worth much.
You can sell it at an online store and get as much as $500 depending on the brand and condition of the device.
