How Many Years Do Chromebooks Last?: Understanding Chromebook Service Life (2024)

Making a Chromebook purchase is always an investment whether you’re buying one at a more affordable price or a whole school’s fleet of high-performance machines.

Either way, you want to be sure you’re getting the most out of your Chromebook’s service life.

Overlooked details when buying or lifespan-draining user mistakes can shave off precious years of usage.

Luckily, you can arm yourself with the best information to avoid these Chromebook pitfalls.

If you’re a first-time Chromebook buyer or possibly facing the end of your Chromebook service life, don’t make any moves before reading this guide to understand exactly how many years your Chromebook can last.

Table of Contents

• Looking to Enroll a Brand New Fleet of Chromebooks? Meet Go-Box
• How Long Do Chromebooks Last?
• Factors That Can Affect Chromebook Service Life
• Average Lifespan of Popular Chromebook Models
• Chromebook Service Life by Grade Level
• How Do I Know If My Chromebook Is Dying?
• Ways to Increase Chromebook Service Life
• Can You Still Use a Chromebook After Its End of Life?
• How to Enterprise Enroll New Chromebooks With Go-Box

Looking to Enroll a Brand New Fleet of Chromebooks? Meet Go-Box

Do you find yourself wondering how long do Chromebooks last? Maybe you fear you may be nearing the end of your Chromebook service life and the dreaded enterprise enrollment process again?

You survived the nightmare of the enrollment process once but came away either:

• With thousands of dollars off the budget; or
• Hundreds of man-hours lighter

Does the thought of enrolling a brand new fleet of Chromebooks again make you feel uneasy?

Don’t panic. Meet Go-Box.

Go-Box allows you to easily create your own in-house “white glove” service — giving you the ability to blast through enterprise enrollment on a classroom’s amount of Chromebooks in significantly less time without monopolizing your staff.

Compatible with all Chromebook models, Go-Box:

• Can provision 16 Chromebooks at once
• Can force wipe and automate re-enrollment on existing units
• Does not require extensive coding knowledge
• Utilizes an easy-to-operate User Interface
• Includes full tech support

Don’t pay those exorbitant “white glove” fees year after year. Go-Box is a one-time investment that will enroll and configure your devices indefinitely.

How Long Do Chromebooks Last?

If by asking “how long do Chromebooks last”, you mean “how long does the hardware last”, that answer depends on how you treat it.

To understand the Chromebook service life, you must first understand how Chromebooks work.

Chromebooks are known as a “thin client” device that runs Google’s Chrome OS and connects to all of Google’s services effortlessly.

Chromebooks can support apps and document storage on the laptop itself, but what makes Chromebooks so popular is that it’s designed to access apps and data that reside on a server over the network.

So the question “how many years do Chromebooks last” is more about when a Chromebook stops receiving updates, also known as its auto-update expiration date (AUE date).

The expected Chromebook service life for a new Chromebook varies by model.

The good news –– Google makes it easy to find a Chromebook’s AUE date in their Auto-Update Policy.

Generally speaking, the lifespan of most Chromebooks is between five and eight years.

A Chromebook will receive a full Chrome OS update about every four weeks for at least five years from the date of release.

That means that while updates may continue past five years, assuming the hardware is sufficiently capable of running them, you should not expect updates past that point.

Note –– That is five years from the date of release, not purchase.

Factors That Can Affect Chromebook Service Life

Aside from a Chromebook’s AUE date that determines the longest potential lifespan of the device, there are a few other factors that can affect the Chromebook service life:

1. Unnecessary apps – Having too many unnecessary apps can overload the system. Such programs can run in the background where they:

• Eat up system resources
• Waste precious local storage space; and
• Bog down your machine

2. Unnecessary extensions – Unneeded extensions can slow down the loading of web pages, especially extensions associated with the browser itself.

3. Battery life – The more you charge it, the shorter the time it lasts. In some cases, you may be able to purchase a new battery. But, depending on your machine’s age, batteries for your model may no longer be available. Some reasons your battery may be draining faster than usual include:

• Peripherals – Peripherals can reduce a Chromebook’s battery life by up to 30 minutes.
• Bluetooth and Wi-Fi – Wireless connections can eat up a lot of battery power so disable them when not in use.
• Brightness settings – Your display can take up the most battery power on your Chromebook.

4. High-intensity tasks – Running too many high-intensity tasks simultaneously can drain a lot of CPU power.

5. Not powering down – Keeping your Chromebook on all the time when not in use doesn’t allow your hard drive time to power down.

Average Lifespan of Popular Chromebook Models

According to Google, every Chromebook will receive regular updates until it reaches its AUE date when automatic software updates will no longer be provided.

Since the AUE date depends on the specific model and release date, here is the Chromebook service life for a few of the most popular models.

How Long Do HP Chromebooks Last?

If you buy an HP Chromebook, different models can offer AUE dates up until June 2029.

On the more budget-friendly side, the HP Chromebook x360 series is designed especially for students.

With a …

• Dependable 1.1GHz Intel Celeron N4000 processor
• 4GB of RAM; and
• 12-inch touchscreen

… this Chromebook is light and portable, but still perfectly usable.

It even folds back into a tablet and includes a stylus pen.

The main downside is the HD-level 1366×921 resolution.

Depending on which device you choose in this model series, you may be looking at an AUE date between June 2024 and June 2029.

Samsung Chromebook: End of Life Average

A Samsung Chromebook end of life average can be anywhere up to seven years from its release date.

But auto-updates for some models expire sooner than you’d think like the Samsung Chromebook Plus series is designed for students on the go with:

• Wi-Fi connectivity
• LTE cellular data
• Up to eight hours of battery time
• 2-in-1 form factor of both a laptop and tablet; and
• A pen included to makes taking notes a breeze

Weighing just over three pounds, its compact form makes it easy to slip into a backpack, and lightweight enough to carry around all day.

Still, the AUE date only provides for one to two years left of updates.

How Long Do Lenovo Chromebooks Last?

A Lenovo Chromebook lifetime can be as long as seven years, depending on the exact model.

The powerful Lenovo Flex 5 Chromebook, for example, has:

• An Intel Core with up to 4.1GHz of processing power, more than enough to tackle classwork and video calls with teachers.
• Plenty of space for documents, photos, and files needed to complete coursework with 64GB of storage.
• A13.3-inch screen, great 1080p HD resolution for video classes, educational videos, and creating slideshows.
• Wi-Fi compatibility, access to blazing-fast wireless internet speeds, and Bluetooth that lets you connect headsets and mice.
• Up to 10 hours of battery use on a full charge –– that’s a full day of class without needing to plug it in.

But the AUE date is set for June 2028. That means if purchased for the 2022-2023 school year, you’d only have five school years left of updates.

How Long Does an Acer Chromebook Last?

Acer Chromebooks can last up to seven years from the date of release.

The Acer Chromebook 314 may be a great choice for a school Chromebook, especially at its price point.

• A full HD 1080p display
• 4GB of memory; and
• Up to 14 hours of battery life

… might make it a frontrunner.

Though enough for general school work and research, you may consider the only weak point being the 1.1GHz Celeron processor.

However, after consulting Google’s AUE date schedule, June 2027 and June 2028 might not leave a long enough lifespan worthy of your investment.

Chromebook Service Life by Grade Level

The most telling tale of a Chromebook service life will be the auto-update expiration date. So be sure to check that first before determining which model Chromebook is best for your student.

Still, there are a few user habits that can affect the lifespan of your Chromebook.

Here we’ve broken these habits down by educational setting to give you a better idea of how much longer or shorter Chromebooks will last according to grade level.

How Long Do Chromebooks Typically Last in Elementary Schools?

Depending on where your student falls in grade level in elementary school, they may need little to moderate use of a Chromebook.

Teachers will likely determine when a Chromebook is appropriate for the schoolwork and how the student will interact with the device.

One thing to remember is that younger minds will typically forget to employ Chromebook life-extending tactics like:

• Turning the device off
• Closing unnecessary programs or windows; and
• Handling the machine with care

So considering a more durable model with longer battery life and AUE date will help lengthen the lifespan of your Chromebook in elementary schools.

How Long Do Chromebooks Last in High Schools?

Depending on your school district’s Individualized Education Program (IEP), your high schooler will likely require more frequent use of a Chromebook as more advanced subjects lend themselves to the use of technology.

However, it’s important to keep in mind that more frequent device usage will also require better maintenance.

To help get the most out of your Chromebook’s AUE date in high schools, give them a periodic tune-up and remind your student to:

• Close unnecessary programs and apps
• Turn it off when not in use; and
• Treat the device with respect

How Do I Know If My Chromebook Is Dying?

What are the signs that a Chromebook needs to be replaced?

Here are the top five clues that your Chromebook may be dying:

1. It makes loud noises
2. It overheats
3. The battery is draining quickly
4. Programs constantly freeze or crash
5. The device won’t turn on

Depending on the cause, these problems could mean bad news for your Chromebook.

If you’re facing buying a whole new fleet of Chromebooks for your students, make enrolling a breeze with Go-Box.

Ways to Increase Chromebook Service Life

Since you’re already racing against Google’s auto-update expiration date, here are just a few useful tips to extend your Chromebook service life:

1. Uninstall unnecessary apps and extensions
2. Remove unnecessary extension permissions
3. Update necessary apps
4. Clean up local storage and backup to cloud space
5. Activate Chrome OS’s night light mode
6. Power down when not in use

Can You Still Use a Chromebook After Its End of Life?

Once a Chromebook’s AUE date has passed, you will no longer receive software updates, but can you still use a Chromebook after its end of life?

An expired Chromebook will still be usable, but may come with some risks.

Computer security is under constant attack, and updating it is the first line of defense.

Software updates are essential for any device because they provide security fixes as well as new features.

Once your Chromebook updates expire, you lose that defense.

Expired software also leaves you with an unsupported browser, which means getting left behind by websites too.

The longer you use a Chromebook past its auto-update expiration date, the higher risk of running into more headaches and higher security risks.

How to Enterprise Enroll New Chromebooks With Go-Box

Don’t add insult to the injury by trying to enroll your school’s Chromebooks yourself.

The significant man-hours required for DIY automation hacks that must be adjusted with every Chrome OS update are enough to eat up your entire summer break.

Thinking about hiring a traditional “white-glove” service?

The high fees will have you thinking again about manual enrollment.

Go-Box is the fast and easy solution to getting your Chromebooks registered and ready for the first day of school.

Enrolling up to 16 devices at a time is simple with our easy-to-operate user interface and helpful IT support.

A one-time, long-term investment, Go-Box can be used to force wipe and re-enroll Chromebooks year after year.

Get Go-Box through your preferred technology reseller or request a quote for your organization today.