this post was submitted on 25 Mar 2026
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So, I water damaged a laptop years ago, and while i didn't kill it, the repair shop said it was likely some corrosion would eventually cause problems and it could break in the future without notice, and also my monitor had a damaged area in the bottom corner about the size of a credit card. You could see things there, but the color was really distorted.
I needed a solid and reliable laptop for work as there was real time stuff it was used for where failure would be catastrophic so I got another one, but I still used the broken one for various things.
Well, to my surprise, like 5 years later (after repeated low but yearly use), I turn it on to test some software on the older operating system, and the fucking monitor is perfect, no longer distorted.
Clearly it just needed a vacation!
I work in IT and deal with people spilling shit on their laptops all the time. This is precisely why I tell them that im not saying their shit is broken, Im saying they cant depend on it. Right now it might seem fine. Once whatever drop of liquid manages to corrode whatever random trace enough to break the connection, it wont. That day could be tomorrow, that day could be 10 years from now, or even never!
But the important takeaway from the conversation isnt that the laptop is broken, the key takeaway is when it stops working right, IM NOT PUTTING TIME INTO FIXING IT. Replace it, or dont...but dont call me on that day because the answer then is going to be the same as now...replace it. If you dont want to replace, goto 10. Thank you, have a nice day.
That being said, I'll use those things for noncritical shit all day long. I dont care if it shits the bed...I just grab another piece of shit off the shelf and make that the new bed shifter. But my plex server taking a dump is not the same as your CAD workstation taking a dump mid project, obviously.
I like taking mine on vacations where I dont need a reliable machine and if it does finally break, or gets stolen, im less fussed about it.
Man, my vacation would be fucking ruined if my laptop conked out on me.
What do you need your laptop for while on a trip that you couldn't manage on your phone if you had to?
Ironically enough, I write smartphone apps on my vacations. Maybe you can do that shit practically on smartphones now, but I've never seen it.
Oh, well that's actual work. If I wanted to do actual work on a vacation, I'd be upset if my laptop died as well, and I wouldn't take the risky one. I also do smartphone apps!
It's funny, I do iOS and my old macbook has a swollen battery but is still going OK. I'm stuck on an ancient version of Xcode and I've actually already bought a replacement macbook, but I'm too lazy to set it up.
Be careful with that swollen battery. It means the battery is degrading and can possibly catch fire. https://www.pcmag.com/how-to/help-my-laptop-battery-is-swollen-now-what
You right.
I've had a number of batteries that have swollen myself before, none have burst into flames on me(yet), but it's always a possibility.
Its warning me if I dont upgrade xcode in the next month or something I wont be able to publish. You might get your hand forced soon?
Lol publish!
Perfect use case! Well, as long as the battery isnt compromised, I aint trying to die in a flaming plane crash lmao
I have so much random eWaste built up myself that Im like Oprah over here..."You get an old crappy laptop, you get an old crappy laptop! If it breaks who cares, I have plenty more where those came from, but dont use it for your tax documents because I will not be responsible" lol