How to Tell Laptops Age: A Step-by-Step Guide 2025

Introduction to How To Tell Laptops Age

Whether you’re looking to sell, upgrade, or diagnose your laptop, knowing its exact age can be crucial. The lifespan of a laptop varies based on its brand, hardware, and maintenance, but typically, most laptops last between 3 to 7 years before showing performance issues.

There are several reasons why you might need to determine your laptop’s age:

✅ Resale Value – A newer laptop sells for a higher price.
✅ Upgrade Decisions – Knowing your laptop’s age helps decide whether an upgrade is worth it.
✅ Warranty & Support – Many manufacturers provide updates and support based on the laptop’s age.
✅ Performance Expectations – Older laptops may struggle to run modern software efficiently.

The good news? There are multiple ways to find out the exact or approximate age of your laptop—from checking its serial number and system details to analyzing hardware components and wear and tear.

Budget Laptops ($300 – $600)

In this guide, I’ll take you through step-by-step methods to determine your laptop’s exact manufacturing date and age.

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1. Checking the Laptop’s Serial Number and Manufacturer Date

The serial number (S/N) is one of the easiest ways to determine your laptop’s age. Manufacturers use serial numbers to track production batches, warranty status, and repair history, making them a reliable indicator of when your laptop was made.

📌 Where to Find Your Laptop’s Serial Number

You can locate your laptop’s serial number in several places:

🔹 On the Laptop Body – Usually found on the bottom panel or beneath the battery (for older models).
🔹 In BIOS/UEFI – Restart your laptop, press F2, F10, or DEL (depending on your manufacturer), and check the system information.
🔹 On the Retail Box – If you still have the original box, the serial number should be printed on a sticker.
🔹 In Windows Settings – Open Command Prompt (CMD) and type:

shCopyEditwmic bios get serialnumber

🔹 On macOS – Click Apple Menu > About This Mac to find the serial number.

🔎 Using Serial Number to Check Manufacturing Date

Once you have the serial number, you can use it to check your laptop’s age:

1️⃣ Visit the Manufacturer’s Website (e.g., Dell, HP, Lenovo, Apple).
2️⃣ Enter the Serial Number in the warranty lookup tool.
3️⃣ Find the Manufacturing Date in the warranty details.

💡 Example: If your laptop’s serial number lookup shows “Manufactured: October 2020,” then your laptop is approximately 4 years old in 2025.

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2. Finding the System Information on Windows and macOS

Your operating system (Windows or macOS) stores key details about when the laptop was first set up, which can give you an idea of its age.

🔍 Checking System Information on Windows

Windows has a built-in System Information tool that displays details about your laptop’s hardware and software.

📌 Steps to Check System Information:

1. Press Windows + R to open the Run dialog box.
2. Type msinfo32 and press Enter.
3. Look for BIOS Version/Date and System Manufacturer Date.

💡 If the BIOS version date is “September 15, 2021,” your laptop was likely manufactured around that time.

Another method is using Command Prompt:

1. Open CMD (Windows + R, then type cmd and press Enter).
2. Type the following command and press Enter:

shCopyEditsysteminfo | find "Original Install Date"

3. This will display the first installation date of Windows, which can help estimate the laptop’s age.

🍏 Checking System Information on macOS

For Mac users:

1. Click on Apple Menu > About This Mac.
2. Check the Mac model year (e.g., MacBook Pro 2019).
3. Go to System Report > Hardware Overview and look for the “Manufacture Date” field.

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3. Checking the Laptop’s Release Date Based on Model Number

Every laptop model has a specific release date, and knowing this can help you estimate its age.

📍 How to Find Your Laptop’s Model Number

🔹 On Windows:

1. Open Command Prompt (cmd).
2. Type:

shCopyEditwmic computersystem get model,name,manufacturer

3. This will display the model name (e.g., “Dell XPS 15 9500”).

🔹 On macOS:

1. Click Apple Menu > About This Mac.
2. Look for the Model Identifier (e.g., “MacBookPro16,1”).

🔎 Searching Online for Laptop Release Year

Once you have your model number, search it on Google or the manufacturer’s website to find its release date.

💡 Example: If you have a Lenovo Legion 5 (2021 model), it was likely manufactured in 2021 or 2022.

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4. Checking the BIOS or UEFI Installation Date

The BIOS/UEFI date can provide an approximate idea of when your laptop was first used.

📌 How to Check BIOS Date in Windows

1. Open Command Prompt (CMD).
2. Type the command:

shCopyEditwmic bios get biosversion

3. The output will display a BIOS version and date (e.g., “BIOS Date: 07/12/2021”).

💡 Note: BIOS updates can sometimes change this date, so it may not be 100% accurate.

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5. Examining the Hardware and Components

Your laptop’s hardware components—like the CPU, RAM, and GPU—can also help determine its age.

🔍 Checking CPU Generation and Release Year

1. Open Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc).
2. Go to the Performance tab and select CPU.
3. Note the processor model (e.g., Intel Core i7-11800H).
4. Search for the processor’s release date on Intel’s website.

💡 Example: Intel i7-11800H was released in Q2 2021, meaning your laptop is likely from 2021 or later.

Checking RAM and GPU Age

1. Open Device Manager (devmgmt.msc).
2. Expand Display Adapters (to check GPU model).
3. Search for the GPU’s release year online.

💡 If your laptop has an NVIDIA RTX 3070, which was released in 2021, your laptop is likely from that time period.

High-End Laptops

6. Checking the Operating System Installation Date

Another effective way to estimate your laptop’s age is by checking when its operating system (OS) was first installed. While this doesn’t directly tell you the manufacturing date, it can give you an idea of when the laptop was first set up and used.

🔍 Checking OS Installation Date in Windows

To check when Windows was first installed on your laptop, follow these steps:

1. Open Command Prompt (CMD) by pressing Windows + R, typing cmd, and pressing Enter.
2. Type the following command and press Enter:

shCopyEditsysteminfo | find "Original Install Date"

3. This will display the first installation date of Windows, such as:

mathematicaCopyEditOriginal Install Date: 08/25/2021, 10:15:34 AM

💡 What does this mean? If your laptop was bought new, this date can help estimate its age. However, if Windows was reinstalled, this may not reflect the true age.

🍏 Checking OS Installation Date on macOS

For Mac users:

1. Open Terminal (found in Applications > Utilities).
2. Type the following command and press Enter:

shCopyEditls -lt /var/db/.AppleSetupDone

3. This will show the creation date of the file that was made when macOS was first set up.

💡 This date gives you a good idea of when your Mac was first activated.

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7. Reviewing Purchase Records and Receipts

If you still have access to your purchase history, it can be one of the most accurate ways to determine the exact age of your laptop.

📍 Where to Find Purchase Records

• Retail Store Receipts – If you purchased from a store like Best Buy, Amazon, or Walmart, check for electronic receipts in your email.
• Online Order History – Log into your Amazon, eBay, or manufacturer account to view your past orders.
• Manufacturer’s Warranty Lookup – Many brands allow you to enter your serial number to check the purchase date and warranty period.
• Bank Statements – If you paid by credit card or PayPal, checking transaction history can provide an estimated purchase date.

💡 Example: If you find an email receipt from Dell dated March 2022, your laptop was likely manufactured a few months before that date.

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8. Looking at Physical Wear and Battery Health

If you don’t have access to technical details, you can estimate a laptop’s age by examining physical wear and battery health.

🔍 Signs of an Older Laptop

• Keyboard Wear – Faded or shiny keys often indicate extensive use.
• Screen Yellowing or Dimness – Older LCD and LED screens may lose brightness.
• Scratches & Dents – More visible wear usually means the laptop has been used for several years.

🔋 Checking Battery Health to Estimate Age

Laptop batteries degrade over time, so checking battery health can help estimate how old your laptop is.

Checking Battery Health in Windows

1. Open Command Prompt (CMD) and type:

shCopyEditpowercfg /batteryreport

2. This will generate a battery report, typically located in:

makefileCopyEditC:\Users\YourUsername\battery-report.html

3. Open this file and look for:
   • Cycle Count – Higher cycle counts (300-1000) indicate an older battery.
   • Design Capacity vs. Full Charge Capacity – A large difference means the battery has degraded over time.

Checking Battery Health on macOS

1. Click Apple Menu > About This Mac > System Report.
2. Under Power, check the Battery Cycle Count and Battery Condition.
3. If the cycle count is over 500, the laptop is likely 3+ years old.

💡 Example: If your MacBook’s battery cycle count is 750+, your laptop is likely 4-5 years old.

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9. Using Third-Party Software to Determine Laptop Age

There are third-party tools that can help you gather details about your laptop’s manufacturing date and hardware age.

🔎 Best Software to Check Laptop Age

1️⃣ Speccy – Provides detailed info on CPU, RAM, motherboard, and operating system install date.
2️⃣ CPU-Z – Helps check CPU age and release year.
3️⃣ HWMonitor – Tracks battery cycles and system health.
4️⃣ Belarc Advisor – Provides a full report on software and hardware details.

📌 How to Use Speccy to Check Laptop Age

1. Download Speccy from CCleaner’s website.
2. Install and open the software.
3. Look under Operating System > Install Date.

💡 If it shows “Installed on August 2020,” your laptop is at least 4-5 years old.

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10. Comparing with Similar Laptops and Industry Trends

Laptops generally have a lifespan of 3-7 years, depending on hardware, usage, and technology trends.

🔍 How to Compare Your Laptop’s Age

• Check Tech Trends – If your laptop has USB-C and Wi-Fi 6, it’s likely from 2020 or later.
• Compare with Newer Models – If your laptop lacks Thunderbolt ports or PCIe 4.0 SSD support, it’s likely older than 5 years.
• Look at Common Laptop Lifespans:

Laptop Type	Typical Lifespan
Budget Laptop ($300-$600)	3-5 Years
Mid-Range Laptop ($600-$1200)	5-7 Years
High-End Laptop ($1200+)	7+ Years

💡 If your laptop struggles with new software updates, it’s likely past its prime.

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Conclusion

Determining the exact age of your laptop may require checking multiple sources, but using the methods outlined in this guide, you can get a very close estimate.

✅ Serial Number Lookup – Best for exact manufacturing date.
✅ System Information – Provides BIOS and OS install date.
✅ Model Release Year – Helps approximate its age.
✅ Battery Health & Wear – Physical condition reveals years of use.

If your laptop is more than 5 years old, you may want to consider upgrading—especially if performance is slowing down or if it’s struggling with modern applications.

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Also Read: How to Check My Laptop Max FPS: A Comprehensive Guide 2025

FAQs

1. How can I find the exact manufacturing date of my laptop?

The best way is to check the serial number on the manufacturer’s website. Alternatively, looking at the BIOS install date and system information can also help.

2. Can I tell a laptop’s age by its performance?

Yes! If your laptop struggles to run modern applications, has slow boot times, or frequently overheats, it’s likely 5+ years old.

3. Does replacing hardware parts change a laptop’s age?

No. Upgrading RAM or storage improves performance, but the motherboard and CPU are what determine the laptop’s original age.

4. How do I check my laptop’s age if I lost the purchase receipt?

You can check:

• Serial Number lookup on the manufacturer’s website.
• BIOS version date in system settings.
• Model number and search for its original release date.

5. What is the average lifespan of a laptop?

Most laptops last 3-7 years, depending on brand, hardware quality, and maintenance. High-end laptops can last longer with proper care.