Phones, laptops and the devices you already own

Most device problems are not a reason to buy a new device. A phone that is out of storage, a laptop that takes two minutes to open a browser and a battery that dies by lunchtime all have specific causes with specific fixes, and the fix is usually cheaper than the replacement being suggested to you. These pages explain what is really happening inside the hardware you own and what actually changes it.

For phones, where the storage went and what wears out a battery answer the two most common complaints, and when to replace a phone gives an honest decision rule built around security support rather than the camera. For computers, why it is slow comes before what to buy next. And whatever you own, a backup that restores is the single arrangement that turns a disaster into an inconvenience.