The Eternal Question: Repair Or Replace?

It’s easier for a rich man to ride that camel through the eye of a needle directly into the Kingdom of Heaven, than for some of us to give up our cell phone.

Vera Nazarian so eloquently hit the proverbially nail on the head with this insight. In today’s day and age, our cell phones are our lifeline. They are our connection to family, friends, work, entertainment, education, and news. They contain all of our most private details, memories and secrets. They are our brain. And the neat thing is, they just keep getting better. Every year a more intuitive, efficient and effective device is released. But do you really need it? Is the cost worth it? Or could your current phone, with some updates and repairs, keep you just as happy? Here are a few of considerations to keep in mind before shelling out a giant wad of cash:

Cracked Screen: One out of every ten people with a cell phone have a cracked screen. It’s probably the most common type of damage that phones can incur. Much of the time it doesn’t even affect the performance of the phone. Sometimes it can affect visibility. It can also be an eye sore and an embarrassing mar across a valuable possession. However, it absolutely does not mean you have to go out and buy a new phone. Depending on the version of phone you have, it won’t cost you more than $200 to fix. And it’s quick. Meaning you won’t need to have all of your contacts and pictures transferred over to a new device or lose your place in a game or upload all of your music to a new phone. Those processes take time. This time, along with the high prices of new phones, just don’t make sense for a little scratch or crack. You can spend that additional few hundred dollars on a few snazzy screen protectors and phone cases to make sure you don’t have the same problem again.
Broken Buttons: It’s surprising how important one little button can be. If your power button doesn’t work, turning on your phone is impossible. If your home button doesn’t work, getting out of apps can be infuriating. If your volume button doesn’t work, you can be put in an extremely embarrassing situation. These little inconveniences build up and will make you want to throw your phone across the room. Don’t! Then maybe you will have to buy a new phone. If you’re having problems with any of your buttons, it is super cheap to fix. You likely won’t spend more than $100 on the repair. Replacing it would be a massive waste of money and, as mentioned above, time.
Faulty Charging Port: There is nothing worse than plugging your phone in before you go to sleep, waking up, grabbing it before you run out the door, and then getting to work only to realize it didn’t actually charge. The feeling of a low or dead phone battery actually makes you feel like the blood is draining from your own body. Don’t assume this means that something is wrong with your phone or with your battery. It could very likely just be a problem with the charging port. This part of the phone gets worn out from being used on a daily basis. And just as the buttons and a cracked screen are cheap fixes, so is the charging port. This repair won’t run you more than $100.
Age: Yes, we get it, this was the first phone you ever got. It has sentimental value to you. You took your first selfie with it, sent out your first tweet with it. It is you and you are it. But now it’s seven years old and it’s fading. The battery doesn’t last long, apps take forever to open and close, the speakers emit a scratchy sound. It’s probably time to bite the bullet and invest in a new phone. You’ll be surprised at how quickly you and your new phone will bond, with its fancy camera and speedy response. One thing to consider is selling your old phone. If it still has a few parts that are in good shape, repair shops and private individuals might be interested in harvesting it for parts and you’ll get a little bit of cash out of it.
Poor Battery Life: Okay, so the biggest consideration with battery life is never assume. Maybe the phone is giving out and it’s time to say good-bye. But, maybe you just need to buy a new battery–if you have a phone that allows you to remove and replace the battery. Or, maybe you just need a minor battery repair. Battery repairs don’t cost much and they can make your phone work as good as new. For this problem, it is best to do some investigation before you make any rash decisions.
Multiple Problems: The list keeps growing. Your home button only works half the time. Your power button has called it quits all together. You have a few scratches and cracks on both the front and back of your phone. The charging port struggles to react to the charger. When you have such a long list of issues, the bill for repairs might be about the same as a new phone. Do your research to make sure, though. And if a new phone is the better option, definitely explore selling the phone for its parts.
Maybe your phone just has a minor issue and it requires a simple repair. Maybe it has quite a few issues and it’s time to move on. Or maybe you aren’t sure what to do with your phone and the problems it’s having. Whatever the dilemma, contact us. We’ll be more than happy to walk you through various options to see what would best suit your needs and your wallet’s limitations.