Search for “laptop repair cost” online and you’ll find prices that range from suspiciously cheap to eye-wateringly expensive, often with very little explanation of what you’re actually paying for. We’ve been repairing laptops and computers since 2000, and we think you deserve a straight answer. Here’s an honest guide to what laptop and computer repairs actually cost in the UK in 2025 — and how to know whether a quote you’ve received is fair.
Laptop Screen Replacement — £59–£159
A cracked or dead laptop screen is one of the most common repairs we carry out. The price varies quite a bit depending on your laptop model because screens are model-specific — a budget 15.6-inch HD panel costs far less than a high-resolution display from a premium ultrabook or a MacBook.
As a rough guide: budget laptop screens typically fall in the £59–£90 range including labour; mid-range screens with better resolution or IPS panels usually sit around £90–£130; and screens for premium devices (Dell XPS, MacBook, gaming laptops with high-refresh displays) can reach £130–£159 or more. We’ll always confirm the exact price before doing any work. Visit our laptop screen repair page for more detail.
Virus & Malware Removal — £45–£80
Malware infections range from minor annoyances (browser adware, unwanted toolbars) to serious threats (ransomware, banking trojans, keyloggers). A straightforward cleanup of adware and basic infections typically costs around £45–£60. More deeply embedded infections — where the malware has modified system files or disabled security software — take longer to resolve and can run to £70–£80.
If the infection is severe enough that a clean reinstall of Windows is the safest option, that’s a separate service (see below), though the two are often combined at a reduced overall price. We never just run one scan and call it done — we check thoroughly that the machine is clean before returning it.
SSD Upgrade — £80–£150
If your laptop is slow and frustrating to use, upgrading from a spinning hard drive (HDD) to a solid state drive (SSD) is almost always the most cost-effective single thing you can do. A laptop that takes three minutes to start up with an old HDD will often boot in under 20 seconds after an SSD upgrade — and everything else will feel noticeably faster too.
The price depends on the size of the SSD: 256GB starts at around £80 including fitting and data transfer, 500GB around £100–£120, and 1TB around £120–£150. We carry over your data, reinstall Windows cleanly, and return a machine that feels like new. For most people with an older laptop, this upgrade will extend its useful life by three to five years.
RAM Upgrade — £40–£80
If your laptop slows noticeably when you have several things open at once — browser tabs, a spreadsheet, a video call — more RAM is often the answer. Upgrading from 4GB to 8GB or from 8GB to 16GB makes a genuine difference to day-to-day usability.
RAM upgrades are one of the cheaper repairs: typically £40–£60 for most standard laptops, rising to around £80 for machines that use less common memory types. Note that some modern laptops have RAM soldered directly to the motherboard and cannot be upgraded — we’ll tell you upfront if that’s the case with your model.
Windows Reinstall — £60–£90
A clean reinstall of Windows fixes a surprisingly wide range of problems: persistent slowdowns, software corruption, failed updates, post-virus damage, and machines that have simply accumulated years of digital clutter. It’s a more thorough solution than running cleanup tools, and the result is a fast, stable machine running Windows as it should.
We always back up your data before reinstalling. A standard Windows reinstall with data backup and restore runs £60–£75. If you’d prefer a completely clean start — a fresh Windows install with no data transfer — it’s typically at the lower end of that range.
Battery Replacement — £55–£100
If your laptop battery no longer holds a charge, or the machine shuts down without warning at 30% battery, a replacement will transform how usable it is. Battery prices vary significantly by model: common mainstream laptop batteries (Lenovo IdeaPad, HP, Acer, Dell Inspiron) typically come in at £55–£75 including fitting. Batteries for premium models (ThinkPads, MacBooks, Surfaces) can run to £80–£100.
We only use quality replacement batteries — not the cheapest unbranded cells, which can degrade quickly or, in extreme cases, pose a safety risk. It’s worth asking any repairer where their batteries come from.
Motherboard Repair — £120+
Motherboard repair is the most expensive and technically demanding laptop repair. It’s typically needed after liquid damage, power surge faults, or component-level failures. When it’s viable, it involves component-level soldering work and diagnostic testing that takes time — hence the higher cost.
Honestly, motherboard repair is not always worth pursuing. If the repair cost would exceed 50–60% of the laptop’s replacement value, we’ll tell you. For a £200 secondhand laptop, a £180 motherboard repair makes no sense. For a high-end machine that would cost £900 to replace, it’s a different calculation. We’ll give you a straight answer rather than encourage you to spend money unwisely.
Data Recovery — from £80
If your hard drive has failed and you need your files back — photos, documents, work files — data recovery is often possible even from drives that won’t boot. Software-level recovery (corrupted files, accidental deletion, failed OS) starts from around £80. Physical drive failures requiring specialist recovery work are priced individually depending on the severity of the fault. Visit our data recovery page for full details on what’s involved and what to do if your drive fails.
Is It Worth Repairing or Should I Buy a New Laptop?
This is the question we get asked most often, and we’ll always give you an honest answer — even if that answer is “don’t spend money with us, buy a new one.”
As a rough guide: if the repair cost is more than half the price of a reasonable replacement laptop, replacement is usually the better option. In practice, this means laptops worth under around £300 are often not worth repairing for significant faults — a £150 screen replacement on a £250 machine rarely makes financial sense. For laptops worth £400 or more, most repairs stack up well. A £100 SSD upgrade or £80 screen repair on a laptop that would cost £600 to replace is straightforward value.
The other consideration is age. A seven-year-old laptop with a failing motherboard is probably not worth significant investment even if it was originally expensive. A two-year-old premium machine with a cracked screen absolutely is. We’ll factor all of this in when we give you a diagnosis.
How to Avoid Getting Ripped Off
The laptop repair market has its share of cowboys. Three things to watch for:
- Vague pricing with no breakdown. Any reputable repairer should be able to give you a clear quote before starting work, not a “starting from” price that doubles once they have your machine. Ask specifically: what does the part cost, and what does the labour cost?
- Diagnosis fees that are non-refundable regardless of outcome. We don’t charge for diagnosis — we look at the machine, tell you what’s wrong and what it will cost to fix, and you decide. If you choose not to proceed, there’s nothing to pay. Be wary of shops that charge £30–£50 upfront just to look at your laptop.
- “We found more problems” without a revised quote. It does occasionally happen that opening a machine reveals an additional issue. But this should always result in a new quote and a conversation — never a surprise on collection. If a repairer rings you with “we found extra problems” and proceeds without confirmation, that’s a red flag.
Free Diagnosis at Mojoo — No Fix, No Fee
We diagnose for free. We quote before we start. If we can’t fix it, you don’t pay. Those three principles have been how we operate since we opened in 2000, and they haven’t changed.
We’re based in West Bromwich and see customers from across the West Midlands — Birmingham, Walsall, Dudley, Wolverhampton, Sandwell, and surrounding areas. We also accept mail-in repairs from elsewhere in the UK; call us to discuss the process and we’ll make sure your machine is handled safely.
To book a diagnosis or get a quote, call 07958 468 173, visit our laptop screen repair page, or head to our computer repair page for the full range of services we offer.
