The Least Reliable Laptop Brands, According To Consumer Reports

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Barring any major mishaps, you can expect most laptops to last you three or four years — though you might be able to get a good five to eight out of your device, if you choose wisely. According to Consumer Reports (CR), 56% of users prioritize reliability over anything else when buying a laptop. From 2023 through 2025, CR surveyed nearly 76,000 consumers about laptops they'd owned for five years or less. More than a dozen brands were mentioned in the study, but two stood out as the least reliable: Alienware and Gateway. 

These companies exist on opposite sides of the laptop market. Alienware is the gaming-focused branch of Dell Technologies, a company founded by a billionaire who didn't finish college, and its laptops start at around $1,100 and only get more expensive from there. Gateway, on the other hand, is generally more affordable, with the most expensive of its Walmart-exclusive products listing for $599.

While the specific Alienware laptops that CR has reviewed fared decently in terms of power and usability, the brand's computers are known to overheat, experience battery failures, and even struggle to power on. Plus, some Alienware users complain that their computers had problems immediately out of the box, and others cite hardware issues such as problems with the display and graphics card. Meanwhile, Gateway laptop reviews suggest they're cheaply made. Components reportedly feel loose and fragile, with some models struggling to power on or restarting unexpectedly.

Even if you buy your laptop at the optimal time, it may still be hard to get your money's worth from an Alienware or Gateway branded laptop. While pinpointing the exact cost to repair a laptop can be tricky given their complex designs, tech repair services often charge between $80 to $150 just to diagnose an issue. From there, many repair companies charge similar fees for the actual repair itself. Those expenses could cost Gateway users around the same amount they could instead pay to completely replace their laptop.

Meanwhile, completely replacing an Alienware laptop is much less financially viable, and switching out individual faulty components like a battery, graphics card, or hard drive could still cost consumers anywhere from an extra $40 and $600 dollars. Plus, opening a laptop and replacing just about any component can be extremely involved, thereby increasing any labor costs associated with the repair. Even if you try repairing it yourself, this process can take some serious effort or, even worse, cause even more damage should you make a mistake. An easier way to save yourself both money and quality of life is to simply do your own research before making any laptop purchase — paying special attention to the reliability of any brand you might be interested in purchasing.