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If something breaks, you fix it. Right? Or should you just such it up and replace it instead? That's a question Ft. Lauderdale computer repair centers struggle to answer as it varies so much on a case-by-case basis.

After all, computer repair comes at a cost. Surveys say that expecting five years of use out of a desktop computer and three years from a laptop is about right - so what do you do when you start to experience problems?

Oftentimes, experts say, it depends on what specifically breaks, as well as when in the life span of your computer the mishap takes place.

"There are a lot of things in the interior of computer that can fail on you or break and everything is fine overall, but if your mother board goes it's time to get a new one," says one Fort Lauderdale computer repair expert.

This philosophy can also be applied to other electronic devices.

When it comes to digital cameras, the average cost to repair is $180 - a pretty large portion of the cost of a new one. In that case, unless yours has been purchased in the last year, replacing, not repairing, should be considered.

Similarly, the absolute minimum repair fee charged by Apple for physical damage to an iPod is $100. So unless your iPod was so top of the line that it cost more than $350, replacement could save you in the long run.