ELO displays and touchcomputers have a rated service life of 50,000–70,000 hours, or roughly 6–8 years of 24/7 operation. But computing components age faster than the display itself.
That’s why ELO designed the modular Backpack system, to upgrade the “brain” without replacing the “body.”
Signs It’s Time to Upgrade
Performance Lag: Apps take longer to open or freeze.
Firmware Obsolescence: Your OS version is no longer supported for updates.
Peripheral Mismatch: New accessories or SDKs require newer hardware.
Brightness Degradation: Backlight output drops below 70% of original.
High Maintenance Frequency: Reboots or calibration become frequent.
Optimal Replacement Strategy
Displays: Replace every 7–9 years.
Backpacks/Compute Units: Replace every 4–5 years.
Accessories: Swap as needed; they’re modular and forward-compatible.
Following this rhythm keeps systems modern while minimizing waste and downtime.
Real Example
A retail network running 300 ELO displays staggered replacements: instead of swapping everything at once, they upgraded 20% of Backpacks annually. Over 5 years, they maintained full uptime with zero mass downtime events.
Final Thoughts
ELO systems are built for modular longevity. By separating display and compute cycles, you can modernize intelligently—maximizing ROI without full hardware turnover.
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