The Rise of Laptop-as-a-Service (LaaS) and What It Means for IT Disposal

Image Source: iStock/Nuthawut Somsuk

In most IT departments, the week usually starts with the same familiar scene: outdated laptops piling up in storage closets, spreadsheets full of missing serial numbers, and someone asking, “Do we still have that charger for the old models?” Managing devices has never been a small task, especially as teams grow, disperse, and upgrade. But recently, a new approach has quietly started transforming how organizations think about the laptops they use every day.

Instead of owning devices outright and worrying about what happens when they’re old, damaged, or simply no longer needed, more businesses are shifting to a model that treats laptops like a managed service. This change is reshaping how devices are acquired, maintained, and also what happens when it’s time to retire them. And here’s where things get interesting: this shift is directly affecting how companies reduce electronic waste and handle IT disposal responsibly.

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In other words, the way we use laptops is changing—and so is the way we let them go.

What Is Laptop-as-a-Service (LaaS)?

Laptop-as-a-Service (also known as Device-as-a-Service) is essentially a subscription-based approach to providing employees with the devices they need to work, without the company having to purchase and manage those devices outright. Instead of buying laptops in bulk, setting them up internally, and dealing with upgrades or repairs over time, organizations pay a recurring fee to a provider who handles all of that for them. It’s similar to how many businesses now use cloud software: you access what you need, when you need it, while the backend logistics remain someone else’s responsibility.

At its core, LaaS typically includes:

• Device Provisioning: Laptops delivered ready-to-use, configured with the company’s required software and settings.

• Maintenance and Support: Ongoing troubleshooting, repairs, and replacements handled by the provider.

• Regular Updates: Devices are swapped out at the end of their lifecycle to ensure teams stay current.

• End-of-Life Management: Returned laptops are refurbished, resold, donated, or recycled responsibly.

This model shifts the focus from owning devices to accessing them efficiently—reducing complexity while improving consistency across the organization.

Market Momentum: How Rapidly LaaS Is Growing

The shift toward Laptop-as-a-Service isn’t happening in isolation. It’s the result of several workplace, financial, security, and sustainability factors converging simultaneously. As organizations rethink how they manage devices from deployment to disposal, LaaS offers a model that is not only flexible but also more aligned with how modern teams work and how companies plan long-term. Below are the key forces driving this shift.

1. The Shift to Hybrid and Remote Work

The global move toward flexible work has reshaped how organizations manage their technology. Teams are no longer concentrated in one office, which means laptops must be deployable, supportable, and replaceable from anywhere. LaaS fits this need by offering devices that come pre-configured, are shipped directly to employees, and are supported remotely.

Recent workforce trends reinforce this shift: Gallup reports that 72% of remote-capable employees now work hybrid or fully remote, a model that makes centralized hardware management far less practical. Companies adopting LaaS reduce logistical delays, improve onboarding, and maintain consistency in device performance, no matter where employees are located.

2. Predictable IT Budgets and Cost Efficiency

LaaS replaces large upfront hardware investments with a subscription model, turning capital expenses into predictable monthly operational costs. This helps finance teams forecast spending more accurately and avoid over-purchasing devices that go unused when teams change. It also reduces the cost of lost devices, since hardware is tracked, managed, and refreshed under one system rather than scattered across departments or storage rooms.

Cost predictability is one of the main drivers of the model’s rapid growth. The global Device-as-a-Service market was valued at approximately $84 billion in 2023 and is projected to grow at over 39% annually through 2032. This acceleration reflects how strongly businesses are prioritizing flexibility and cost control in their IT strategies.

3. Need for Secure, Up-to-Date Equipment

Cybersecurity risks grow when devices become outdated or fall out of patch cycles. With LaaS, upgrades and hardware refreshes follow a scheduled lifecycle, ensuring employees work on modern, supported devices. This also helps reduce the cybersecurity risks of unreturned devices, since laptops are tracked throughout their lifecycle and collected at end-of-use rather than being misplaced, kept by former employees, or forgotten in storage.

Standardization also matters: when everyone uses the same approved configurations, the IT team reduces vulnerabilities and support complexity. According to IBM’s Cost of a Data Breach Report, unpatched and outdated software is among the most common breach entry points—a gap LaaS directly helps address by replacing aging devices before they become a risk.

4. Sustainability and Corporate ESG Goals

Electronic waste continues to grow rapidly, placing pressure on organizations to adopt more responsible device lifecycle practices. The United Nations estimates that over 50 million metric tons of e-waste are generated globally each year, with only a small portion appropriately recycled. Meanwhile, the IT Asset Disposition (ITAD) market is expected to surpass $54 billion by 2030, reflecting how critical responsible end-of-life handling has become.

LaaS directly supports sustainability goals by including refurbishment, reuse, and certified recycling in the service agreement. Providers ensure that returned devices re-enter the circular economy—or are recycled safely when reuse is no longer possible—helping companies meet environmental reporting expectations.

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How LaaS Changes the IT Asset Lifecycle

One of the biggest shifts that comes with adopting Laptop-as-a-Service is how organizations think about the device lifecycle from start to finish. Instead of buying laptops, holding onto them for years, and figuring out disposal later, LaaS treats devices as part of a managed flow, for instance, issued, tracked, supported, refreshed, then recovered at end-of-use. This creates a predictable lifecycle and reduces the long-term clutter and uncertainty that often surrounds company hardware.

From Ownership to Usage-Based Lifecycle Management

Traditionally, companies purchase laptops and try to make them last as long as possible—even when performance drops or support becomes difficult. With LaaS, the focus shifts from how long a device lasts to how well it supports the work being done. Devices are used for their optimal performance window and then replaced as part of the service.

This mindset keeps employees working on equipment that runs smoothly and avoids the slowdown period that often happens near a device’s end of life.

Centralized Tracking, Maintenance, and Upgrades

Because LaaS providers manage devices throughout their lifecycle, companies gain a unified system for tracking where devices are, who’s using them, and when they need updates or repairs.

This reduces the burden on internal IT teams and ensures maintenance isn’t reactive or inconsistent. Refresh cycles, software patches, warranty repairs, and device swaps all follow a predictable schedule, making life easier for everyone—from IT managers to new hires waiting on laptops.

Fewer Forgotten, Stored, or Lost Devices Across the Company

Any company that’s gone through rapid hiring, restructuring, or remote expansion knows the common outcome: a closet (or warehouse shelf) full of old laptops nobody quite remembers or claims.

LaaS changes this by ensuring every device is accounted for, returned, and processed when it’s no longer needed. This creates a secure chain of custody, where devices are formally handed off, tracked, and recovered.

The result:

• Less hardware waste

• Lower chance of misplaced or abandoned devices

• Reduced security risks from lost equipment

• Cleaner end-of-life workflows where laptops are refurbished or recycled instead of being forgotten

Benefits and Drawbacks of LaaS for Organizations

While LaaS streamlines operations and improves device lifecycle management, it also requires thoughtful vendor selection and process alignment. Let’s take a look at its benefits and drawbacks.

Benefits of LaaS

• Lower Upfront Capital Expenditure: Instead of purchasing devices outright, companies pay a predictable subscription fee. This frees up capital for other priorities and makes budgeting easier.

• Reduced Device Downtime and Faster Support Cycles: Devices are repaired, replaced, or upgraded as part of the service. Employees spend less time waiting for fixes and more time working productively.

• Improved Cybersecurity Through Standardization: With all laptops configured and maintained under one system, organizations reduce variations that often lead to security vulnerabilities. Patches, updates, and refreshes happen on schedule.

• Easy Scalability for Workforce Changes: Whether hiring rapidly or scaling down, companies can add or return devices without being left with unused hardware. This flexibility is especially helpful in remote and hybrid environments.

Challenges and Considerations

• Vendor Dependency and Contract Flexibility: The service quality depends heavily on the provider. Clear SLAs, upgrade timelines, and the employee exit checklist need to be defined upfront.

• Ensuring Responsible Recycling and Certified Disposal: Not all providers handle end-of-life equipment the same way. Look for certifications such as R2 or e-Stewards to ensure recycling is ethical and compliant.

• Data Security and Chain of Custody: Returned devices must follow a documented handoff and data-wipe process. A secure chain of custody reduces the risk of data exposure during laptop retrieval, transit, or refurbishment.

• Compatibility with Existing Systems and Processes: LaaS should integrate smoothly with identity management, deployment tools, security software, and purchasing workflows. Some internal adjustments may be needed to align operations.

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Comparing Traditional IT Disposal vs. LaaS IT Disposal

As companies go over how they manage devices at the end of their lifecycle, the contrast between traditional disposal methods and LaaS-driven disposal becomes much clearer. In many companies, disposal has historically been an “end-of-project” task that is handled only after years of device use, and often rushed, inconsistently documented, or delayed due to internal workload.

LaaS changes this approach by building disposal and reuse directly into the device lifecycle from the start. Instead of being reactive, it becomes planned, traceable, and aligned with sustainability objectives.

Below is a side-by-side comparison of how the two models differ:

This shift moves disposal from a fragmented, sometimes overlooked process to one that is predictable, documented, and built around sustainability and data security from the start.

Summing Up

In short, LaaS reshapes the IT asset lifecycle into something more controlled, sustainable, and predictable. Devices move through a defined path rather than becoming long-term storage problems—and companies gain better performance, oversight, and peace of mind along the way.

LaaS shifts disposal from an afterthought to a built-in part of the value chain. The rise in subscription-based device models, paired with growing demand for secure and environmentally responsible IT disposal, shows this shift is accelerating. As organizations focus on cost efficiency, security, and sustainability, LaaS brings stronger oversight, reduced waste, and a more modern approach to managing workplace technology.