Laptop Repair · Whitewater, WI

Laptops we can actually fix. And the ones where we'll tell you not to bother.

Screen replacement, keyboard repair, battery swaps, charging ports, liquid damage, and data recovery. Windows, Mac, and Chromebook. We're honest about which repairs are worth it and which aren't before any work starts.

Call (262) 220-7884 Ship it in

// Pick your laptop

Windows, Mac, or Chromebook?

Repair economics and parts availability vary a lot depending on what you're working with. Pick yours — we'll show you what we actually handle for each.

The most serviceable category.

Windows laptops from the major manufacturers are generally the easiest to repair. Most models have accessible internals, replaceable parts, and decent parts availability even for models 4-6 years old. Business-class lines (Dell Latitude, ThinkPad T-series, HP EliteBook) are the most repair-friendly.

Common repairs: cracked screens, bad hinges, keyboards that drink coffee, batteries that no longer hold charge, charging ports that wore out, and storage upgrades. Most are turnaround in 2 to 5 days.

Gaming laptops (Razer, MSI, ASUS ROG, Alienware) have more complex cooling and motherboards but we handle those too.

MacBooks: it depends on the year.

MacBook repairability depends heavily on the era. Intel-era MacBooks (2018 and earlier) are mostly repairable — we handle screen, battery, keyboard, and logic board diagnostics. Apple Silicon MacBooks (M1, M2, M3, M4) are progressively more soldered and locked down.

What we do well: screen replacements (panel swap where possible), battery replacement, keyboard repair on models where the keyboard is serviceable, data recovery from failed drives, and liquid damage recovery.

What we're honest about: for newer MacBooks with soldered SSDs, full logic board replacements, or Face ID/Touch ID reprogramming, Apple Store or Apple Authorized Service is sometimes the better route. We'll tell you straight during the free diagnostic.

Chromebooks: usually an economics question.

Chromebooks typically cost $200 to $500 new, which means repair decisions come down to math. We can usually fix screens, keyboards, and hinges on most Chromebooks — but if the repair runs above 60% of a replacement's cost, we'll tell you honestly.

Where Chromebook repair does make sense: school-issued devices (where the student needs the specific unit), premium Chromebooks ($700+ range), and simple fixes where parts are cheap. We work with families on a lot of school Chromebook repairs.

Since Chromebooks save everything to Google Drive, there's no data recovery anxiety — a reset returns your apps and files when you log back in.

// Services by category

Six categories of laptop repair.

Grouped by type of work rather than symptom. Scan for what matches your issue, or call if you're not sure which bucket you fall into.

Category 01

Screen & display

Cracked screen$159+
Flickering / lines$179+
Backlight failure$189+
Touch digitizer$199+
OLED / 4K panels$279+

From $159

Category 02

Keyboard & input

Stuck / missing keys$89+
Full keyboard replace$149+
Trackpad repair$129+
Liquid spill cleanup$99+
Backlight repair$119+

From $89

Category 03

Battery & power

Battery replacement$129+
Charging port repair$129+
Power adapter issues$79+
Won't power onDiagnosed
USB-C port repair$149+

From $79

Category 04

Storage & memory

SSD upgrade$99+ labor
RAM upgrade$79+ labor
Drive cloning$129+
HDD to SSD migration$149+
Failed drive replace$149+

From $79

Category 05

Performance & software

Slow laptop tune-up$99
Virus / malware removal$99+
Windows reinstall$129+
Overheating / thermal$99+
Fan replacement$129+

From $99

Category 06

Motherboard & repair

Hinge repair$149+
Board-level diagnosis$99+
Component-level repairQuoted
Liquid damage recovery$199+
Data recovery$149+

From $99

// High-stakes category

Liquid damage is fixable. Usually.

Water, coffee, soda, wine — most laptops can come back from a spill if you do the right things immediately and avoid the wrong ones.

The critical variable is time. The sooner we get the laptop, the higher the success rate. Corrosion spreads across the board over hours and days, turning a $200 cleaning into a $500 board repair.

The other critical variable is not powering it on. If you turn it on while there's liquid inside, you create short circuits that damage components permanently.

Call about liquid damage

// Do this

First 20 minutes.

Unplug from power immediately
Hold down power button 10 seconds
Flip it upside-down, keyboard-side down
Let visible liquid drain out
Get it to us same-day if possible
Explain what spilled and how much

// Don't do this

Please avoid.

Do not power it on to "see if it works"
Do not put it in rice (that is a myth)
Do not blow-dry it (pushes liquid deeper)
Do not open it up if you are not experienced
Do not wait days "just to see what happens"
Do not plug in the charger again

// Data recovery

Got a dead laptop with files on it? Usually recoverable.

Failed drives, crashed operating systems, accidental deletions, liquid damage — most data loss situations are recoverable if the drive hasn't been overwritten.

We work the tiers below based on what happened. Logical failures (software) are cheaper and higher success rate. Physical failures (hardware) are more involved. We always quote before any paid recovery work.

Important: don't keep using a drive after data loss. Every time the OS writes to a failing drive, the chance of recovery drops.

Logical recovery

Deleted files, corrupted filesystem, failed boot, accidental format. Drive still reads.

$149

OS recovery with clone

Can't boot, need data off plus a fresh OS install. Includes USB with recovered files.

$199

III

Physical drive recovery

Drive clicking, detected but unreadable, or dead. Specialized imaging required.

$249+

Complex hardware recovery

Platter damage, failed firmware, clean-room required. We refer these to specialist partners.

Quoted

// Repair vs replace

Is your laptop worth fixing?

Four rules of thumb we apply during every diagnostic. If the numbers don't work, we tell you honestly and won't talk you into a repair that doesn't make sense.

Rule 01

If the repair cost is under 50% of the laptop's current market value...

Usually worth fixingA $200 screen on a laptop worth $800 is a clear yes. You keep your setup, your data, and save significant money over replacement.

Rule 02

If it's a premium business laptop (ThinkPad, EliteBook, MacBook Pro)...

Threshold is higherReplacing means rebuilding your entire work environment. Repairs up to 60-70% of replacement cost often still make sense for mission-critical machines.

Rule 03

If the laptop is over 6 years old and facing a major repair...

Usually replace insteadOlder laptops tend to have multiple issues developing at once. Fixing one often means another appears soon. Exception: sentimental value or a specific use case (old software, legacy ports).

Rule 04

If it's a cheap laptop ($200-$400 range) with multiple issues...

Almost always replaceRepair economics don't work at this tier. A $100 battery plus $150 keyboard on a $300 Chromebook doesn't math out. We'll tell you honestly.

// Get it to us

Drop it off or ship it in.

Option A

Schedule an Appointment

An appointment is needed during shop hours. Bring the laptop and the charger. If it's liquid damage, don't power it on — just bring it as-is.

BadgerLayer
261 S 4th Street
Whitewater, WI 53190

Mon–Fri · 9am–6pm
Sat · 10am–2pm

Option B

Ship it in

We accept ship-in repairs from anywhere in the US. Pack securely, include a note with your details, and we'll email confirmation the day it arrives.

Attn: Laptop Repair
BadgerLayer
261 S 4th Street
Whitewater, WI 53190

Include your name, phone, and email
Describe the symptom in a sentence or two
Include the charger
Note your login password (or leave it blank)
Back up important data before shipping if possible
Insure for replacement value

Diagnostic cost
before you approve

90day

Warranty on parts
and labor

Ecosystems supported
Windows · Mac · CrOS

2–5 day

Typical turnaround
with parts on hand

Laptop repair questions, answered.

Real questions from customers who've brought laptops through the shop. If yours isn't here, just call.

(262) 220-7884 →

How much does laptop screen replacement cost?

Laptop screen replacement runs $159 to $399 depending on size and panel type. Standard 15-inch Windows laptops are typically $159 to $229. 13-inch MacBook Air screens run $249 to $329. Premium OLED, 4K, or touch screens run higher. We always give a free written diagnostic with exact pricing before any paid work.

Can you recover data from a dead laptop?

Usually yes. For logical failures (corrupted filesystem, accidental deletion, failed boot), data recovery runs $149 to $199 with a success rate over 90%. For physical drive failures, pricing depends on severity and whether the drive can be read safely. For severe hardware failures (head crash, platter damage) we refer to specialist partners with clean-room facilities. Either way, we quote before any paid work starts.

My laptop got wet. Is it fixable?

Sometimes. The critical things are time and whether the laptop was powered on when the spill happened. Bring it in immediately, do not try to power it on, and do not use rice (that's a myth that doesn't help and wastes time). We do an ultrasonic cleaning, corrosion treatment, and component-level repair where needed. Success rates drop significantly after 24-48 hours as corrosion spreads.

Is it worth repairing my laptop or should I buy a new one?

Rule of thumb: if the repair costs less than 50% of the laptop's current market value, repair makes sense. For premium laptops (MacBooks, ThinkPads, business ultrabooks) the threshold is often higher — 60 to 70% — because replacing means rebuilding your entire work environment. For cheap Chromebooks or 6+ year old laptops with multiple issues, replacement is usually the smarter move. We give honest guidance during the free diagnostic.

Do you repair MacBooks?

Yes, for most issues. Screen replacement, battery replacement, keyboard repair on serviceable models, logic board diagnostics, data recovery, and liquid damage. For newer MacBooks with fully soldered components — Face ID repair, T2/Apple Silicon security reprogramming, full logic board replacement — we're honest about when Apple Store or an Apple Authorized Service Provider is the better route. The free diagnostic tells us which side of that line your repair falls on.

How long does laptop repair take?

Most repairs are finished in 2 to 5 business days once parts are on hand. Common stocked parts (mainstream screens, batteries, chargers) often turn same-day or next-day. Special-order parts for older or premium models can take a week. Data recovery varies from a few hours to a few days depending on the type. Rush service is available for an extra fee when you have a real deadline.

Will my data be safe during repair?

For most repairs (screen, keyboard, battery, charging port), your data stays on the laptop and is untouched. For repairs that require OS reinstall or drive replacement, we always back up your data first with your consent. We never access personal files beyond what's necessary for the repair, and we're happy to sign a simple confidentiality document if you're handling sensitive work data.

What's your warranty on laptop repairs?

Every laptop repair is covered by a 90-day warranty on parts and labor. If the same issue returns within that window, we fix it at no charge. Liquid damage repairs carry a conditional warranty scoped to the specific components repaired — we'll be clear about what's covered versus what would be a separate issue if something unrelated fails later.

Let's take a look.

Free diagnostic, written quote, honest answer. Drop off, ship in, or call the shop.