Ten Years. Every Day.
A BlackBook Zero 13. One Owner. Ten Years as His Main Computer.
In March 2016, Mark bought a Venom BlackBook Zero 13.
When we checked in with him in 2026, more than ten years later, it was still his main computer.
Nothing had been upgraded. Nothing had been replaced.
The same BlackBook was still doing the job it had been bought to do a decade earlier.
This ownership story records Mark’s experience when we spoke with him in 2026. Shared with permission. Mark’s comments are his own words, lightly edited for readability.
The Machine
Mark bought his BlackBook Zero 13 in March 2016.
It was a slim 13-inch Ultrabook built around an Intel Core i7 and designed to provide strong everyday performance in a highly portable machine.
There was no plan to keep it for ten years.
Mark says he probably should have replaced it years earlier.
He simply never had a compelling reason to.
Ten Years as His Main Computer
When Mark responded to our Long Run ownership survey in 2026, the Zero 13 had been his main computer for more than ten years.
Not stored away as an occasional spare.
Not brought back into service for nostalgia.
His main computer.
He was still using it every day.
And across that decade of ownership, Mark reported that nothing had been upgraded and nothing had been replaced.
The BlackBook After Ten Years
Mark’s BlackBook Zero 13, photographed after more than ten years of ownership.
Owner photo, shared with permission.
Mark’s Verdict
After more than a decade with the machine, Mark’s assessment was uncomplicated:
“It’s been the best laptop I ever bought.”
And after ten years of ownership:
“Still love it, and it does what I need.”
Why We Recorded This Story
Benchmarks can tell you what a computer can do when it is new.
Reviews can tell you what somebody thought of it after a few days or weeks.
Neither can tell you what ownership looks like ten years later.
Mark can.
When we checked in with him in 2026, a BlackBook Zero 13 purchased in 2016 was still his main computer, was still being used every day, and had required no upgrades or replacement components.
There isn’t much we need to add to that.
That is what long-term ownership looked like after a decade.
Ownership Snapshot
Owner: Mark Healy
BlackBook: Zero 13
Purchased: March 2016
Ownership check-in: 2026
Time as main computer: More than 10 years
Upgrades: None reported
Replacement components: None reported
Status at check-in: Still in daily use as Mark’s main computer
