How is it running beyond the battery? I recently tried to be ultra frugal and not replace a laptop I bought in 2010 with performance issues. Foolishly, I did not back it up. With a month, my laptop and my husbands laptops died, and the old one my dad gave to me got a blue screen of death (still working though). $250 to Best Buy Geek Squad to get things off my laptop, if the device I borrowed from a friend doesn't work. So don't be penny wise and pound foolish. If the laptop has other issues, consider a new one. Otherwise, yes buy the battery. And always back up regularly!