New figures from the Central Statistics Office show that for 70% of people who had recently replaced their phone, their old device was still at home.
That is an increase of eight percentage points compared with 2022.
The Sustainability of Personal ICT Devices Report from the CSO shows that almost six in ten still have a laptop or tablet at home they no longer use.
One in seven had sold their phone or given it away, while 9% did something similar with their old laptop or tablet.
Some did bring their most recently replaced devices to a Waste Electrical and Electronic (WEEE) recycling/e-waste collection point or had returned them to their retailer for disposal.
The item most likely to be recycled were desktop computers, at 24%, while almost one in ten had disposed of their most recently replaced phone in e-waste collection/recycling.
According to the CSO, price was considered the most important factor for people purchasing devices in the first six months of 2024.
The brand, design, or size, and hardware characteristics were the second-most important factors.
In terms of sustainable factors, the energy efficiency of the device was considered by over one-quarter, and just short of one in seven felt that the eco-design of the device was an important factor, an increase of three percentage points on the same period in 2022.
The availability of a take-back scheme was a consideration for 9% of people, up from 6% in 2022. Similarly, 9% of people deemed the option to extend the warranty/guarantee as important, up from 5% in 2022.
"As our everyday lives become more and more virtual, we rely on our phones, laptops, tablets, or desktop computers to communicate with each other, work from home, stream our favourite songs and shows, do our banking, shop online, etc," said Maureen Delamere, Statistician in the CSO Social Analysis Division.
"We replace some devices more frequently than others, and we tend to replace devices well before their end of life, as we buy the latest version or model with a better camera or new design," Ms Delamere said.
