Laptops are a great balance between the power of a desktop and the portability of a tablet or a smartphone. Laptops tend to overheat, however, which can lead to hardware problems and failures. Overheating can shorten the usable life of a laptop, according to the experts on IT services West Palm Beach companies trust with their technology.
Let's look at why laptops tend to overheat and explore a few tips on how to prevent it from happening.
Why Do Laptops Overheat?
If you open a laptop case, you are going to see a lot of components crammed into a small space. Many of those components generate heat, especially after running for a few hours. This heat can build up, causing the laptop to overheat.
Now, most laptops have a fan that helps pull most of the hot air out. However, the fan and the vents often get clogged with dust, preventing free airflow. This traps the hot air inside the laptop case, leading to overheating.
The problem gets worse as the laptop ages. As the components age and wear, they start to have to work harder to perform at expected levels. The harder they work, the more heat they generate.
What Can You Do to Prevent a Laptop from Overheating?
Here are some tips you can use to stop your laptop from overheating, according to the experts on IT services in West Palm Beach:
- Blow out the dust from around the vents and fan--- this will improve airflow.
- Schedule a 30-minute break after using the laptop for more than 3 or 4 hours. Shut it off or put it into power save mode. Let it cool down.
- Set the laptop on a flat hard surface like a desk or a table. This promotes better airflow than if you set it on your lap.
- Shut down resource-heavy programs when you aren't using them. They use a lot of the RAM, CPU, and hard drive resources, causing them to heat up and stay hot.
- Use the power save mode on the laptop. This helps limit battery use, which keeps the internal compartment cooler.
- Use a laptop cooler under the machine. These coolers have fans which help draw away excess heat.
These tips will help you keep your laptop cool and running smoothly. If you own a business, make sure every laptop user uses these tips to keep the laptop in good running order. If you need help with technology support, contact us at Nexxen Technologies today. We are the experts in IT services West Palm Beach businesses trust with their technology, including laptops.