Why should you keep laptop cool on desk? Do laptops really overheat?
Naturally, laptops run warm when they are in use. This is largely due to their shapes and sizes. If they continuously stay on for long periods of time, they can slow down, overheat, or become permanently damaged. Overheating laptops have gotten a lot of bad press over the last few years starting from around 2006 when reports of laptops catching fire[1] started surfacing on the internet.
Overheating is a bad trait for something you use frequently especially that which, oftentimes, sits on your lap. Many people have actually gotten burned as a result of this overheating and it is now advised to put your laptop on the desk while using.
This article is aimed at giving you useful tips on how to keep your laptop cool when you’re using it on your desk and making sure it remains in sublime shape.
Why Does My Laptop Get So Hot?
You have probably noticed that all your electronics get hot while they are in use. You should try putting your hand on your television after watching a movie. You’ll find that electronic components generate heat while they’re working, and your laptop isn’t any different.
There are two distinct reasons why laptops have more of an overheating problem than desktops. First, laptops are smaller than desktops, hence, the electronic components are crammed in more tightly. They’re closer together, and since the casing of a laptop is not as wide as desktops, there’s not much room for the heat to get out.
The other issue is power, as laptops have more powerful processors. And operating systems require a lot of that processing power to run properly, which causes more heat to be generated inside the case.
However, laptop manufacturers already know about this, and there’s a lot of stuff inside the computer that’s supposed to remove this heat. Fans, heat sinks, and air vents all work to cool down a laptop while it’s being used. Many times, all these things put in place are just not enough to cool down the unit. Overheating can happen when a fan isn’t working as it is supposed or when there are other malfunctions. Although sometimes, it’s more the user’s fault than the machine’s.
How to Keep Laptop Cool on Desk
Overheating in laptops are very common, and this has been experienced by many laptop owners. Many times, aging laptops may overheat due to their internal hardware problems that most people may be unable to fix. However, the most common type of overheating is caused by inadequate airflow within the computer. Your laptop overheating does not mean that it is having serious problems because there are ways in which we can cool it down. Let’s look at ways in which we can keep laptop cool on desk.
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Elevate Your Laptop
Overheating can be caused by inadequate ventilation under and within the laptop. This can be solved by elevating your computer by putting a small book under it. Apart from using a book, you can as well purchase a laptop cooling mat to provide enough standard ventilation under and within your computer. There are varieties of cooling mats available, and you can purchase anyone, as anyone has the capacity to get the work done.
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Get A Laptop Cooling Pad
There are two kinds of laptop cooling pads. The ones that have fans and the ones that have vents. Laptop pads that have vents but no fans can increase the airflow around your laptop and make it work better, but for stronger cooling needs, laptop pads with fans are the best way to go because they are the most efficient.
Cooling pads are the easiest way to make sure your laptop never overheats. They are very popular and very pocket friendly. They connect to your laptop via USB and they automatically circulate air. They come with adjustable fan settings which makes them tweakable and easy to adjust based on how hot your computer gets.
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Clean the Fans
A very huge reason why your computer could be overheating is dust. You would be surprised at the amount of dust your laptop attracts. You’ll want to carefully clean your laptop regularly to make sure the inner components keep working properly.
Furthermore, you can use a vacuum to spot-treat/clean specific areas. You can also use compressed air to blow dust out of sensitive areas that a vacuum is unable to reach. You also need to clean the vents as well because cleaning only the fan when the vents are blocked can make little or no difference.
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Adjust Your Computer Setting
Change your laptop power setting from high performance to balanced or power saver plan. Most of the time, laptops overheat as a result of working at full capacity. This could be as a result of the settings that you earlier programmed. By cutting down your laptop’s workload, you’ll be able to reduce the amount of power it uses and this, in turn, keeps it cool on the desk while you use it.
A very important thing to check is the brightness of your screen to make sure your computer isn’t working at full capacity. And you should check your running programs to see if your CPU is handling too much at once.
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Use An Oscillating Fan To Cool Your Laptop
Even though it sounds strange, oscillating fans are a very good option to keep your laptop cool on desk. It is worthy to note that the reason your laptop isn’t getting enough cool is that the fans aren’t working as effectively as they should, with respect to how much you use them. When you think about the problem of overheating as the inability to circulate air, all you actually need is a regular fan to keep your laptop cool on your desk while you use it. It is important to have the fan set up near your computer as this helps to make sure a cool breeze gets rid of the warm air in and around your laptop.
However, if you don’t have enough space for an oscillating fan, you can always go for a small desktop fan, as it will also work perfectly for this purpose.
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Keep Your Laptop Out of The Heat
Your laptop may overheat due to extreme exposure to heat or direct hot sunlight, especially during the summer when it’s dangerously hot. High temperatures may cause your computer to overheat and can cause expansion of the hard drive and can also damage your battery. Therefore, your laptop should be kept in the shade whenever temperatures are high. It’s not advisable to use your laptop when it’s hot as it slows down its processing speed and causes the fans to overwork. This can permanently damage your laptop. To keep your laptop cool on the desk, you should make sure beams of light don’t fall directly on them.
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Rest Your Computer
Like humans, it is also important for laptops to rest. Learn to shut them down when they’re not in use, especially when you aren’t at home. The last thing you need when you get home is to find out that the fire department is trying to put out a fire started by your laptop. Taking breaks from the computer is important for your physical health as well. After you’re done with a task and you notice the fans aren’t acting like they’re supposed to, it is wise to power off your laptop and wait 10 to 15 minutes before powering it back on as it must have cooled.
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Control Your Fan Speed
Constant airflow within your laptop prevents your fans from running at maximum speed. When your fan is running at maximum speed, it means that the CPU is working extra hard, and will possibly get even hotter. You can control the fan speed by installing programs that help optimize them and make fans work like they are supposed to and keep them cool on the desk.
Final Thought
Knowing how to keep laptop cool on desk is easy. All you have to do is think of ways to prevent your computer from overheating. From using special laptop cooling facilities to managing your settings. There are a lot of options to help keep your laptop safe and in good shape for years. However, you have to use the tips given above to make sure your laptop serves you as much as it is supposed to.
Glossary
[1] Link
