5 Ways to Make Your Laptop Last Longer
Make your laptop last longer with five easy steps. Laptops are one of the most sensitive pieces of technology a person will purchase. They also get some of the harshest treatment.
Avoid Sudden Movements During Operation
Today, many laptops still have mechanical hard drives (HDD), which have moving parts. Although newer laptops are now sold with Solid State Drives (SSD), many still have HDD. These can be data disasters waiting to happen.
HDDs are very similar to a vinyl record player. The head of the HDD is like the needle on the record player and the platter, where your data resides, is the record. The head of the disk (needle) is only separated from the spinning platter (a record) by microns. You might not even be able to see the gap between them with the naked eye. So, a bump with enough force can make them bang against each other. This is like dropping the needle of a record player onto the record. It will scratch the record and damage the needle, but in this case, the damage is to the head and platter of the HDD. These “scratches” will corrupt the data on the section it “scratches”. Thus, you should never move or pack away a laptop without shutting it down properly and powering down.
To make your laptop last longer look for one with an SDD. If you already have, or decide to get one with an HDD, then the above steps should help.
Make Sure It Stays Cool
A laptop can tell you it is too hot in two different ways. The first is the fan and the second is the auto-shutoff. The parts inside your laptop generate heat. More heat generates the harder your laptop is working. The fan’s purpose is to pull the heat away from the components within the laptop. This keeps them cool enough to continue operating. Usually, there is no clear temperature alarm. The fan’s sound can be an effective signal for a laptop which is getting hot.
As the laptop works harder, the components get hotter. When this happens, the fan will spin faster and get louder. Some fans can even sound like a blow dryer when they are really working hard. You can help keep your laptop cool by making sure the vent for the fan is not blocked in any way. Make sure it is not covered by blankets, books, or sitting over your leg.
When your laptop gets too hot and is in danger, it will do an auto-shutoff. Do not rely on this as your primary indicator. If you really want to make your laptop last longer prevent it from reaching these temperatures in the first place.
Care for Your Cords & Cables
Those power cords my look thick and sturdy, but inside are small fragile wires. These fragile wires require you to go easy on the cables. On the outside, these cables look like you can bend, twist and step on them, but that’s not the case. Ensure your cords and other cables stay clear of moving parts, sharp objects, and bends. For instance, office chair wheels and between the back of a desk and the wall. If packing away cables for storage or transport, ensure you wrap them in a natural position. Like when they were when first out of the box. Power cords can also wrap around the power adapter and secured with Velcro.
Move & Pack It Cushioned Style to Make Your Laptop Last Longer
When you are looking for a bag or backpack to transport the laptop it obviously needs to fit. Yet, it also needs to provide cushioning for the protection of the laptop. When you are transporting the laptop, it will receive numerous bangs and bumps. Even when you are trying to be careful this will happen. Look for bags and backpacks with side, top, and bottom padding. One with a water-resistant exterior is also preferred. If you do not want to carry a bag or backpack, then investigate the hard-shelled and padded sleeves. Ensuring both padding and water resistance can help make your laptop last longer.
Back-Up Your Data Regularly
The mobility of a laptop is great, but the attributes that make it so mobile also make it more fragile. I want to make it clear; backing up your data will not make your laptop last longer. It is just a good practice considering how fragile they are. With only an accidental bump against a handrail on some stairs your data can be corrupted. You can use an external drive or off-site cloud type storage to do your backups. Ensure you schedule it to back up automatically or make sure you set reminders to do it yourself.
Conclusion of 5 Ways to Make Your Laptop Last Longer
To review, here is the list of the five ways to make your laptop last longer:
- Avoid Sudden Movements During Operation
- Make Sure It Stays Cool
- Care for Your Cords & Cables
- Move & Pack It Cushioned Style
- Back-Up Your Data Regularly
Do you have different suggestions and comments regarding the ways to make your laptop faster? If that is the case, I kindly request that you share them. You may leave your comments, ideas, and queries below, or Contact Us.
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