Summer has reached its peak, and while working outside can be relaxing, it becomes far less so when your laptop starts overheating. Here's a quick summary of what outdoor conditions could do harm to your notebook.Photo by Ed Yourdon.
We all know heat is bad for our computers, but as the weather really starts to get hot out there, it's important to know just what conditions could potentially cause problems. Technology blog Unplggd has a list of tips for keeping your laptop safe in hot weather, and number one is monitor the weather. Laptops are usually okay in temperatures of 50° to 95° Fahrenheit (or 10° to 35° for you Celsius folks), but anything higher is likely to lower your laptop's battery life or even make your hard drive expand (and thus cause a whole host of problems). Note that these are outdoor temperatures, not the temperatures inside your computer. In addition, humidity above 80 percent is something you want to stay away from—the last thing you want is moisture condensing inside your machine (at best, tripping the moisture sensor and voiding your warranty, and at worst shorting out your circuits).
While it's always good to err on the side of caution, if you have to be outside in hotter weather, be sure to use a laptop stand and make sure your laptop gets plenty of airflow (if you don't have one, you could even use a water bottle as a cooling laptop stand).. In addition, if possible, plug in your laptop to avoid stressing the battery, or even better, remove it completely. Hit the link for a more tips on keeping your laptop cool, and share your own in the comments.
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