5 Easily Overlooked Things That Can Damage Your Laptop

Laptops are among the most breakable things around. They aren’t breakable because they are fragile, though. If anything, laptop manufacturers make sure that laptop parts are encased in some of the hardiest computer chassis ever.

No; laptops are breakable because of their portable nature. After all, the more mobile something is, the more susceptible it is to outside forces. Often times, these outside forces even include user mishandling.

Below are five easily overlooked things that can surprisingly do a lot of damage to your laptop components. 

1.       Not providing adequate ventilation conditions

Laptop parts are housed in chassis that, if current trends continue, seem to be getting smaller and smaller. To counter this, said laptop parts are designed to be more efficient with their power-to-heat-generation ratio.

That said, heat is still generated. To that end, adequate ventilation has to be maintained, and this entails clearing the pathways for air to flow through, i.e. the laptops’ air vents.

 

The problem comes in when people place their laptops on collapsible “surfaces” (such as they are) like blankets. These tend to fold over and cover the vents, forcing the heat to accumulate inside the laptops and making them overheat.

2.       Too much shaking

While solid state drives are slowly but surely becoming the norm for laptops, many current ones are still equipped with hard drives. These HDs contain a lot of moving mechanical parts. When a laptop with an HD is shaken for prolonged periods, there is a very real danger of the HD’s parts moving too much, possibly leading to corrupted data; or worse, the HD itself being broken.

  

3.       Using the screen half of the laptop like a handle

Some people are just so irresponsible that they handle their stuff with less care than one would like them to. Some of them are just too filthy rich to care (although that doesn’t necessarily mean I condone their actions); but others are just unforgivably unaware.

And it doesn’t even stop at laptop screens. Some grab their laptops by one side of the chassis (increasing the chances for violent shaking, which leads to Item #2); while others shockingly dangle theirs via opened optical drives.

The only proper way to carry a laptop is with both hands, balancing the computer by carrying both its sides. Any other way is just asking for trouble.

  

4.       Cord-mangling

As many people whose “OC senses” tingle at the sight of tangled cords, there are probably just as many who couldn’t care less.

They should, though, because tangled cords do have a breaking point, after which they just become mangled. This is worse if the break occurs inside the wire and not out, since it could be a while before users can come to the conclusion that their laptops’ problems probably lie in severed connections.

  

5.       Foregoing a laptop bag

Finally, some people take laptop bags for granted, deeming them as mere accessories that most can do without. However, the fact of the matter is that laptops are meant to be taken outside; and when out, sufficient protection is an absolute necessity.

The Importance of Being Ergonomic

The portability of laptops renders them handy machines. When you need or want to take your video games, social networks, or (*gasp!*) work outside your house, laptops make sure that you can do so.

When all is said and done, though, it would seem that portability is all that laptops have going for them. In most cases, their laptop parts aren’t as powerful as desktop ones, decreasing their functionality comparatively. The diminished power of their laptop components is a necessary loss these computers must live with if they are to retain their main selling point: Portability.

Another important attribute that laptops have to sacrifice is ergonomics. Ergonomics as a scientific concept delves into the interaction between humans and elements of any given system, and how best to streamline the interfacing between the two. For our purposes though, we can simplify it as thus: Ergonomics means how comfortable a user’s condition is when using his computer.

Since desktops are chained to a wall socket anyway, manufacturers have designed them to be as comfortable to use as possible. Keyboards, mouse devices, and monitors are all separate components from the main desktop tower so that users may adjust their placement accordingly: Monitors at the appropriate eye level, and keyboards and mice spaced evenly apart and well away from the monitor so that they can be as close as comfortably possible to the user.

The corresponding laptop components, however, have to be bunched all together just like the other laptop parts: The keyboard’s keys are often spaced too closely together, a touchpad is used in lieu of a mouse which actually limits a pointer’s dynamic movement range, and the monitor is no other than the upper half of the laptop, placed too closely to the keyboard.

Another ergonomic problem of laptops is that on most of them, the screen is too small for comfort, straining users’ eyes after long periods of computer use.

So, what to do when you fancy using your laptop in a stationary location for extended periods? Here are four general guidelines when going about this:

 1.  Make its setup (how you place it on a surface, that is) as close as possible to your preferred desktop ergonomics setting.

2. Make sure your wrists are in as natural a position as possible when using your laptop’s keyboard. 

3. Adjust the screen accordingly to minimize craning your neck to get the best possible visual angle. This entails considerations regarding the screen’s position, its viewing angle, and the level of color contrast that won’t force you to squint. 

4. Be at your most relaxed. This means that ultimately, it’s the laptop that should adjust to your body’s comfort level, and not the other way around.

There are many ways to fine tune laptop ergonomics. If you can afford it, you may want to invest in a laptop docking station. If you don’t have the budget for that, you can just buy a mouse to relieve yourself of the rigors of touchpad usage. You can also add a separate keyboard after your mouse purchase if you still have enough cash, so that you can treat the laptop as a separate monitor altogether, with the keyboard and mouse acting as equally separate components.

And if all else fails, compromise with a bias towards your wrists. That is, your back and neck muscles (the ones you use to swivel your head around) can actually take much more punishment than your wrists.

Mileage may vary between users, but the goal remains the same: Being comfy with laptop usage for as long as possible.

What’s in a Laptop LCD Screen?

 A laptop part that many people consider when buying a laptop is the LCD screen. There are four things to take note of when assessing a laptop screen’s ability to display images: Screen size, resolution, screen type, and graphics processor. Let’s break each factor down.

Screen Size

Laptops come in various shapes and sizes to accommodate as varied a range of user preferences as possible. Whether you’re a casual computer user who does a lot of travelling, a hardcore gamer who goes out to attend the occasional LAN party, or any kind of user in between, rest assured that somewhere out there is a laptop tailor-made just for you.

There are four major laptop categories, grouped according to size. The general rule of thumb is, the bigger a laptop is, the less portable, but more powerful its laptop components are. The smaller it is, the less powerful its laptop parts become, but it gains an advantage in portability.

Since laptop screens account for the whole top half of a laptop, it follows that a laptop’s size dictates its screen size as well. Screen size is measured diagonally. Many laptops now come with screens in a wide aspect ratio to accommodate a more cinematic display and/or to reduce the screen’s depth dimension (and therefore its overall size,lowering the cost of production).

From the largest to smallest, here are the four laptop categories and the common screen sizes they have:

·         Desktop replacements: 17” to 19”

·         Thin-and-lights: 14” to 16”

·         Ultraportables: 13.3” and below

·         Netbooks: 12” and below

Resolution

Screen resolution refers to the number of pixels that a screen is able to display. Basically, the more pixels a screen can show, the sharper the image will be since more pixels equals finer individual image points.

Think of it like this: Usually, the farther you are from an image, the more defined it is; but as you get closer, you begin to see individual colors (or image points) that make up the whole picture. Now, if these image points were smaller (meaning there were more of them that made up the whole picture), then you’d have to go pretty damn close before the image broke up again into distinguishable image points. That’s how pixels in LCD screens work.

Most widescreen LCD’s give a maximum resolution of 1366 x 768, which is par for the course. If a laptop LCD can go beyond that (preferably the hi-def standard of 1920 x 1080), all the better.

Screen Type

Most people aren’t aware of this, but there are two common variants of LCD panels commonly used in laptops today. The first is TN (Twisted Nematic), which is cheaper to produce and has faster refresh rates. The other is IPS (In-Plane Switching), which offer better color density and wider viewing angles. The pros of one are the cons of the other.

Refersh rate refers to a screen’s ability to switch from image frame to image frame. The faster it is, the smoother the video moves. If it dips below standard speeds, screen-tearing ensues. Color density refers to the amount of colors an LCD can display onscreen at the same time. Finally, viewing angles means how well you can see an image in its full splendor when you’re not exactly front-and-center.

Graphics Processor

Finally, we have graphics processing units (GPUs), or video cards. The two major manufacturers of GPUs are AMD and NVIDIA. Video cards from each company have their own strengths and weaknesses best detailed in another article. The bottom line is that if you’re not the type of user who plays video games or watches hi-def media content a lot, then the GPU your laptop has really doesn’t matter much. If, however, you use graphics-heavy programs like the aforementioned video games, Blu-ray players, Photoshop, and the like, then GPU choice should factor into your decision.

Basic Laptop Maintenance and Tips

How does one take care of a laptop? Well, there are many ways to care of a laptop, especially the one you own that probably cost more than a thousand bucks! So it’s worth protecting because you want it to last as long as you can.

If you’re clueless about the basics of your laptop, consult this list. You’ll certainly find some useful information here.

Prolonging Laptop Lifespan

  

 There are several things you can do to increase the lifespan of your laptop: 

1. When left in cold places, allow your laptop to become accustomed to room temperature first before turning it on. This prevents any condensation, subsequently avoiding short circuits. 

2. To prevent any dust from accumulating in the vents, always place your laptop on top of a clean, flat surface.  

3. By preventing dust from entering, you’re also preventing heat buildup. To assist in preventing heat buildup, always make sure you have proper ventilation – again, place your laptop on top of a clean, flat surface.  

4. While on the subject of heat, never leave your laptop in direct sunlight. This prevents any damage to the internal components. They are very costly to repair. 

5. When transporting your laptop, always put it inside a heavily padded bag to prevent any accidents.

 

Cleaning Tips

To prolong the laptop’s life even more, cleaning must be an essential part of your routine. It’s important to follow these tips:

Keyboard

The keyboard is something we come into contact with every day. It’s important to clean them from time to time, preferably once every few weeks, or once a month.

Keyboards become hosts for germs, crumbs and dust. To clean them, use compressed air, because you can get into those hard to reach places easily.

Protecting the keyboard is important if you want to preserve the laptop’s aesthetic quality. To improve your chances, you can get a keyboard cover, or use a full keyboard when you’re at home.

 Screen

No doubt your LCD panel will accumulate stain spots and dusty corners as time goes by. To clean this, just apply some alcohol to a cotton ball to clean the edges. The quick evaporation of alcohol prevents any liquid from seeping into the cracks.

You can also use a warm, lightly damped cloth. You’ll be able to remove any stains with ease. Also, remember to not use excessive pressure, or else you’ll risk puncturing the screen.

 Body

To clean the rest of the body, all you need is a soft piece of cloth to wipe away dust. This will also prevent any scratches. If there are any stains, just apply some alcohol and it will quickly go away.

 Conclusion

The aforementioned tips here are plenty, and it’ll definitely help keep your laptop in top condition.

If you don’t have the time to clean your laptop regularly, try to prevent direct sunlight and dust. These two are the worst killers of laptops. You don’t want dust and heat damaging the internal components.