I don't want it to break.

[LucyDuke]

K, so, new computer, two questions.

First, the cooling is kind of weird. The exhaust is on the back but the intake is on the bottom. Is this not incredibly poor design? It's got a bit of space when it's sitting on a desk or a table, but I just as often use it on my lap or a pile of blankets or a pillow or something. This obviously completely blocks that intake. How worried should I be about this? I've been putting it on top of an oversize book to imitate a tabletop, but I'd like something that's less of a pain in the ass, if it's something I need to consider.

Second, I've primarily used desktops for ten years and I'm in the habit of leaving the damn thing on all the time. I figure this wears on the system more than shutting it down when I'm not even home, but I also figure I could relatively easily replace a broken part. Am I right in assuming that sitting idle but on will shorten its lifespan? I'd like to leave this on overnight but I don't want to kill it. Currently I just set it to hibernate, do I need to stick with that?

Thanks, go-to computer dudes.

 

[Genocidicbunny]

1. Dont block the exaust then. Most laptops have the intake on the bottom afaik. If you block it, you will basically choke the fan and may very well overheat the laptop.
2. It will, but by the time it becomes noticeable you'll be using a 3D holographic display with a mindlink ( In other words, in the expected lifetime of 2-3 years its not gonna matter. Other components such as the HDD or hinges are likely to fail before then )

 

[Lone Wolf]

In other words, in the expected lifetime of 2-3 years

My computer serves me for 5 years and is still pretty much alive.

 

[J-man]

It will be fine if you set it to automatic hibernation.

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

If you're worried about air intake, you can actually get these little desks with a pillow at the bottom and a hard tabletop at the top. It's about $20 around here, good investment if you ask me. Made specifically for a lappy.

In general, it's a bad idea to put a lappy on a soft surface.

 

[Mise]

I use my laptop on my lap, works just fine. Jeans or thick trousers are an important consideration, though...

In terms of lifetime, I would be more worried about battery life than anything else. There's no point in having a laptop if the battery only lasts 5 minutes. I don't know the rules about what you should and shouldn't do with a battery, but I've always been told that taking the battery out when it's plugged in, but using it occasionally, was a good way of keeping it fresh. Maybe someone else can enlighten us?

Hibernate is a great tool, I recommend it. I come home from work, press the "on" button, take a slash, come back and everything's back just the way I left it the night before, except the bottom is still cool. No leg burny for at least an hour or so.

 

[LucyDuke]

Well yeah, I figure I gotta avoid blocking the intake. I'm trying to get an idea of how critical it is, whether I should worry about sitting the thing on the bed (where it'll be blocked) for ten minutes or thirty minutes or two minutes.

I want more than 2-3 years. I take good care of my stuff because I want it to last.

I don't give too much of a damn about the battery, I'll buy a spare before they discontinue them and I really don't mind having the thing plugged into the wall anyway. I don't use it mostly on the train, I use it mostly on various tables in places with electric outlets. My last notebook had about twenty minutes of battery on a good run and I just got used to having it always plugged in, no biggie.

I guess I'll stick to hibernate. Auto-hibernate... hm.

 

[Cutlass]

Get a simple gadget like this to put it on and it will keep the laptop in a possition that allows airflow.

http://www.amazon.com/Cooler-Master-NotePal-Laptop-R9-NBC-ADAS/dp/B0009WPSEC

 

[taper]

I have a laptop that's been running almost 24/7 for around 4 years, I still have 60% battery capacity. Absolutely no problems with it being on that long, all parts are original. Don't block the air vents, there are many products you can get for this. Blow them out with an air duster every so often too. The secret to battery preservation is use it as little as possible(duh!). That said, a laptop is meant to be portable, so go ahead and use it whenever and wherever you want. If you're going to be plugged in for more than a few hours, take the battery out. You can do this while it's running. If you won't be using the battery for more than a few days, discharge it to 40% and keep it in a cool place, but not a fridge. That'll lead to condensation. Lithium ion batteries don't have any memory problems, so go ahead and charge whenever you can, even if you won't get it to 100%. Avoid deep discharges(<10%) if you can.

 

[LucyDuke]

Get a simple gadget like this to put it on and it will keep the laptop in a possition that allows airflow.

http://www.amazon.com/Cooler-Master-NotePal-Laptop-R9-NBC-ADAS/dp/B0009WPSEC

Thank you. I will probably get something like this.

I have a laptop that's been running almost 24/7 for around 4 years, I still have 60% battery capacity. Absolutely no problems with it being on that long, all parts are original. Don't block the air vents, there are many products you can get for this. Blow them out with an air duster every so often too. The secret to battery preservation is use it as little as possible(duh!). That said, a laptop is meant to be portable, so go ahead and use it whenever and wherever you want. If you're going to be plugged in for more than a few hours, take the battery out. You can do this while it's running. If you won't be using the battery for more than a few days, discharge it to 40% and keep it in a cool place, but not a fridge. That'll lead to condensation. Lithium ion batteries don't have any memory problems, so go ahead and charge whenever you can, even if you won't get it to 100%. Avoid deep discharges(<10%) if you can.

And thank you. This is helpful. I'll probably be removing it a lot, then.

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

Thank you. I will probably get something like this.

At my local staples, they have those laptop desk things, the cooler things, but it has a pillow on the bottom, so it's more comfortable to put on your lap. Maybe you could look around for one.

Unfortunetly, I can't find it on the site....

EDIT: Found it. It's a portable laptop riser/cooler made especially for laps, so it's cushioned:
http://www.staples.ca/ENG/Catalog/cat_sku.asp?CatIds=73,77,85,4224&webid=683373&affixedcode=WW
Strangely, it's cheaper ($20) at my local store....

 

[Perfection]

Get a simple gadget like this to put it on and it will keep the laptop in a possition that allows airflow.

http://www.amazon.com/Cooler-Master-NotePal-Laptop-R9-NBC-ADAS/dp/B0009WPSEC

Or stick it on a chunk o' plastic like mine.

 

[Mise]

Blimey, it's a hell of a lot lighter without the battery!

 

[LucyDuke]

Or stick it on a chunk o' plastic like mine.

What's your chunk o' plastic like, Perfy?

 

[Perfection]

It's one of those thingies that you use to store documents.

 

[ainwood]

Some BIOSes have a high temperature shutdown on them, if that helps. But yes - best to keep good airflow.

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

Some BIOSes have a high temperature shutdown on them, if that helps. But yes - best to keep good airflow.

I've heard about that happening to unsuspecting people. They say their computer "whistles then shuts down."