A laptop can hold your entire business life and in most cases, it is essential for your job. Thus you need to keep it in great shape and not physically damage it. Here are some tips on how to protect your laptop.
1) Take care of it
I know this is pretty obvious but don’t drop your laptop or throw it, stand on it or expect it to withstand any kind of serious impact. You also don’t want to use your laptop near water or any other type of liquid. Even a few drops of water can damage the electronics of the laptop. If you do get your laptop wet, immediately turn it off and unplug everything attached to it.
#2 Open carefully
Laptops are getting smaller and thinner in every generation and some now even have foldable screens. The thinner and more flexible screens may look sleek and cool, but they are less rigid, which makes them more prone to damage. Especially on lower-cost laptops, the screen can flex if you open the computer up from just one side.
Many of us though, hold a laptop in one hand and open the lid with the other. This can cause the screen to twist. Instead, use both hands to open the laptop and get into the habit of opening your laptop from the centre to avoid flexing the screen.
#3 Don’t decorate the laptop with stickers
Reconsider any decorations you may have thought of adding, especially to the thin new models. Even a keyboard protector (to prevent dust or spills from getting into the electronics) or camera privacy sticker could damage some of the new super-thin laptops. It’s just that there is now so little clearance between the keyboard and the screen. Apple even recommend not using a webcam cover – see https://support.apple.com/en-au/HT211148
If you really must have your stickers, put them on the protective sleeve that you can get for your laptop.
#4 Disconnect carefully
All laptops need a consistent power source and if you damage the power cord connection, you are done. So, make sure you pull the power cord out straight instead of at an angle. Yanking the cord out sideways could damage the port.
Be aware of where your power cord is lying on the floor. If you leave the cord trailing along the floor, someone could trip over it, you could accidentally kick it or it could get caught in the wheels of a chair. This could not only damage the cable and charging port but could pull the entire laptop onto the floor causing even more damage.
#5 Try and keep it cool
Heat isn’t good for most electronic devices and as the laptops get thinner, they are more vulnerable to internal overheating. Ensure that the laptop’s intake ports are unblocked so that air can flow through and cool the electronics. You can blow the dust out of the vents using canned air – be careful how you do this though, as you can inadvertently blow the dust further into the laptop!
Avoid placing your laptop on very soft and uneven surfaces as they are more likely to block the internal vents. This leaves the device unable to regulate its temperature. If you need to use the laptop on a soft surface consider buying a laptop cooling stand, which provides a hard surface and extra fans to improve air circulation.
An average laptop last between two to five years depending on how it is treated. Keep your laptop on the longer side of those times by taking these tips to heart.
Contact us if something does happen to your laptop. Our IT experts can help you find the best laptop for your needs, upgrade and secure your laptop, or fix your laptop when there is an issue.
