Laptop sales grew at an explosive pace last year and continue to do so in 2021. The reasons are clear: a person needs a device for both work and entertainment. With stationary office machines, many were forced to say goodbye, moving to a remote location, but work tasks have not gone away – and here the laptop saves.
But as the popularity of such devices grows, so does the number of people who believe in stereotypes about laptops, which in fact have little to do with reality. Someone is convinced that when the laptop is running from the mains, it is necessary to remove the battery, someone is sure that over time the processor loses its performance – “that’s why my computer slows down.” But most of the myths are related to cooling.
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Computers
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First, let’s figure it out: what does the laptop cooling system consist of? The short answer is that it works differently on different laptops. In general, it all comes down to three main solutions that are used in combination: fans, radiators and heat pipes are installed in the laptop case. Plus thermal paste – it is applied to the processor chip and video card.
A new device, as a rule, has no problems with cooling: manufacturers test laptops in different conditions and under different loads and release a machine on the market that does not overheat. Problems begin with time: the radiator cells become clogged with dust, the thermal paste dries out, the coolers are also covered with a layer of dust, which prevents the normal distribution of air flows.
one Cooling pads have little to no effect on cooling
A person whose laptop turned off for no reason asks the standard question: “What should I do?” The first lines of search results persistently offer to buy a cooling pad as a solution to all problems. And people are buying. And this is the first myth: cooling pads have almost no effect on laptop cooling.
The stand is a plastic panel with built-in fans that direct airflow upwards onto the bottom of the laptop. The stand drives air under the laptop, but this does not help to cool it inside, because all the channels are clogged with dust. The only case when such an accessory can really help is if the cooling system in your device is weak initially. Then the air currents driven by the stand will enter the device and cool it. In all other cases, these two or three thousand rubles are better spent on servicing your car.
2 The number of fans is not a guarantee of high-quality cooling
Some companies are now releasing laptops with liquid cooling, which does not require fans at all. More fans are not always better, because the more there are, the more dust gets inside. Liquid-cooled laptops are quieter and don’t blow dust through the cooler.
However, there is a serious limitation here: such machines have a low heat capacity and quickly reach its limit – you should choose such a device only if you do not have to perform extremely demanding tasks on it.
Liquid cooling systems are available from many manufacturers. When choosing, pay attention to technologies with the word liquid in the title. If you have the opportunity to buy a liquid-cooled laptop and you know that you will not overload it with games and demanding tasks, we recommend that you take a closer look at this option. There will definitely be less dust inside.
However, there are innovative features in conventional fan cooling systems: for example, some Acer laptops use DustDefener technology. These are very light and durable coolers that sometimes spin at high speed in the opposite direction, effectively ridding the device of dust. Although this does not directly affect the cooling of the computer, this feature definitely extends the life of the entire cooling system.
3 The thickness of the thermal paste layer does not affect the degree of cooling
If we have convinced you that instead of buying a cooling pad, it is better to take the device to a specialist for service, ask him to replace the thermal paste at the same time. Another serious myth is connected with it: allegedly, the more you spread, the colder it will be. Not!
Here you need to understand the principle of operation of the paste: a heatsink with a fan is attached to the processor, which gets very hot during operation, removing heat. These are two smooth surfaces that, when in contact, leave the smallest air cavities. Thermal paste is designed to replace them: so if you decide to change it yourself, apply the paste in a thin layer.
If you don’t apply enough, the cooling will be less effective. And if you overdo it, the paste can get on the contacts – this is also not good. Try to choose the middle layer – about 1 mm. Then the excess paste will squeeze itself out from under the thermal distributor, you just have to carefully collect them.
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Repair
What happens if you apply too much thermal paste?
How to get rid of overheating and improve the performance of the laptop cooling system
If you want your laptop to work properly for as long as possible and not overheat, no matter how trite it may seem, keep the room where the computer works clean. Dust has to come from somewhere to get into the laptop. If it is not in the room, it will not be inside the device either.
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Tips
How to clean a laptop from dust yourself: step by step instructions
Another tip: work at the computer only on a hard horizontal surface or, at worst, on your knees. Who doesn’t love to lie in bed, put their feet up like a house and put a laptop on their stomach over the covers? The question is rhetorical – of course, it is very convenient. But this affects the cooling of the laptop in the worst way: the air vents are covered with bed linen, and the dust from it gets inside the laptop even more intensively – and your machine, a couple of months after purchase, is already hitting coolers at maximum speed, although you just launched the browser.
It will not be superfluous sometimes to blow the device with compressed air: first, direct the flow into the exhausts (the widest openings, against the air flow), then into the air ducts (along the air flow).
Follow these simple rules, do not be lazy to carry a laptop clogged with dust for maintenance – and your equipment will delight you for many years.
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