Q: Why is it a bad thing when a laptop runs hot?

[Bradjar]

I often hear folks say "its a great laptop, but it runs hot...". I want to know:

- why does it run hot? Is it the HDD or processor, generally, that is the culprit?
- why is running hot bad? obviously, I suppose it's inefficient, but beyond that is there any downside?

Laptop newbie. Have had a Compaq v2305 for a month, no complaints :cheesygri

[Cafe_333]

1) Both are the biggest culprits. The motherboard, videocard, and interal power supply also generate heat as well.
2) Anything hardware running hot is bad. It shortens the lifespan of the hardware if not adequately cooled.

[xilinx]

a couple reasons:

most of the heat is generated from teh cpu. also gfx if you've got a mobile gaming card and ur in a game, and a bit from the hdd. it's bad because it causes teh fan(s) to start spinning...which quickly drainly you're battery. that's perhaps the biggest problems.

other problems simply are a hot laptop. if it's too close to your ballz, the heat will raise the temperature inside the scrotum, and can kill you're sperm. there's a reason why it hangs low (to lower temp slightly less then body 37).

those are the reasons i can think of right now. i'm sure they're more.

[zerocool24]

THe major culprit is generally the cpu in most laptops.

Heat ruins electronics (get much lower usage out of them). It is also not good if you actually keep it on your lap as your lap heats up too.

[rai_dei]

All laptops run hot, some hotter than others... It happens because of the cramped space plus the heat given off by the working components
Running too hot may have a downside in terms of some of the components not working properly due to extreme heat, but most laptops nowadays have a chip that turns off the laptop if its overheated, so its all good

If you're concerned with the laptop overheating, buy one of those notebook coolers (Vantec Lapcool 2 or 3 i believe is the most popular brand at the moment).

[Bradjar]

Good thing you folks are quick to post...the book was moved OFF my lap as soon as I hit the 3rd post :D

[JPxM0Dz]

Got heat issues? Get a laptop cooler, they move alot heat away from your unit.

$30 to $40 for good one is a wise investment to protect a $1500 to $3500 lappy.

I'm using a Vantec LapCool2 ;)

[Milkin_it]

is a cooler worth the money? but doesnt it raise the laptop high, it might be hard to type on. i dont wanna pay $80 for one.

[duckdown]

other problems simply are a hot laptop. if it's too close to your ballz, the heat will raise the temperature inside the scrotum, and can kill you're sperm. there's a reason why it hangs low (to lower temp slightly less then body 37).


...wow

[rai_dei]

is a cooler worth the money? but doesnt it raise the laptop high, it might be hard to type on. i dont wanna pay $80 for one.
http://canadacomputers.com/index.php?do=ShowProduct&cmd=pd&pid=005362&cid=896.276
This isn't 80$ :razz:
There are other options ranging from $20-60
Is it worth the money? To put it this way, its a peace of mind for 40$ that your 2000$ laptop (and your beanbag, as previously mentioned :cheesygri ) will stay cool and functional for the next little while ;)

[JPxM0Dz]

is a cooler worth the money? but doesnt it raise the laptop high, it might be hard to type on. i dont wanna pay $80 for one.

It does raise the laptop up higher, but most are adjustable in height.

As far as cost goes, it does not cost $80 for a descent cooler.

$50 max for close to top of the line model.

[Milkin_it]

well i was looking to buy local lol, but how much cooler does it make the laptop? below 0 degrees?

i dont know if i wanna be lugging this around lol.

[CSR]

Heat will shorten the lifespan of components and reduce the battery life.

[doubleA]

Also, it ruins the overall experience...many times in some laptops, the CPU speed will drop to cool the laptop down....also, with the fan constantly running, the laptop becomes very LOUD!!....

[Cyber6]

Also remember the battery.. Nimh batteries do not last long on constant heat.

C.

[BEpsilon]

Also, it ruins the overall experience...many times in some laptops, the CPU speed will drop to cool the laptop down....also, with the fan constantly running, the laptop becomes very LOUD!!....

Very true. Laptops usually use small (30-50mm) fans, usually high-speed model. When the laptop gets hot, these run at full speed and emit high-pitch noise.

Also, as many here mentioned, high temperature is bad for electronics, specifically premature failure.

[rai_dei]

Also remember the battery.. Nimh batteries do not last long on constant heat.

C.
Actually most batteries nowadays are li-ion, but batteries in general do not take fast temperature changes well...

[Cyber6]

Actually most batteries nowadays are li-ion, but batteries in general do not take fast temperature changes well...


Ooops.. you are right.. my mistake. :D

[cnbc]

On my IBM Thinkpad T41, I often play games 2 hours straight (on AC), the CPU temp would stay above 80 Celsius constantly. I've had the notebook for more than a year, no problems so far.

Generally, mobile CPUs can stand higher temp compared to desktop CPUs. For example, Dothan processors have a critical temp of 125. Once you go past that, the CPU would shut down automatically to prevent any damage to its core. Of course, many notebook manufactures set their own thermal ceiling just to be safe. Mine is 93.

I found notebook coolers are not that useful, especially if your notebook has a good thermal design (no vents on bottom).

[crimsona]

Maybe I play with ULV CPUs too much, but I've always found the hard drive to get hotter than the CPU due to its size and location.

The HDD is generally closer to your wrists than the CPU, so for me, most of the heat generated that I can feel is actually due to my damn HDD spinning constantly (I blame BT)