Laptops - How Hot is Too Hot?

How hot is too hot is a good question any laptop owner would like to hear the answer to. Basically, any machine that does work produces energy in many different forms, heat being one of them. When laptop computers function normally they also generate heat. As customers are demanding for faster and faster processors, engineers are pushed to produce faster and smaller components.

The problem is that when these small fast components are cramped into a tight compartment such as a laptop they generate a lot of heat which is not completely dissipated. However, the components of the laptop, the hard drive and the rest of the CPU are already manufactured to withstand these high temperatures. Most laptop computers without any functional issues can function optimally at temperatures up to 140 F (40 C). Different laptops have different processors and other components, but most can effectively function at temperatures ranging from 122 C to 140 C and can be pushed up to 74 degrees centigrade without impaired functions.

If your laptop is not overworked and the hard drive is not overloaded, the over heating problem could be due to the laptop not ventilating optimally. There are several problems that could cause this and they include obstruction of the air vents by the side of the laptop by books or pillows when using the laptop on the bed or it could be due to dust, animal hair or lint which gradually built over time and clogged the air vents. Simply blowing out this dirt with a dust blower should be able to reduce the heat by up to 5 degree centigrade or more.

However, even though the laptop could still work at these high temperatures without impaired functions, it might be a good idea to invest in a lap pad to protect yourself from skin burns and possibly fertility problems with prolonged use on your lap for a guy. A good cooling platform should allow you work with the laptop on your lap and also prevents the issue of the vents been blocked by pillows or what have you, when in use.