can laptops break down from overuse?

Question

I friend of mine got a PC so his laptop would not "melt down", now i am concerned that i use my laptop too much...

Answer 1

I think that your laptop can be fine if it is not used 24/7 in a desert. Yeah, as everything, laptops can "worn out", or better, "melt down" if you abuse them.

Always use it on a well ventilated area and don't shake it. The worst enemies of computers are the heat and the dust, and if you use your laptop on a pillow or in someplace where the laptop's ventilation is plugged, it can die easily. Also your hard disk may die of you shake it. Dust can impair the fans to do their job, and it can lead to overheating.

Remember to use your laptop in a hard surface and in a cool environment, always keep it in it's bag when not in use, and Don't shake it. If you take that into consideration and you take good care of it, your laptop will be fine and will last for years to come.

Hope that this helps.

Answer 2

Usually the first thing to go on a laptop is either the battery or hard drive. Both are easily replaced.

It's rare but sometimes the internal fans will fail, if that happens then you're in trouble because it could overheat and fry... well, everything from the processor to the motherboard. Every laptop made for the past, three years or so has some kind of overheat protection that will shut the laptop down if it gets too hot internally. If that happens frequently, you'll have to send it to the manufacturer to get new fans installed.

Anyway, the hard drive or battery will probably die first.

Answer 3

The only things in a laptop that will break from overuse are the fans, the LCD screen, and eventually, the hard drive. The fans will fail first, as they are the most intensely moving objects in the laptop. The lifetime of the fans are usually measured in hours, for example 20,000 hours. The next thing that will fail is the LCD screen. LCD screens also contain moving parts - the billions of molecules that arrange themsevles to form picture. They will fail a long time after the fans, but it is inevitable. A hard drive will also fail because it is a rotating disc. It will last a very long time - not something you should worry about.

Answer 4

Laptops like everything else have a useful finite lifetime. Since laptops are more compact they have less ability for heat removal and therefore run hotter. Electronic equipment that runs in hotter environments has a shorter expected lifetime. This is why it is said that the expected useful lifetime of most laptops is about three years. You can help your laptop live a bit longer by getting a dedicated cooling plate that sits under the laptop and constantly blows cool air from underneath onto it. At any rate, try not to block cooling vents if there is any on the bottom of the laptop.

Answer 5

Yes, all computers do wear down over time, and laptops, being generally moved so much, tend to break down more than desktops.

Its simply a matter of moving them often, limited space and resulting hot temperatures for components, and general stresses that aren't imposed on desktops.

I've been an expert in notebook/laptops for over a decade, and I've gone through half a dozen or more laptops in that time.

I also own a very large number of them. Just a few weeks ago, my latest favorite died from a bad hard drive... cie la vie... I suppose I'll eventually get a new drive for it...

At the same time, I haven't booted any of my primary desktops in years, only my ex's, which she left behind when she moved out.

She kept the notebook... left the desktop..

From a pricing standpoint - I do think its prudent to simply keep you data backed up somewhere, and only use a notebook...

I use notebooks as servers on the internet - they get pounded twenty four hours a day, seven days a week, and they're fine.

So I wouldn't stress on it...

-dh

Answer 6

Everything eventually breaks down if you use it often enough. For example, you may need to replace the mouse if it is one that still uses a roller ball. The keyboard may wear out and have to be replaced. The display may eventually stop working from having been on and being used for so long.

All of these components can be replaced or repaired in most cases. However, by the time they do wear out, you will probably be ready for a replacement laptop that is more powerful anyway.

Answer 7

as you know lap tops can got hot when in use, this is what your friend is rightly concerned about.
any computer if left on for long periods and that is not properly cooled can over heat.
this is a big problem for the CPU, RAM and your hard drive. the longer the system is on typically the hotter it can get.

so in short YES your lap top could break down. but not knowing the make and or model it would be hard to say on what the chances are of it actually breaking down from overuse.
modern systems while they do get hot cooling technology has improved. so your system is not as prone to overheating as a system built five to ten years ago.

Answer 8

I'd agree with the others, all different parts of the laptop can fail at any time, same as a normal pc.

I work in IT and mine can be on for as long as 16-18hrs at a stretch.

All I would say is to make sure you don't block the fan vents underneath by resting your comp directly on your lap as this can lead to overheating. I usually rest mine on a flat surface so the hot air can escape.

Answer 9

I have a USB mouse for my laptop. They go bad mainly because they are portable. The hard drive gets bounced around on laptops. The cooling fans get blocked so it overheats. Rechargeable batteries have a limited lifespan. New technology is the main force behind the 4 year rule. If you want the latest gaming software, your old computer will probably not handle the latest game. Invest in a laptop cooling pad.

Answer 10

Don't worry about it! Most times the laptops' "life" is longer than the PCs. An example is that bussinesmen use all the time their laptops for their job, but you'll say me that you play games. The only difference between them is that in a PC you can upgrade its hardware...