Operating Environment

Caring for your notebook also requires taking into account the effect of temperature, humidity, and moisture on notebook components. Like any other electronic products, notebooks are vulnerable to drastic changes in temperature, and especially moisture on notebook components.

Please follow the tips below regarding the recommended operating environment:

•Avoid using your notebook in high humidity - computers are best used in moderate humidity conditions. Although PCs are more sensitive to temperature than to humidity, using a notebook in a humid environment can present problems especially when the humidity reaches extreme levels. A few humid days is not really a cause for concern but using, for instance, a laptop in a tropical jungle can present wear-out issues. Humidity hastens corrosion and increases the risk of condensation that can damage certain parts. Going directly from a cold to a warm environment leads to condensation. Cooling a notebook is also difficult when humidity is high.

•Before switching on, allow the notebook to adjust to room temperature - in general, electronic equipments that have been exposed or stored in very low temperatures should adjust gradually to room temperature before they are switched on. Immediately powering on a notebook that has been stored for some time at low temperatures in an environment with high temperatures increases the risk of damaging parts.

•Do not expose the notebook to moisture and spills - users tend to stretch the limits by using and leaving their notebooks at the most unlikely places like the kitchen, the bathroom, on the garden table or by the swimming pool where the chance of it getting wet is high. Placing a notebook near an open window is also not advisable since it can easily collect and expose some parts to moisture. Be wary of liquid spilling into the power supply since it may trigger an electric short-circuit.

•Keep your notebook cool - the key components in your notebook that require special attention when it comes to cooling and proper ventilation are the power supply, the central processing unit (CPU), the hard drive and the motherboard.

•The fan in the power supply is designed not only to provide better airflow to the entire case, but also to cool parts of the power supply that easily heat up.

•CPUs are equipped with sophisticated heat sinks and fans to increase reliability and prevent cooling-related problems like system lockups.

•Fans do not directly cool the hard drive and components of the motherboard, but provide better airflow to these parts. Cleaning the box and removing dust are beneficial since accumulated dust can insulate the notebook making it difficult to cool the notebook.

•Ensure effective ventilation for your notebook - even with sophisticated power supply and CPU fans it is still important to install your notebook where there is good ventilation to avoid overheating. Airflow, obviously, is more important in a warm room than in a cool area. Pay attention to the obvious, such as providing space for the power supply fan to blow freely and by not blocking the air vents that keep your notebook, monitor and other devices from overheating. Good operating temperatures would be from 5°C to 35°C, and cooler temperatures are generally better than higher temperatures.