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Most laptop owners already know that their device is a fragile piece of equipment, no matter how costly the machine may be. With daily... How to Help Your Laptop Last Longer

Most laptop owners already know that their device is a fragile piece of equipment, no matter how costly the machine may be. With daily wear and tear, accidental drops and spilled drinks, your laptop may look pretty rough, long before you had planned on replacing it. But bumps and scratches are not the only things that contribute to your laptop’s not so long lifespan. Without proper care, it won’t be long before your battery will be shot and the computer will run at a snails pace.

How to Help Your Laptop Last Longer

Though most people would consider themselves lucky if their laptop survived for 3 or 4 years, there are a few tips that can help extend your laptop’s life and maybe even enhance its performance.

Keep it cool

Laptop’s have always been prone to overheating, and in the past they occasionally even went up in flames. To prevent an overheated computer and a burning lap, you can check that the fans are running properly by using a diagnostics software provided by the computer’s manufacturer. Also, keep the exterior air vents clear of dust and grime by wiping it regularly with a cotton swab.

Speed it up

An accumulation of programs, files and folders can use up a lot of your laptop’s storage space and cause your computer to run annoyingly slow. Make emptying your recycle bin and deleting temporary files easy with a cleanup tool like our editor’s favourite-CCleaner. Another way to speed it up is to try to use only 30-60% of your laptop’s storage.

Battery Life

To lengthen the life of your battery, make use of hibernate mode instead of sleep or standby, and dim your screen when possible. Also, always try to plug it in before the battery dies completely, and keep your number of running programs to a minimum and turn off unused hardware like a wifi receiver or an external mouse.

Following the simple tips and you just might have a little longer to enjoy your laptop.

[Image via techwench]