Laptops are built to be portable, which means they are also exposed to heat, drops, dust and the occasional spilled coffee. The good news: a little routine care goes a long way.
Keep it cool
Use your laptop on a hard, flat surface so air can flow underneath. Beds and couches block the vents and cook the internals.
Look after the battery
Avoid running the battery flat every day, and don’t leave it in a hot car. Many laptops now offer a battery-saver mode that caps charging at 80% — turn it on if yours does.
Update regularly
Operating system and driver updates fix bugs and security holes. Set them to install automatically outside your working hours.
Book an annual clean
A professional internal clean and health check once a year removes dust, refreshes thermal paste and spots failing parts before they leave you stranded.