Can I use a laptop 24/7?

[madx1980]

I'm planning on buying a Compaq 510(C2D,2GB ram,320HDD) as a replacement to my old desktop.I use my desktop 24/7 for downloading movies and stuff.can i do the same with the compaq 510...........or any other laptop?or should i get another desktop?.......please note that,I'm on a budget.I'm not gonna buy a pricey laptop......:)

[Simon17]

As long as you don't try to run on battery power 24/7, why wouldn't you be able to?

[FuturePilot]

If you're going to use it as a desktop and not take advantage of the portability aspect of a laptop, then there's little point in getting a laptop. Get a desktop. You can get more bang for the buck and it can be upgraded in the future.

[madx1980]

As long as you don't try to run on battery power 24/7, why wouldn't you be able to?

lol..... i'm not gonna try 2 run on battery power 24/7...my concern is,is it gonna burn itself out or something like that....:p.....i know that laptops tend to overheat.........

Comments regarding Compaq 510 will be really helpful..........:D

[madx1980]

If you're going to use it as a desktop and not take advantage of the portability aspect of a laptop, then there's little point in getting a laptop. Get a desktop. You can get more bang for the buck and it can be upgraded in the future.

no,no,i am gonna take advantage of the portability aspect of a laptop,that's why i considered buying one...........i am talking about when i'm home,not out........

[Simon17]

In the past 6 months, my laptop has never been in standby, never been in hibernate and has been powered down for less than 10 minutes. So far, it isn't showing any signs of "burning itself out".

[gymophett]

I have a cooling pad for my laptop, and I run it almost 24/7. I hardly ever shut it down.
You would need to use compressed air to clean out the fan about once every 2-4 weeks.. I do at least.
If you need portability go with the laptop, and if you just use it at home, get a desktop. (stated above)

[3rdalbum]

I would be wary of having a laptop turned on 24/7.

The natural enemy of electrical components is heat; and internally, laptops get much warmer than desktops because there's less airflow.

In addition, you'll probably find more desktop computers that have 100% solid capacitors, and I think laptops usually have the cheaper, shorter-life liquid capacitors.

Your laptop might be okay in six months time, but it probably won't last a year.

Get a desktop, or a home server.

[The Toxic Mite]

lol..... i'm not gonna try 2 run on battery power 24/7...my concern is,is it gonna burn itself out or something like that....:p.....i know that laptops tend to overheat.........

Comments regarding Compaq 510 will be really helpful..........:D

Laptops do overheat quite a lot, so I wouldn't use it 24/7 (unless you get one of those laptop coolers).

[Barrucadu]

Your laptop might be okay in six months time, but it probably won't last a year.

Really? I've only had laptops for the past several years and they've only broken because of something I've been stupid enough to do (spilling water on them, etc). My current laptop I got about a year and a half ago, and it's working fine.

[The Toxic Mite]

Really? I've only had laptops for the past several years and they've only broken because of something I've been stupid enough to do (spilling water on them, etc). My current laptop I got about a year and a half ago, and it's working fine.

My laptop got broken due to my own stupidity as well... :oops:

[TheNessus]

I had an IBM working 24\7 for about 2 years, and even then, it was not new when I bought it. Worked great. Killed it when it fell off the tiny desk at uni' :)

My new lappy works for a year already 24\7 and is hardly ever shut off, taking care of it, and is expected to last at least 2-3 more years.

[mcduck]

I would be wary of having a laptop turned on 24/7.

The natural enemy of electrical components is heat; and internally, laptops get much warmer than desktops because there's less airflow.

In addition, you'll probably find more desktop computers that have 100% solid capacitors, and I think laptops usually have the cheaper, shorter-life liquid capacitors.

Your laptop might be okay in six months time, but it probably won't last a year.

Get a desktop, or a home server.

Really, any computer that overheats, even when running at 100% cpu use 24/7 for long periods of times, if faulty. If I'd ever encounter such a device I'd be demanding my money back in no time.

My current laptop is now almost, and I commonly use it for 3D rendering, which means that it often runs several weeks under full load.

Of course a cheap laptops will have cheap parts, just liek a cheap desktop machine will ahve cheap parts. But that is no excuse for overheating or ridiculously short lifetime. A computer is supposed to be able to run under full load.

For the original poster, if you don't need portability then you'll get more for your money if you just buy a desktop machine. But if you get a laptop anyway, just make sure you keep it on surfces that don't stop it from breathing when it's powered. So don't leave it on your bed, for example, as that would easily cover the air intakes of the laptop, put it on your table instead and you shouldn't have any problems with heat.

[HermanAB]

In my opinion laptops only have two problems:
The fans clog up with lint too easily, usually requiring a fiddly disassembly and vacuum once or twice a year and when they break, the parts are harder to come by.

All laptop parts can be found online and if you live in a place where you can get mail/Fedex delivery then it is not a problem provided that you can wait a week for the parts to arrive. You aso need a special set of screw-drivers and good eye-sight to work on these things.

Other than that, there is no reason why a laptop machine cannot run 24/7. Just make sure ACPI works properly and you keep the fan system clean. In my experience, desktop systems are lower quality and break more often than laptops.

[audiomick]

If you make sure it is set up so that the ventilation holes are not blocked, and check that the are not clogged periodically, you shouldn't have problems. As has already been mentioned, if the machine can't take it, something isn't working right or it is badly constructed.
My laptops do long hours at work, sometimes under less that optimal conditions (the last was a Toshiba, currently one from MSI) and have not had any problems relating to that.

You might want to think about taking the battery out when the computer is spending a long time in one spot on the powerpoint.

[madx1980]

Any comments regarding Compaq 510?........has anyone used it?

[tjwoosta]

My laptop (Gateway ml6720) has been running basically non stop (a quick reboot now and then for updates) for about two years now, with no signs of a problem.

I just remove the battery whenever its fully charged and Im at home, and put it back in whenever Im going somewhere. I heard that if you leave your battery plugged in too long it will lose the ability to hold a charge. Other then that, no issues at all.

[blueturtl]

If it's a properly designed notebook/laptop running on a flat stable surface with only indirect sunlight hitting it.

Additionally if you keep it stationary for long periods of time, take out the battery and run off the wall socket directly. Otherwise the battery will die a slow and horrid death.

I recommend Intel based machines as they tend to run cooler and with less energy. I also recommend paying more than a grand for your machine (or rather get a machine that has it's original retail price in that range).

Portable computers on discount are often of flimsy build quality.

[tjwoosta]

If it's a properly designed notebook/laptop running on a flat stable surface with only indirect sunlight hitting it.

Additionally if you keep it stationary for long periods of time, take out the battery and run off the wall socket directly. Otherwise the battery will die a slow and horrid death.

I recommend Intel based machines as they tend to run cooler and with less energy. I also recommend paying more than a grand for your machine (or rather get a machine that has it's original retail price in that range).

Portable computers on discount are often of flimsy build quality.

Mine was the cheapest model availibe at best buy ;)
$475 at the time and that was over two years ago. Its never let me down, and has the same specs as my friends machine that he paid $1200 for from a dell catalogue two month earlier. The build quality is also pretty great. I will never go all out on a computer ever again, unless Im building it myself.