From travel writers and journalists to on-site construction workers, the humble laptop is an occupational mainstay for many. Plenty of people have come to rely on it for a variety of tasks, and while desktops may be more capable and powerful, the portability of the laptop is tough to beat.
That being said, thanks to their popularity and moderate cost, it is all too easy to take laptops for granted. While certainly more economically viable than their desktop counterparts, laptops are by no means cheap machines. Sadly, far too many people tend to forget this fact after a few months of use.
With this in mind, it’s important to stress that your laptop requires plenty of care in order for it to serve you well. After all, there’s no use in paying for a new one every six months or so because of something completely avoidable. When you’re on the move or plan to store your laptop in a backpack for any reason, we have a few tips to keep in mind for protecting your laptop when this is the situation.
Invest in a High-Quality Laptop Bag
If you’re purchasing your laptop brand-new, it’s more than likely to come with an on-brand laptop bag for safe storage. Unfortunately, many of these bags offer very little in the way of protection, especially after consistent travel and use. Additionally, some of them lack even the most basic of safety measures, such as straps to keep your laptop upright and shut tight.
With this in mind, it’s a good idea to invest early in a high-quality laptop bag. While it may be dissuading having to spend more money upfront just to keep your machine in good order, it can potentially save you even more money further down the line.
Along with the aforementioned straps, a good laptop bag will have plenty of padding along the sides and at the bottom to mitigate or otherwise prevent any damage from bumps or shocks. It should also include a few internal compartments or pockets for any extremities, such as your charging cable or mouse.
Additionally, a lot of top-tier laptop bags also include plenty of anti-theft features, such as slash-proof material and locking cables. This can ensure that your laptop isn’t damaged if someone tries to snatch it from you.
Always Sweat the Small Stuff
When you’re constantly on the go, it’s easy to overlook some of the most basic precautions against damaging your laptop. While it’s understandable to take shortcuts if you’re someone who regularly commutes, spending an extra five minutes ensuring that you’ve done everything you can to protect your laptop can save you in the future.
Firstly, when you’re ready to leave, make sure that your laptop has shut down completely before you close the lid. (You can identify whether your laptop is still on or not by either a green or blue light on the base that switches off). You’ll also want to sweep away anything on your keyboard that may come into contact with the screen.
Secondly, unplug all of the cables from your device, including your charger and any accessories. This will prevent the ports on your device from being damaged while in transit.
Thirdly, if you have a laptop sleeve or case, be sure to make use of it. Place your laptop in your bag and zip it up completely. Be careful not to overpack or set it down too abruptly as this can cause unintentional damage.
A lot of what we’ve mentioned is common sense, but it’s good to be reminded of these safe practices nevertheless. Be sure to put them to good, consistent use to ensure that your gaming laptop is kept safe and sound.
Additional Considerations
Although everything we’ve mentioned so far should protect your laptop from most forms of damage, there are a few other points of interest that we should cover.
For starters, although it may be common sense, you should never pack your laptop in with consumables like food and soft drinks. A single drop of water could be enough to cause a world of devastation.
You would also do well to organize the items in your laptop bag. If you have extra pockets and pouches, use them, and keep everything separate to avoid scratches or collisions. Pay particular attention to how you wrap up your cables. Too much twisting or contortion can damage the internal wiring, which may render your laptop obsolete without the device itself actually being damaged.
Although most good laptop bags offer a reasonable level of protection from the rain, make sure you don’t leave your bag out to soak. If you want to go the extra mile, you can invest in an additional laptop sleeve or a rain cover for extra padding and protection. A simple umbrella should also suffice in a pinch.
Lastly, for frequent fliers and international travelers, it may be a good idea to invest in a checkpoint-friendly backpack. While this may be pushing the limits of reasonability for most, anyone who regularly finds themselves at a travel checkpoint will understand how frustrating it can be to unpack your carefully-organized travel bags to scan one item.
For laptop users, this also opens your device up to greater chances of being damaged. A checkpoint-friendly backpack or bag will allow your laptop to be scanned without the need to unpack it.
Wrapping Up
Plenty of people will already be aware of the tips and suggestions we’ve provided in this article – plenty still will be better off with this reminder. Regardless of where you stand, we hope that you can glean some use out of these helpful recommendations.
Remember that, as with any device, your laptop has a lifespan, and if you intend to maximize its use, you ought to handle it with care. Luckily, it’s pretty easy to ensure that your laptop stays safe – take the extra time to apply these suggestions. We guarantee that they will help.