<p>So, I'm up in Wisconsin, and it's already starting to get super freaking cold. Like, it snowed already today. ;[ Anyway, I take my laptop to my classes, and it's about a ten minute outside walk with it. Now, it's not below zero temperatures yet, but even so, it's pretty freaking cold. Does this have a really bad effect on my laptop, and when it gets to those colder temperatures, is my laptop at even more risk? I only take it two days a week with me to class, and it's not like I'm chilling outside with it for hours. I've heard to let it warm up to room temperature before booting it, though, which seems reasonable.</p>
<p>Is putting in my backpack enough to keep it sufficiently warm so that it won't cause damage (even if it could), especially at those below zero temperatures? Does anyone else have experience with this they can share? Should I take extra steps to keep it warm outside, like put in a case, then in my backpack?</p>
<p>i would initially think about the battery needing to be warmed up, but some people store batteries in the freezer BUT they let them warm up first. I'd wrap your laptop in a towel or something... just so it doesn't get below freezing or so.</p>
<p>it'll probably be fine, but your battery might have a reduced life, or your laptop just won't start up until the battery has warmed up</p>
<p>i'd ask a fellow wisconsonian or whatever you guys call yourselves... perhaps a senior who's had a laptop for a while?
we don't have much experience with freezing temps where i live</p>
<p>I don’t see how wrapping your computer in anything will make it warm. Isn’t the whole idea behind a blanket to keep heat from escaping? Even if the laptop was just on, they lose heat incredibly fast, that’s what they are designed to do.</p>
<p>The cold will most likely have no affect on the laptop besides probably the battery like it was said above.</p>
<p>Yes, that is the whole idea. However, if the laptop is at room temperature, it still has a higher temperature than the presumably freezing temperatures of the environment, so heat will still flow from the laptop to the environment until the laptop is as cold as the environment. A blanket will help prevent this (or, rather, slow it down). Just because the laptop is at room temperature doesn’t mean it can’t lose heat.</p>
<p>Also, laptops may be designed to lose heat fast through fans and exhausts, but that heat will still go into the environment around the laptop. If the blanket were kept around it, it would prevent that heat from going much further away, thus keeping the laptop warm. Same as real blankets keep the heat around us.</p>
<p>Still, I agree with thisdude415 that you should aks somebody with more experience than you. To be perfectly honest, I don’t know if Wisconsin cold can damage a computer, and, if so, what is the best and most efficient way of preventing such damage.</p>
<p>A blanket wouldn’t help unless it was in the blanket when it was on and that is a terrible idea. No matter how cold it is out if the intake areas are blocked you run the risk of your laptop overheating and destroying internal components.</p>
<p>I checked the operating temperature specs for the WD Scorpio notebook drive and it said 5-60 degrees C. So your concern is warranted. It may be that there isn’t a problem but I usually like to follow manufacturers specs with my equipment.</p>
<p>I guess one solution would be to use a solid-state drive when they get big enough and cheap enough. I don’t have a real solution at this time.</p>
<p>Those are the operating temperature specs though. Surely the computer isn’t operating when he’s hauling it from class to class? He might have to wait a couple minutes for the computer to warm up to 5 degrees C before turning it on once he’s in side though.</p>
<p>The major thing I would be worried about is not the cold, but the condensation. If you let the laptop get a bit chilly inside, then bring it inside and start it up (so air begins moving through it) then the warm air will cause moisture to condensate on the cold metal inside. Water+electronics = no-no.</p>
<p>After its been powered on for a minute everything should be fine. Even laptops produce enough heat to warm everything up very fast.</p>
<p>On the other hand, blanket is a worse idea (while the laptop is on). However, a padded laptop case (for use only while it is OFF) would probably keep it warm enough to carry between buildings. Otherwise, it is worth waiting for it to warm a bit to at least above freezing before starting it.</p>