13 Laptop Myths You Should Never Know About

1. Do you need a laptop cooling pad

Many owners of powerful laptops are convinced that they just need such a thing. And at first glance, cooling pads really seem useful: in addition to fans, they sometimes have additional USB ports, height adjustment, and sometimes built-in speakers.

But this gadget does nothing about the causes of overheating: it is usually caused by dust-clogged radiators or dry thermal paste on the processor and video card. The stand will not help here: maintenance and cleaning of the laptop is necessary.

And even if the heatsinks are perfectly clean, the effect of a cooling pad is usually negligible.

The authors of the popular Jarrod'sTech channel experienced a dozen of these gadgets and found out that the cold air streams created by them reduce the temperature of the components by only 3-5 ° C. And the tests of the edition Laptop Mag showedthat cooling pads have virtually no effect on performance - they only create extra noise.

It makes sense to buy this device in order to more comfortably place the laptop on the table - for example, to raise the keyboard so that the hands rest more comfortably on it. It is also convenient to use the stands as a USB hub, connecting external speakers, mice, keyboards and other peripherals to them. It is not necessary to wait for a significant decrease in temperature from a pair of fans under the bottom of the laptop.

2. Do you need an external laptop cooler

Another original device that manufacturers are trying to sell to laptop owners is an external cooling cooler. It connects via USB and allegedly draws hot air through the grilles.

But in reality, it's completely useless. Fans in laptop stands blow all over the bottom and still do not lead to a significant decrease in temperature. And a tiny cooler installed on the side will only create wasted noise. The stand, at least, will help to place the device more conveniently on the table.

If your laptop is getting hot and noisy, it's best to invest in maintaining it, cleaning it, and replacing the thermal paste.

3. Laptops can't be upgraded

Enthusiasts building their own PCs take pride in the fact that their machines are upgradeable. If necessary, you can replace the processor, video card, add memory - in general, add vigor to the system. Laptops are reproached for the lack of such capabilities, because their CPU and GPU chips are soldered directly on the board. Sometimes the same applies to the SSD. And even the RAM is non-removable here.

Previously, in some devices it was quite possible to replace the processor with a more modern one, but those days are long gone.

But the claim that laptops are not upgradeable at all is false. In most of them, you can replace the RAM with larger modules. Also, if you have a budget laptop with hard drive, replacing the HDD with a solid state drive (SSD) will greatly improve the operating system boot speed and performance. In many devices, you can also replace the existing SSD and HDD with more serious models.

Finally, some laptops allow you to replace the built-in Wi-Fi adapter with a faster one. Yes, and the battery, even at home, it is quite possible to install a new one to extend the battery life.

4. Can't overclock laptops

When it comes to overclocking (or, as they say, overclocking), people usually think about desktop PCs assembled by enthusiasts, but not about laptops. As already mentioned, the processor and video card cannot be replaced in them, since they are integrated into the motherboard. However, this does not mean that it will not be possible to improve their performance.

For example, you can overclock even mobile graphics cards using specialized programs such as MSI Afterburner. And free utilities CPU‑Z And SetFSB can be used to increase the frequency of the processor. This will lead to improved computing and graphics performance. And also - it will increase heat dissipation, so make sure that the laptop has been tested, cleaned of dust, and thermal paste he has a fresh one.

Processor acceleration can lead to undesirable consequences - system instability and increased power consumption. But if you look for instructions for your model and follow them, then everything will be fine.

And yes, even a simple setting in the “Power Options” section of the “High Performance” option can seriously speed up the laptop. The main thing is that at the same time it is connected to the network, otherwise the battery will quickly sit down.

5. An external graphics card will turn any laptop into a gaming one.

An external graphics processing unit (eGPU) is a device that can be connected to a laptop via Thunderbolt or USB‑C to improve graphics performance. In fact, this is a box with a power supply, where it is inserted video card for desktop PCs. The load from the integrated graphics is transferred to it, plus you can connect an external display to it. It's good.

Are you already dreaming how you will play all the top news on your MacBook just by picking up a brand new NVIDIA 4080 and a 4K monitor via Type‑C? Take your time.

eGPUs are quite expensive. You can spend several hundred dollars just for a docking station, not to mention the cost of the graphics card itself. A top-end external graphics accelerator will not be much cheaper than building a full-fledged gaming PC.

In addition, external GPUs cannot match the performance of desktop graphics cards. The fact is that Thunderbolt or USB-C ports cannot transfer data as fast as PCIe slots in a desktop PC. As shown experiments enthusiasts from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, even the fastest external ports are still 15 percent slower than the good old PCIe. If you're using a laptop display rather than an external monitor, double this number.

Yes, there are compatibility issues. It often happens that certain docking stations are suitable only for video cards of special brands. Or they have problems with drivers and correct hardware recognition.

Finally, desktop components can be updated as needed. And with an external GPU, you'll be limited by the capabilities of your laptop or docking station. It can easily happen that the processor or its interface with the eGPU will become a bottleneck, and part of the power of your cool video card will be idle.

In general, buying an external graphics card for a laptop may simply be unjustified. Assembly your PC is always easier and more reliable.

6. The laptop video camera must be sealed with electrical tape

Many people do just that. Why, Mark Zuckerberg himself, in ancient times, slept on the fact that he glued the webcam of his MacBook. Manufacturers have also sensed the trend - on the market you can see laptop models with a special curtain.

In general, this is not entirely a myth, since in theory it is really possible to hack a webcam.

But the likelihood that most users will experience this is extremely low. Therefore, wait a little while buying scotch tape or ordering stickers.

Most devices have activity indicators that show when the camera is in use. These indicators are soldered on the board, and a hacker will not be able to remotely disable them. That is, you will always know when the camera is filming you.

In addition, it is not necessary to disfigure a laptop with electrical tape - you can disable the camera programmatically, as described in our article. leadership. In addition, many operating systems have settings that allow you to control which applications have access to it. You can give it only to those programs that you trust.

Finally, for most hackers, the average user is of little interest. Although webcam hacking is theoretically possible, it requires significant effort and resources and is unlikely to be used against you. But if an attacker has already gained access to your equipment, he will be able not only to write videos, but also listen to you through microphones and view your files, so duct tape will not save here.

However, if you regularly update your operating system and do not install suspicious software, everything will be fine.

7. X-ray scanners at airports erase data on laptops

Sounds threatening, right? It is no coincidence that security officers ask you to remove laptops, hard drives and other electronics from your bag before the search!

In fact, airport scanners do not erase data on laptops or other electronic devices. This is an old myth. It arose due to the fact that X-rays could damage undeveloped photographic films.

If you're using a soapbox the old-fashioned way, you should strain yourself, but the owners of digital devices have nothing to worry about.

Modern airport security scanners use low-intensity X-rays, which harmless for electronics. The hard drives and solid state drives in your devices are not affected.

The reason airport security asks you to remove laptops and other electronics from bags is due to the fact that these devices may not be transparent enough for x-rays and can obscure other items.

At all, radiation the impact you exposed during a flight in the cabin, far exceeds what you get during an x-ray scan. However, even it remains safe for most people and their electronics.

8. The higher the laptop screen resolution, the better

Nowadays, no one is surprised by screens with a resolution of 2K and 4K. It would seem that more is better. But in the case of a laptop, a high screen resolution is not always a blessing.

Firstly, this means an increased load on the video card and increased power consumption. If battery life is critical to you, it's best to opt for a laptop with a lower screen resolution to maximize battery life.

Secondly, on a screen diagonal of 15-17 inches, the difference between 4K and FHD (1920 × 1080) will be imperceptible for most people. In the case of a TV with a large diagonal, increased image clarity is necessary so that the picture is not pixelated. But for laptops that usually stand right in front of us, in games and multimedia applications on a relatively small screen, you may not see a significant increase in image quality.

Devices with high resolution screens usually cost significantly more. And if you do not need it for specific tasks or professional use - like drawing, rendering images with a lot of details, or digitally sculpting complex objects, when choosing a laptop, it would be wiser to invest in a more powerful video card or processor, rather than in a fancy screen.

9. You need to remove the battery if the laptop is constantly connected to the network

This is a fairly common opinion. Many people use their laptops as desktop computers and keep them connected to the network at all times. From this mode of operation, the battery allegedly quickly degrades and becomes unusable, so it is better to disconnect it and keep it separately. Some extreme people even offer store lithium-ion batteries for laptops and smartphones in the refrigerator (don't do this, seriously).

This theory was especially popular when most laptops had removable batteries that could be removed without disassembling the device. But even now they remember her.

In general, keeping a laptop on charge all the time is really not worth it. Let's see why.

Yes, older batteries based on nickel cadmium or nickel metal hydride cells suffered from the so-called "memory effect", which led to a loss of capacity during incomplete discharge. However, modern lithium-ion and lithium-polymer batteries are not affected by this effect and can function normally at any charge level.

What is really for them dangerous, so this is a recharge or, conversely, a deep discharge. However, both of these states are prevented by the built-in battery controllers. If your laptop is 100% charged, the controller will simply turn off recharging automatically, and the laptop will work from the network.

But if the laptop is constantly connected to the network and the battery is in a fully charged state, this can really lead to a reduction in the overall life of the battery. Under such conditions, it is under a higher voltage and is exposed to increased temperature.

Luckily, you don't have to plug and unplug your laptop's power plug by hand all the time. It is enough to use the battery management utilities offered by most laptop manufacturers, such as Lenovo Vantage or Dell Power Manager.

These programs allow you to set a charge threshold to extend battery life. Look in them for an option called "Primary power from the mains" or something like that. Similar settings can be found in the device's BIOS. Activate setting, and you don't have to worry about forgetting to unplug the power plug.

10. Laptop can be vacuumed

On the Internet you can find a considerable number of life hacks on how to clean a laptop. For example, it supposedly can be vacuumed. Bring the handset to the keyboard or press it against the radiator grilles, and in a minute your device will sparkle! Or not? In fact, this can lead to several problems.

Vacuum cleaners are capable of generating static electricity, and you run the risk of shorting out the electronic components of the motherboard. In addition, strong airflow can damage or even rip out small components or pins inside the laptop.

Finally, a vacuum cleaner may not completely clean the dust inside the system, but simply move it around, which will not solve cooling problems.

Instead of using a vacuum cleaner to clean the vents and laptop keyboard, it is better to use a can of compressed air. If there is too much inside the laptop dust, you will have to open the case and clean its insides yourself with a brush, and not rely on a vacuum cleaner.

11. Gaming laptops handle games as well as desktop PCs

Many inexperienced users buy a gaming laptop with the expectation that it will provide them with desktop-level performance of a similar configuration. It would seem that if both the laptop and the PC have the same CPU - the same Intel Core i-7, and the same video card like NVIDIA 4070, they should work the same. Is not it so? Actually, no.

Gaming laptops tend to be inferior to similarly configured desktop PCs for several reasons.

First of all, in a laptop, the components are located closer together, and there is less free air to cool them. Even the smallest SFF PC cases are bigger and ventilate better.

In addition, due to size and thermal constraints, laptops use less powerful versions of processor and graphics chips. Mobile processors heat up faster and lower the frequency at which they operate, while laptop graphics cards have fewer cores and lower frequencies than their desktop counterparts. Sometimes performance difference comes up to 30% not in favor of laptops.

In addition, as mentioned above, desktop PCs are easy to upgrade by replacing and updating components as needed. Laptops, on the other hand, have limited upgrade options.

In general, if your goal is to get the most performance for your price, your choice is a desktop PC. Another thing is that a laptop provides mobility, so if you need to have a powerful configuration and have to move often, a gaming laptop is everything.

12. Gaming laptops are only for gaming

Usually, when people hear the phrase "laptop for gamers", they think of a toy that is not needed for serious work. But this is an absolute fallacy.

Gaming laptops are equipped with high-performance processors, large amounts of RAM and powerful graphics cards. Their iron is much better than that of representatives of the so-called business segment.

This makes them ideal for demanding tasks such as video editing, 3D modeling, working with large datasets, and more.

In addition, due to their large size compared to low-power laptops, gaming solutions usually have more ports and connectors. This may be helpful if you need to plug a lot of external devices: additional monitors, keyboards, mice, tablets for drawing and 3D modeling, or even VR helmets.

Of course, the design of some gaming laptops may seem a little extravagant for professional work. You definitely don't want to show off the bright RGB backlighting of your keyboard during a business meeting or project presentation. But, fortunately, such elements can be easily disabled.

In addition, many of today's gaming laptops offer a minimalist design that won't look out of place in an office or business meeting.

13. With a gaming laptop you can play on the go

It would seem that a gaming laptop implies the ability to play away from home, but this is not so. Powerful processors and graphics accelerators consume a lot of energy, and as a result, the real time of the game rarely exceeds half an hour or an hour.

Of course, in low power mode on such a laptop, it will be possible to work six, and eight, and more hours. But it is to work, not to play.

In general, if you want to have fun in train or on a plane, get a handheld console like the Nintendo Switch or Steam Deck. They are smaller, lighter and have longer battery life.