Hi Folks,
An off-topic question, but you hardware experts may help!
On some laptops, the external mains supply passes through an external transformer and it is the reduced voltage which is plugged in to the laptop.
On others, the mains lead is plugged directly into the laptop, and the voltage reduction is done internally.
In the former case, heat generated in the reduction is dissipated externally, while in the latter it has to escape from the interior of the laptop.
So, other things being equal, one would expect the latter kind to run hotter than the former.
This certainly seems to correspond to my experience. I have had 4 (ancient) laptops, 3 still working. One of these has the mains plugged in directly, the others all have an external transformer.
I have never had heating concerns with the ones which have external transformers, while the "internal" one does run pretty warm, and periodically exhibits screen-flashing/breakup (especially when running "graphics heavy", as in X with lots of re-draw).
Since this can often be cured by switching to a console and pressing a tiny button, which blanks the screen, for a few seconds, and also seems more prevalent in warm weather,I wonder if this is associated with overheating of the graphics chip.
(There is an internal fan, which cuts in occasionally, but it seems to be a sleepy bugger and doesn't often wake up ... )
Any comments welcome, and will be read with interest!
Best wishes to all, Ted.
-------------------------------------------------------------------- E-Mail: (Ted Harding) Ted.Harding@nessie.mcc.ac.uk Fax-to-email: +44 (0)870 094 0861 Date: 09-Sep-05 Time: 08:17:31 ------------------------------ XFMail ------------------------------