Computers are expensive, gaming PC’s especially can run a pretty budget when you are including all the bells and whistles. Naturally, you want to gain the most out of your financial investment for the longest period of time. If you’re looking to increase the lifespan of your gaming PC, you should know about a few factors that can affect this.
Dust
Dust is probably one of the most common problems associated with reducing the lifespan of a computer. Dust can cause issues with how the various components are functioning and lead to wear and tear in the future. You should attempt to open up your computer’s tower once or twice a year (more often if you experience lots of dust), in order to clean off all of the components. This might be why tower models that allow you to visualize the inside components are becoming so popular. Sure they let you show off your PC’s hardware, but you are far more motivated to keep it clean when you know eyes are watching.
Excessive Moisture
Moisture and electronics just don’t go together, and while waterproof phones are becoming more popular than ever, I don’t see this happening for PC’s anytime soon. If you live in an area that experiences high levels of humidity this can be a problem. Basements are also notorious for having high humidity levels, although this website provides information on dehumidifiers for this purpose. There’s really not much else you can do but use a dehumidifier in order to tackle high levels of humidity. Your PC will thank you for a dry environment by having an elongated lifespan.
Gaming Laptop Batteries
If you are gaming on a laptop for mobility, the highest concern you will have is taking care of the battery. Batteries require a bit of care, but there’s been many myths purported about how their health can be affected. For instance, some believe that overcharging your battery is bad for your batteries health, but it’s not. If the battery is fully charged your PC is likely going to use the running power supply instead of “overcharging”. However, allowing your battery to run out consistently is going to negatively impact its health.
High temperatures can also create a casualty and reduce the amount of charge a battery can hold over a period of time. If you’re seen “fast” charging accessories, those will decrease its lifespan as well. While batteries aren’t technically the entire PC itself, they do run a hefty price tag and are worth a mention.
Overheating
Ventilation, ventilation, ventilation (did I mention ventilation?). This is super important to any device you’re using, whether it be a PC, PS4, or Xbox One. Ventilation is commonly thought of as a way of deterring dust, so many people don’t worry about ventilation as long as they’re cleaning their PC frequently. While cleaning your PC often is a great habit to get into, it doesn’t mean that you are tackling any overheating issues. Gaming PC’s run hotter than their counterparts, and even though there’s a ton of tech put in them to keep temperatures down, it doesn’t mean you should sacrifice ventilation. Excessive heating will put a damper on your components and lead to wear and tear over time. Having a rotating fan directed towards your PC isn’t a bad way to reduce heat, but it may increase the levels of dust in the device.
A Fragmented Hard Drive
When your PC initially starts saving files, it’s saving files over miscellaneous spaces all over the place. Given time, this can cause your PC to take longer to reach those files, and depending on the file this can reduce performance. Defragmenting your hard drive is an easy process that collects the saved files and keeps them together, reducing the amount of space between them. Consequently this leads to increased performance as your PC doesn’t need to work as hard in order to reach those files. If you’ve had your PC for a few years and haven’t defragmented your hard drive, it’s probably due time to get it done.
Computer’s are kind of like pets, they need a little love and care, but as long as you’re treating them well they will treat you well. If you’re not a huge PC geek, don’t be afraid to get some help from professionals or family when you need it. If you’re unsure of how to open your PC to clean it, there’s tons of tutorials on Youtube, and your user manual may have instructions. Enjoy your gaming, and enjoy a PC that will last you your money’s worth.
