laptop Archives - Rick's Daily Tips

Q&A: Will leaving the lid open 24/7 damage my laptop?

Posted on March 5, 2026

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Question from Mark: I have a four month old Acer Nitro Gaming Laptop with a 32 inch gaming monitor connected and set as the primary display.

I use the external monitor for my games. The laptop’s built-in screen is always open with my email and a few other apps open on it.

What I need to know is could leaving the lid open all the time damage the laptop in any way? [Read more…]

How to charge any laptop (or most any other gadget) with your car

Posted on January 9, 2026

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These days it’s hard to imagine taking a long drive without having a car charger on board to keep the battery in your cell phone topped off.

But what about your laptop?

While some modern laptops can be charged with a standard USB-type car charger and a compatible cable, there are plenty of others that can only be charged using the AC power brick that came with the laptop. [Read more…]

Q&A: Can you give me advice on choosing a new laptop?

Posted on December 22, 2025

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Question from Janessa: My company allots every employee $1000 every 2 years to buy a new laptop, and I have until January 28 to pick one out and put in the request for it.

I’ve checked out some laptops online and I’m really confused about what I should buy. Even though the company is paying for it, this laptop will be mine to keep. The problem is there are so many to choose from!

Can you point me in the right direction? [Read more…]

Here’s a great tip for conserving the battery charge on your laptop

Posted on December 18, 2025

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Like many laptop owners, you probably put your machine into sleep mode every time you shut the lid to transport it to a new location.

But if you constantly find yourself having to deal with a low battery, there is a better way. Hibernate your laptop instead! [Read more…]

Q&A: Will a computer tech be able to see my personal photos?

Posted on November 26, 2025

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Question from Kristen: The hard drive in my laptop has stopped working and I need to take it somewhere to have it fixed.

I’ve been taking your advice about creating regular System Image backups and I have a fairly recent backup they can use to restore everything once the bad hard drive is replaced.

What worries me is I have a lot of really personal photos that were backed up along with everything else. Will a tech be able to see them? [Read more…]