Mobile phone, TV, laptop: How to protect your electronic devices from heat?

In this half of November, Brazil is experiencing its eighth heat of 2023, with extreme temperatures across the country. While the capital São Paulo recorded 37°C today (14), it reached 40°C in Rio de Janeiro (with a thermal sensation of 52°C) and 35°C in Brasília. In cities in the centre-west, north and northeast, thermometers exceeded 42°C.

With so many hot places, people suffer if they don’t drink enough water and properly protect themselves from the sun’s rays. But just like the human body. Heat also affects electronic products.

It is also very important to be careful because increasing the temperature of the devices can pose health risks. Besides the possibility of causing malfunctions that render equipment unusable, the high temperature of laptops, for example, can burn human skin.

Despite a relatively low incidence, electronic devices can even cause explosions when they get too hot. Many of the recorded explosion cases were caused by charging smartphones and the batteries caught fire due to increased heat.

For this reason TecMundo We have listed tips for you to take care of your electronic devices during this very hot period in Brazil.

Mobile phones

Mobile phones that are used even when plugged in while charging remain in the hands of many people for a very long time. This constant and almost uninterrupted use naturally causes the device to heat up, especially if it is doing heavy work such as video or gaming. Check out the tips for the main smartphone models on the market below:

SAMSUNG

In its blog, Samsung explains some of the factors that contribute to the increase in temperature of Galaxy devices. Reasons include: Using the devices in an environment with temperatures above the recommended temperature (between 0 and 35 degrees Celsius)Do not leave the device close to heat sources such as the sun, and also use unofficial cables and sources.

If your Galaxy device’s temperature rises too much in the heat, here’s what you can do:

• Turn off Wi-Fi, GPS and Bluetooth functions when not in use;
• Reduce screen brightness;
• Optimize the phone to minimize the heat generated by applications that put pressure on the processor and drain the battery;
• Enable the “Background usage limits” option.

Apple

Apple also recommends using iPhone only in locations where the temperature is between 0 and 35 °C.. If the environment is hotter than this, for example, the mobile phone battery may be permanently damaged.

But to avoid more serious problems Apple builds protections into its devices to prevent overheating. This means that if the internal temperature exceeds the normal operating temperature, the device will try to regulate the temperature and protect the internal components.

If your iPhone gets too hot, it will go into a mode where you can no longer use your phone except for emergency calls.. To use the device again as soon as possible, turn it off, place it in a cooler temperature environment (not in direct contact with sunlight) and let it cool down.

Xiaomi

Xiaomi explains on its official website that despite using high-end displays, mobile phones can get hot in summer or when used under the sun. Devices should not exceed 30°Crecommends the company.

Mobile phones can become hotter than normal during heavy use when using the camera, watching videos, playing games, and with GPS turned on in applications such as Waze and Google Maps.

In case of overheating, the user can manage battery and app usage by enabling MIUI developer mode.

Motorola’s

Motorola notes on the company’s support page that devices can get hot while configuring, charging, and after streaming, gaming, and running multiple apps simultaneously for long hours.

The company explains in an instructional video that, unlike computers, mobile phones do not have powerful fans to reduce the temperature, for example. For this reason, Motorola devices are designed to shut down if they overheat.

When temperatures increase, Motorola devices automatically reduce performance, reduce screen brightness, and stop charging. If the device continues to heat up, the brand recommends turning off the mobile phone to close possible applications running in the background.

televisions

Televisions should be placed in airy places with good ventilation.. It is also important that the devices are not exposed to direct sunlight.

Typically, televisions need to be placed in environments where the temperature is between 0°C and 40°C. If the environment is hotter than this, parts of the device may have burned or stopped working.

Another important point is maintenance and cleaning. One of the reasons for the temperature increase in electronic devices is lack of cleaning and accumulation of dust. In addition to making ventilation difficult, dust can stick to the internal plates and cause overheating, resulting in a short circuit.

Video games

Video games are devices that need special care during very hot periods, as it is very common for people to use them for several hours at a time. Like all devices, they are It should not be left in places that are stuffy, very hot and exposed to sunlight..

Regarding the temperature limits of consoles:

• Nintendo recommends: The switch remains in environments where the maximum temperature is 35°C;
• Sony states in the manuals: PS5 normal operating temperature is 5°C to 35°C;
• For Xbox Series X/S, normal operating temperature is also between 5°C and 35°C.

In this period when the sun spares no one, you need to pay attention to the sound the console makes. If the noise is too loud, the device may be full of dust and become hotter than it should.

Notebooks

Despite their ease of portability, laptops suffer from what should only be a benefit. Because of the possibility of moving the device from one place to another, many people use the computer in less than ideal locations.

Just like desktop computers, laptops have vents to dissipate the heat generated by internal components. But what happens is that many people You accidentally cover the air vent on your devices and this, combined with the heat in Brazil, can cause overheating..

For this reason, It is strongly recommended that laptops are not used on non-smooth surfaces such as beds, sofas, carpets, or on your lap..

Other tips such as keeping the device away from sunlight, keeping it in environments between 0°C and 40°C, and taking care to remove dust also apply.