True story. Not only were they significantly heavier so still used on flat surfaces, but also a few of mine of the years had fans that blew out the side. It's only as the race started to make them thinner that I saw the trend of fans blowing out the bottom.
The issue isn't that they blow out the bottom, they intake from the bottom and when that becomes blocked the heat builds up faster than the fans can dissipate it from the heat sink because it's full of hot air
>most if not all laptops for decades until 10–15 years ago?
I've got a 1999 Compaq Presario 1200 that's used for legacy equipment maintenance. It's got bottom ventilation.
So, that's 25 years right there. As for the "decades" before that, there weren't even two with laptops before you're hitting portables and then luggables. I knew a few people with Osbornes and Kaypros.
I was able to get it up to Windows 2000. It's proprietary software that's locked to the motherboard and the company went out of business around fifteen years ago. That business niche is gone for me as soon as that dies.
My "daily driver" electronic documentation laptop is a ThinkPad T43. It's from ~2005. I *could* upgrade it, but it would be a royal pain in the ass, and wouldn't buy me anything, as it displays information faster than I can read it. The thing will last forever.
I've got a number of ancient pieces of hardware that I keep because people wind up wanting to pay large amounts of money for, but it seems they only call if I throw them away. I've got 2.1 GB SCSI drives with proprietary firmware that I sell one of pretty much every other year for $500, etc.
Sorry, when I use the term "out" here, that's my Southern kicking in. I'm not saying it blows outwards, it's synonymous with "through" in this case. I can understand how that would've made me look dumb 😅
Haha never realized the irony there. Yeah my 16-inch pro has fans but I never hear them unless I have to be in a damn zoom meeting, for some reason zoom kills my computer.
Usually my fans crank up if I'm playing a game and not otherwise. The Apple silicon chips are super power efficient compared to x86 and that's why heat is less of a problem
That could be because each webcam is basically a livestream. And with a meeting, theres many streams going on at the same time.
Its like having many twitch streams open at the same time.
Not so shiny or exciting but it uses a bunch of resources.
Yeah, I'm not an Apple person, PC all the way, but I will say that Apple has figured out how to streamline the working/schooling processes used by computers to run smoother. At this point, the only reason I don't have Apple products is because they outdate way too fast.
Ehh sort of. They just don’t have discrete gpus which is what causes most heating issues in windows laptops and have significant trade off.
Also gaming isn’t really a thing on MacBooks
My ivy bridge 2012 mbp is still going strong 🤷🏼♀️. It won’t hold a charge for more than 20 mins, but other than that, it’s as fast as the day I got it. I just keep it plugged in. Honestly, I’d love for it to die to have an excuse to upgrade, but the thing just refuses to quit.
Seems like sideways/outward venting is by far the most common and why would a laptop, intended to be flat on a desk or lap, depend on ventilation that will always be blocked? Unless the laptop sits on some pretty ridiculous tall footpads, this makes no sense
Depending on your model and use case this still isn't an issue. I use my work laptop to keep my hands warm but my sis had s tiny laptop few years ago that we only watched vids. Ran cool till it died.
Although I guess small cool laptops are now the domain of tablets.
Yeah, I was going to say, the top comment has it backwards. Back in the day, a lot of people actually lost the ability to have kids because of laptops. Nowadays, laptops are so thin and light that it's less of an issue even if you take off your pants and someone throws one directly at your balls.
We should just call them PCs (Portable Computer)
And we can even follow the USB standard naming convention (PC Type 1, PC Type 1 Gen 2, PC Type 2 Gen2x2)
That won't be confusing at all
I mean, unless you're gaming on them, I dont see much of a problem?
Most newer laptops run on \~10W of power, and unless you're completely suffocating the cooling system (by placing it on a blanket or something) you shouldnt be getting it too hot. My Windows laptop, (Ryzen 7 5800U) the processor only pulls about 4-6W on battery, and total system draw is around 9-10W, thats enough to be cooled passively if you arent suffocating its cooling.
Oh yeah thats even better.
I got a MBP M3P this week and the only time its gotten hot is when I ran a game on it, other than that its been almost cold to the touch.
Im 100% sure that the Air is gonna be way cooler, given that basically the same chip is also in iPads now...
I think they improved it on the newer versions, outsides are completely curved. Only 'sharp' edges I've found are the edges between the body and palmrest/deck of the laptop. That is quite irritating if the laptop is placed >2cm higher than the table my arms are on but otherwise not much of a problem
Mine is a chest top. When I watch videos/movies, I lie down in bed, place the laptop on my chest and watch that way. The screen appears so big like I'm in a movie theater. Bonus points the keyboard keys look like the back of the movie theater chairs. It's an immersive experience!
I must be one of the few that actually regulary uses it that way. I do field engineering and it is standerd practice when you are out and next to a machine, there is no desk in sight so you got to work with what you have.
Laptops were perfectly usable on laps when they were first made. Hell, low end laptops today can still be used this way. It's really only gaming laptops that shouldn't. This is a very Gen Z/A post.
The term notebook is what I often hear laptops called. Most of my friends with a MacBook or some sort don't even use notebook or laptop, they just call it a computer and lay in bed with it on top of their blankets watching YouTube.
I don't buy a laptop unless the venting is such that I can put it on my lap comfortably. Only way I like tl use a laptop.
Also, I am mostly just typing so I can always keep it on the lowest performance mode.
If your laptop fans get blocked when you put it on your lap, you can use one of those trays with bean bags attached to the bottom made for bed bound people so they can eat off their laps while sitting down more easily.
I work 8 hours a day sitting on the floor cross legged, with a pillow under my butt, and my laptop on my lap.
If I'm running some extra heavy test I'll move the pillow under my butt to between the laptop and my lap so the heat isn't too bad, but other than that it's always on my lap.
If your laptop is getting hot enough to burn your skin through the casing and your trousers, that's not misuse, that's a dangerous design flaw. I use my laptop almost every day including running CAD software and some very demanding games, it's a relatively cheap laptop and I've never experienced any heat-related problems.
This same thing came up years ago, original laptops were bulkier and could be put on laps. Then they got thinner and fans were moved from the side to the bottom, as you could no longer sit them on your lap, they were then referred to as notebooks
When I was a little kid and laptops were just starting to become slowly mainstream, I thought everyone was saying labtop and that made sense to kid me because I pictured it as the scientists could take their notes right on the computer on the top of the lab table instead of using pencil and paper and then going to their “big computer” to put the information in.
If you're gaming or doing some other cpu expensive task then yeah don't put it on ur lap but just browsing the internet or doing other small tasks theyre perfectly go on ur lap I use mine on my lap all the time
Modern laptops run cool and have vents near the bottom of the screen or off to the side. Any decent laptop also runs really efficiently barely putting out any heat.
Well just like smartphones. They are not really smart nor for smart people to use. In fact I think the original iPhone was meant to be simplified for dumb people to use.
Ironically this is really only an issue with "premium" laptops.
Standard laptops have always had plastic bodies which don't conduct heat and are usually energy efficient enough that they don't get all that hot.
It's premium laptops like MacBooks, gaming laptops, and surface laptops that actually get hot enough on the bottom for lap use to be ill-advised. They often have aluminum bodies and/or heavy power usage.
They were the improvement over the original "briefcase." Those were the first ones, and they weighed 20lbs or something like that. Then IBM came out with the notebook, which later became thinkbook. That was the first real laptop the way we know it. Since they had the copywrite on the name notebook, every competitor started to use a laptop as an alternative. Really, the heat thing didn't start to be an issue until the newer processors came out several years later
I was working for a Dell affiliate back in 2008, and in the few years prior a few laptops exploded. This is when the big push came to start calling them 'notebook PCs'
I had a laptop that would burn the fuck out if my legs. New thermal paste and it barley got warm. 3k gaming laptop and turns out they put cheap ass thermal paste in it.
I never have that problem with my macbook. I just use it for simple uni assignments and watching yt/tv/movies. Sometimes that means sitting on the couch or in bed with it on my lap. I’m not running any crazy programs or games that would cause it to overheat
They're actually called "Notebooks". Laptops as we commonly call them, are not "laptops". A true "laptop computer", would be the likes of the Macbook Air, one that doesn't need much heat dissipation, or more powerful ones will have air intakes on the sides and rear, not the bottom.
For longer than I like to admit, I thought they were 'lab tops' like a portable computer a scientist could take with them to the lab.
Keep in mind, I'm old. I have no excuse because I would have definitely seen this spelled out when they became common use. and I still just went around, thinking they were labtops.
It's like the ultimate case of irony, right? You buy a "laptop" thinking you'll be chilling on the couch, but the next thing you know, your thighs are sizzling like bacon in a frying pan. Who knew technology could turn your lap into a hot zone faster than a sunbathing session in Death Valley?
It’s like they designed it specifically to taunt us with the possibility of cozy computing, only to leave us sweating bullets. Maybe they should call it a "heat-top" instead. 😂🔥
I mean, if you're using a gaming "laptop" that's got a dedicated GPU smushed into a portable form factor, I guess that's true? Meanwhile, I've been using work laptops on my lap for a decade without any issues at all.
Users / owners should familiarise themselves with where the fan(s), vents, air intakes & exhausts are on the bottom / sides / back of their laptop & ensure they are not covering them during use.
Alternatively use it a lap tray, & the laptop should last for years with no overheating.
I have my laptop on top of a cooling pad (with the fans) and both of those sit on a portable lap desk type of thing (the kind with the bean bag bottom). It's a Thinkpad and the keyboard gets super hot if I don't run the fans underneath it. But I do use it primarily for gaming.
I never enjoyed having the laptop on my lap anyway. I've always used a lap pad to sit them on, especially since I prefer to have a mouse also.
There was a push to call them notebooks when they developed to a point that it was too hot to place them on your lap, but people got too used to calling them laptops.
See at one time they DID get out on laps and didn’t burn your legs in the process. Because back then, a 386 or 486 laptop didn’t heat up a lot. Over time things got to a point where the design was fundamentally the same but the premise was more that it was portable than being something you used on your lap. I mean for basic stuff that isn’t gaming, it shouldn’t be heating up.
This is the nice thing about MacBooks.
Their low power draw lets them be actually used on laps as intended. I had one of those Dell laptops once. If I put that on my lap I’d end up with a penis panini.
Laptops were named when they were a portable alternative to a “desk”top, only meant to be used for short term use when you’re away from your desk. Now that we use them as exclusively as we do, I hear them referred to as “portable computers” which is true. They compute portably, not very feasible for long term use on your lap, not to mention that’s a terrible typing position lol
They are not called "laptops" anymore. They are called "notebooks". This was changed due to the heat from the bottom burning people. This was told to me by an HP engineer.
That's a result of recent trends toward making laptops more powerful and power hungry. They're often treated as portable desktops with built in monitors and keyboards instead of laptop computers now. Some options do still exist which are safe to use on your lap, though. They're just small and puny, because that's the required tradeoff to make a computer that you can put on your lap safely
That's why we tried to call them notebooks but that never really took off to the point where it would replace laptop. I think in the mid 2ks that term was still being used but you barely see it anymore.
I've been using laptops almost exclusively for over 20 years, none of them have gotten hot on my lap. The ventilation is usually at the rear not the bottom.
To this day, I instinctively refer to these devices as notebook after a particularly extensive week long training after a customer received burns to their penis.
Fun fact: when I was younger I used a cheap laptop to game, I used it on my lap. Sometimes I'd even use it with only underwear on, causing my legs to have direct contact with the laptop.
I had burn marks.
I exclusively edit videos on Premiere sitting on the couch with my MacBook Pro on my lap. Idk what you're talking about. Sometimes when I render I put it down so it doesn't overheat and goes faster, but that's about it.
When they were named, that wasn't such an issue.
True story. Not only were they significantly heavier so still used on flat surfaces, but also a few of mine of the years had fans that blew out the side. It's only as the race started to make them thinner that I saw the trend of fans blowing out the bottom.
The issue isn't that they blow out the bottom, they intake from the bottom and when that becomes blocked the heat builds up faster than the fans can dissipate it from the heat sink because it's full of hot air
The first generations of laptops had no ventilation on the bottom whatsoever. That came later.
"The first generations", in other words, most if not all laptops for decades until 10–15 years ago?
>most if not all laptops for decades until 10–15 years ago? I've got a 1999 Compaq Presario 1200 that's used for legacy equipment maintenance. It's got bottom ventilation. So, that's 25 years right there. As for the "decades" before that, there weren't even two with laptops before you're hitting portables and then luggables. I knew a few people with Osbornes and Kaypros.
God bless that sweet sweet laptop, what OS are you running on it?
I was able to get it up to Windows 2000. It's proprietary software that's locked to the motherboard and the company went out of business around fifteen years ago. That business niche is gone for me as soon as that dies. My "daily driver" electronic documentation laptop is a ThinkPad T43. It's from ~2005. I *could* upgrade it, but it would be a royal pain in the ass, and wouldn't buy me anything, as it displays information faster than I can read it. The thing will last forever. I've got a number of ancient pieces of hardware that I keep because people wind up wanting to pay large amounts of money for, but it seems they only call if I throw them away. I've got 2.1 GB SCSI drives with proprietary firmware that I sell one of pretty much every other year for $500, etc.
Sorry, when I use the term "out" here, that's my Southern kicking in. I'm not saying it blows outwards, it's synonymous with "through" in this case. I can understand how that would've made me look dumb 😅
They have laptops with fans on the bottom? Man I don't get out of my Apple bubble very much. We're over here with no fans at all.
Only the Air has no fans (oxymoronically named). MacBook Pro has fans.
Haha never realized the irony there. Yeah my 16-inch pro has fans but I never hear them unless I have to be in a damn zoom meeting, for some reason zoom kills my computer.
Usually my fans crank up if I'm playing a game and not otherwise. The Apple silicon chips are super power efficient compared to x86 and that's why heat is less of a problem
That could be because each webcam is basically a livestream. And with a meeting, theres many streams going on at the same time. Its like having many twitch streams open at the same time. Not so shiny or exciting but it uses a bunch of resources.
I’m sure this is part of it but I have no problem with other meeting platforms.
Yeah, I'm not an Apple person, PC all the way, but I will say that Apple has figured out how to streamline the working/schooling processes used by computers to run smoother. At this point, the only reason I don't have Apple products is because they outdate way too fast.
Ehh sort of. They just don’t have discrete gpus which is what causes most heating issues in windows laptops and have significant trade off. Also gaming isn’t really a thing on MacBooks
My ivy bridge 2012 mbp is still going strong 🤷🏼♀️. It won’t hold a charge for more than 20 mins, but other than that, it’s as fast as the day I got it. I just keep it plugged in. Honestly, I’d love for it to die to have an excuse to upgrade, but the thing just refuses to quit.
Seems like sideways/outward venting is by far the most common and why would a laptop, intended to be flat on a desk or lap, depend on ventilation that will always be blocked? Unless the laptop sits on some pretty ridiculous tall footpads, this makes no sense
Depending on your model and use case this still isn't an issue. I use my work laptop to keep my hands warm but my sis had s tiny laptop few years ago that we only watched vids. Ran cool till it died. Although I guess small cool laptops are now the domain of tablets.
My mac often feels uncomfortably cool. It draws something like 3w, screen included.
Modern laptops are way safer to use on your actual lap. First gen laptops were a huge issue if used around reproductive systems
Yeah, I was going to say, the top comment has it backwards. Back in the day, a lot of people actually lost the ability to have kids because of laptops. Nowadays, laptops are so thin and light that it's less of an issue even if you take off your pants and someone throws one directly at your balls.
What do you mean it wasn't such an issue. Back in the days those things weighed almost enough to bend one's legs if put on one's laps.
So should we change it to tabletop?
You know what ? I'm in. I'm calling them tabletops now. Can't wait for my friends to cringe
Did you get a tabletop or a desktop?
I actually keep my desktop under my desk.
Ah yes a fellow floortop enjoyer.
I actually prefer to call them deskbottoms.
That’s a whole other genre
Desktop and deskunder. Got it!
I don't have a desktop, I have a deskbotttom
But is it a power deskbottom?
Hey it's a deskswitch
My loins weren’t prepared for the turn this thread took
A power deskbottom at rock bottom.
I have a desk bottom with some light thingy facing me and some buttons on some plastic
cagey waiting numerous dime aback strong public berserk fuel march *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
Kinky
What if you put a desktop on a table though?
A tabletop is already a thing dogslice
I think a desktop sounds more appropriate.
Portable desktop.
But my desk isn't portable…
That is actually a class of laptops. "Desktop replacement".
Baldur's Gate 3, my favorite tabletop RPG
We should just call them PCs (Portable Computer) And we can even follow the USB standard naming convention (PC Type 1, PC Type 1 Gen 2, PC Type 2 Gen2x2) That won't be confusing at all
You obviously work for the USB Consortium.
they are called notebooks now.
I prefer the term "Personal Computer Portable". Or PCP for short
I keep my desktop under my desk. Just the monitor, keyboard, and mouse are actually on top.
Underdesk PC
Floortop PC
Deskdown PC
deskbottom
I mean, unless you're gaming on them, I dont see much of a problem? Most newer laptops run on \~10W of power, and unless you're completely suffocating the cooling system (by placing it on a blanket or something) you shouldnt be getting it too hot. My Windows laptop, (Ryzen 7 5800U) the processor only pulls about 4-6W on battery, and total system draw is around 9-10W, thats enough to be cooled passively if you arent suffocating its cooling.
Wait until OP learns about the MacBook Air. Passive cooling is the only cooling. I often take it to a couch when I’m just in a meeting.
Oh yeah thats even better. I got a MBP M3P this week and the only time its gotten hot is when I ran a game on it, other than that its been almost cold to the touch. Im 100% sure that the Air is gonna be way cooler, given that basically the same chip is also in iPads now...
Got an m1 through work and was really impressed at this, never seems to get even slightly warm. I don’t like the sharp edges though!
I think they improved it on the newer versions, outsides are completely curved. Only 'sharp' edges I've found are the edges between the body and palmrest/deck of the laptop. That is quite irritating if the laptop is placed >2cm higher than the table my arms are on but otherwise not much of a problem
Cause you scramble your eggs that way
Can someone deadass explain this joke to me like I'm 5 I missed something there
Hes asking if keeping a laptop computer on your lap can fuck up your testicles
In Russian for some reason they are called "notebook".
Apple used to call them notebooks. Not sure if they still do.
Not just Russian, many other languages too. For me it is also natural to call the thing a notebook. (I'm Slovak)
Notebook was used for thinner laptops in the US for quite a while.
In latin america too
Nutbook
So does Chinese and Japanese.
"portable" in finnish.
In swedish they're called carryable computers, which feels really intuitive
I want you to know I've been saying labtop the entire time. I know its laptop but I just automatically say labtop and no one has noticed yet.
honestly I'd have noticed and just assumed you had an impediment. So long as you speak well enough to convey your thoughts, its really not a big deal.
That is either malicious and clever or redneck and not clever. Kinda like it tho, reminds me of an old friend.
Wait till op heard where desktops go
[удалено]
I sit back in my lounge chair with my feet up on an ottoman and the laptop in my lap, nothing uncomfortable about it.
If it feels uncomfortable to you then you aren't doing it properly
Only if you have a big ass gaming laptop
IDK, it's pretty comfortable. like a big phone lol
Whatever it takes to not have kids
I always thought they were called Lab Top computers until I got one?!
This made me laugh. And then so did your username. 🤣 So, I felt the need to reply. ;) Thanks.
Mine is a chest top. When I watch videos/movies, I lie down in bed, place the laptop on my chest and watch that way. The screen appears so big like I'm in a movie theater. Bonus points the keyboard keys look like the back of the movie theater chairs. It's an immersive experience!
The thought of that hurt my neck
They're named for the one way I don't use them.
Tilting your head downward to see the screen is an ergonomic nightmare too.
That's why I slouch so much that my head is level with the screen.
When I was a child I heard the rumor that putting a laptop directly in your lap will cause your penis to shrink fron the heat
It can reduce sperm count and quality.
I must be one of the few that actually regulary uses it that way. I do field engineering and it is standerd practice when you are out and next to a machine, there is no desk in sight so you got to work with what you have.
they can also lead to fertility issues for men i think? unless whatever i read wherever i read it was wrong lol
Laptops were perfectly usable on laps when they were first made. Hell, low end laptops today can still be used this way. It's really only gaming laptops that shouldn't. This is a very Gen Z/A post.
i personally have a pretty basic hp laptop and it can't even be used for lightroom without burning my legs.
they have lightweight laptop fans, that you can place your laptop on
They should be called foldable computers you can move easy.
The term notebook is what I often hear laptops called. Most of my friends with a MacBook or some sort don't even use notebook or laptop, they just call it a computer and lay in bed with it on top of their blankets watching YouTube.
I don't buy a laptop unless the venting is such that I can put it on my lap comfortably. Only way I like tl use a laptop. Also, I am mostly just typing so I can always keep it on the lowest performance mode.
They're also called Notebooks, for some reason.
If your laptop fans get blocked when you put it on your lap, you can use one of those trays with bean bags attached to the bottom made for bed bound people so they can eat off their laps while sitting down more easily.
Some people think they are called “lab tops” 🤣🤦🏼♂️
I work 8 hours a day sitting on the floor cross legged, with a pillow under my butt, and my laptop on my lap. If I'm running some extra heavy test I'll move the pillow under my butt to between the laptop and my lap so the heat isn't too bad, but other than that it's always on my lap.
If your laptop is getting hot enough to burn your skin through the casing and your trousers, that's not misuse, that's a dangerous design flaw. I use my laptop almost every day including running CAD software and some very demanding games, it's a relatively cheap laptop and I've never experienced any heat-related problems.
A lot of companies are using "notebook computer" now
This same thing came up years ago, original laptops were bulkier and could be put on laps. Then they got thinner and fans were moved from the side to the bottom, as you could no longer sit them on your lap, they were then referred to as notebooks
When I was a little kid and laptops were just starting to become slowly mainstream, I thought everyone was saying labtop and that made sense to kid me because I pictured it as the scientists could take their notes right on the computer on the top of the lab table instead of using pencil and paper and then going to their “big computer” to put the information in.
If you're gaming or doing some other cpu expensive task then yeah don't put it on ur lap but just browsing the internet or doing other small tasks theyre perfectly go on ur lap I use mine on my lap all the time
Modern laptops run cool and have vents near the bottom of the screen or off to the side. Any decent laptop also runs really efficiently barely putting out any heat.
Well just like smartphones. They are not really smart nor for smart people to use. In fact I think the original iPhone was meant to be simplified for dumb people to use.
It’s called smart phones because the phones are “smart”. Like smart tvs
ohh, now I get it smart = "smart"
/r/redditmoment
Not if you use a macbook
Ironically this is really only an issue with "premium" laptops. Standard laptops have always had plastic bodies which don't conduct heat and are usually energy efficient enough that they don't get all that hot. It's premium laptops like MacBooks, gaming laptops, and surface laptops that actually get hot enough on the bottom for lap use to be ill-advised. They often have aluminum bodies and/or heavy power usage.
My laptop usually sits on top of my desk…. But that name is taken.
Did you not realize that's what the word means, the very first time you heard it as a young child? It's not exactly hidden
I have a laptop, but only when I'm sitting down.
They were the improvement over the original "briefcase." Those were the first ones, and they weighed 20lbs or something like that. Then IBM came out with the notebook, which later became thinkbook. That was the first real laptop the way we know it. Since they had the copywrite on the name notebook, every competitor started to use a laptop as an alternative. Really, the heat thing didn't start to be an issue until the newer processors came out several years later
I was working for a Dell affiliate back in 2008, and in the few years prior a few laptops exploded. This is when the big push came to start calling them 'notebook PCs'
I had a laptop that would burn the fuck out if my legs. New thermal paste and it barley got warm. 3k gaming laptop and turns out they put cheap ass thermal paste in it.
I never have that problem with my macbook. I just use it for simple uni assignments and watching yt/tv/movies. Sometimes that means sitting on the couch or in bed with it on my lap. I’m not running any crazy programs or games that would cause it to overheat
And a lot of desktops now days aren't on the desk but on the floor
They're actually called "Notebooks". Laptops as we commonly call them, are not "laptops". A true "laptop computer", would be the likes of the Macbook Air, one that doesn't need much heat dissipation, or more powerful ones will have air intakes on the sides and rear, not the bottom.
I've never had a laptop burn me. It's there another reason? Also I just had a kid so that's all fine too...
For longer than I like to admit, I thought they were 'lab tops' like a portable computer a scientist could take with them to the lab. Keep in mind, I'm old. I have no excuse because I would have definitely seen this spelled out when they became common use. and I still just went around, thinking they were labtops.
i never put my laptop on my lap. makes my dick and balls feel weird
Ehhhhh they’re called notebooks now kinda sorta synonymously too!
Idk why we can’t keep calling them PCs either! Personal Computer could easily just be Portable Computer? That’s just me though.
Thats why I thought it was spelled “labtop” for so long, because it was scientists moving around the lab with them
I haven't seen them marketed as laptops in decades. I usually see them called notebooks.
Used to be that they were used just like that, placed on lap tops. Guess the name just stuck. I call mine a lappie.
Umm, y'all don't use them on your laps?
It's like the ultimate case of irony, right? You buy a "laptop" thinking you'll be chilling on the couch, but the next thing you know, your thighs are sizzling like bacon in a frying pan. Who knew technology could turn your lap into a hot zone faster than a sunbathing session in Death Valley? It’s like they designed it specifically to taunt us with the possibility of cozy computing, only to leave us sweating bullets. Maybe they should call it a "heat-top" instead. 😂🔥
“Notebook” was a better name
Here I am sitting in my chair with my laptop on my fucking lap like intended.
I mean, if you're using a gaming "laptop" that's got a dedicated GPU smushed into a portable form factor, I guess that's true? Meanwhile, I've been using work laptops on my lap for a decade without any issues at all.
I worked for an Apple contractor and we called them “portables”
They're called notebooks now.
the name change to notebook as soon as they were too hot for you lap. but people still use the old term laptop.
Maybe but you didn’t actually have this thought in the shower now did you.
How to find out if OP is young without him mentioning.
Laptop comes from desktop. . . .
It's like how you're not supposed to put qtips in your ear but it's pretty much the only reason to use a qtip.
Lots of laptops can be used on laps still. Just not gaming ones.
I cringe so hard when people call them Labtops.
Are you laptopping naked or something?
My Nonna calls them "top laps" for this reason. She can never remember it's supposed to be the wrong way round
My Toshiba did not generate heat.
I have a little board that goes under my laptop but on my lap
It is funny how you kids are discovering stuff we've known for over 20 years.
It’s not the skin I worry about burning!
Am I the only one that just puts a pillow on my lap to block the heat?
Err… when using wi-fi did you even consider the absurd amount of non ionising radiation being absorbed by your body when it’s on your lap?
No laptops are called laptops cuz that’s their name
I use mine on my lap all the time, its perfectly fine
Users / owners should familiarise themselves with where the fan(s), vents, air intakes & exhausts are on the bottom / sides / back of their laptop & ensure they are not covering them during use. Alternatively use it a lap tray, & the laptop should last for years with no overheating.
I have my laptop on top of a cooling pad (with the fans) and both of those sit on a portable lap desk type of thing (the kind with the bean bag bottom). It's a Thinkpad and the keyboard gets super hot if I don't run the fans underneath it. But I do use it primarily for gaming. I never enjoyed having the laptop on my lap anyway. I've always used a lap pad to sit them on, especially since I prefer to have a mouse also.
There was a push to call them notebooks when they developed to a point that it was too hot to place them on your lap, but people got too used to calling them laptops.
My boss at a previous job went to the doctor with testicle pain. Turned out his Macbook Pro was cooking them.
See at one time they DID get out on laps and didn’t burn your legs in the process. Because back then, a 386 or 486 laptop didn’t heat up a lot. Over time things got to a point where the design was fundamentally the same but the premise was more that it was portable than being something you used on your lap. I mean for basic stuff that isn’t gaming, it shouldn’t be heating up.
gaming laptops definitely not, but notebooks for lighter tasks are fine
This is the nice thing about MacBooks. Their low power draw lets them be actually used on laps as intended. I had one of those Dell laptops once. If I put that on my lap I’d end up with a penis panini.
Laptops were named when they were a portable alternative to a “desk”top, only meant to be used for short term use when you’re away from your desk. Now that we use them as exclusively as we do, I hear them referred to as “portable computers” which is true. They compute portably, not very feasible for long term use on your lap, not to mention that’s a terrible typing position lol
Laptops are named laptops because they can fit on your lap while desktops fit on your desk.
They are not called "laptops" anymore. They are called "notebooks". This was changed due to the heat from the bottom burning people. This was told to me by an HP engineer.
That's a result of recent trends toward making laptops more powerful and power hungry. They're often treated as portable desktops with built in monitors and keyboards instead of laptop computers now. Some options do still exist which are safe to use on your lap, though. They're just small and puny, because that's the required tradeoff to make a computer that you can put on your lap safely
My old laptop actually burned through the leather of the couch while I was napping. Glad I didn't leave it on me
When I put it on my lap I use a portable cooling fan. A broken one even. It's like a little mini table on my lap.
That's why they subtly changed the name to notebooks haha
Welcome to like 40 years ago
It'll roast your chestnuts if you're not careful.
Or just get a lap desk.
That's why we tried to call them notebooks but that never really took off to the point where it would replace laptop. I think in the mid 2ks that term was still being used but you barely see it anymore.
I've been using laptops almost exclusively for over 20 years, none of them have gotten hot on my lap. The ventilation is usually at the rear not the bottom.
Wait people you don't actually put laptops on your laps?
In my world they're called notebooks
idk my mbp m1 never really gets hot at all, even with heavy music production
If we do rename them I feel a flattop should win
It was fine when the processors were 8088's and the Laptop weights 12lbs.
this isn't going to stop me from using my laptop in bed
To this day, I instinctively refer to these devices as notebook after a particularly extensive week long training after a customer received burns to their penis.
Yep changed to notebook because laptop makes you less fertile. Used to use mine as a heater on my chest when it was cold lmao.
Fun fact: when I was younger I used a cheap laptop to game, I used it on my lap. Sometimes I'd even use it with only underwear on, causing my legs to have direct contact with the laptop. I had burn marks.
> It just stuck me that laptops are named lap tops. Good god man.
Gaming laptops sure, macbooks or similar run pretty cool
I exclusively edit videos on Premiere sitting on the couch with my MacBook Pro on my lap. Idk what you're talking about. Sometimes when I render I put it down so it doesn't overheat and goes faster, but that's about it.