# Laptop in a Hot Car Question **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 7, 2017, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laptop-in-a-hot-car-question/790663 "2017-07-07T01:37:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![SanDiegoTim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/85e7bf/32.png) [@SanDiegoTim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanDiegoTim)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2017, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laptop-in-a-hot-car-question/790663/1 "2017-07-07T01:37:25Z")
Will a laptop be damaged by leaving it in a car with outside temps of 105 degrees? ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2017, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laptop-in-a-hot-car-question/790663/2 "2017-07-07T02:00:14Z")
Oh yeah. You can definitely damage the laptop. A typical laptop has a maxium operating temperature of maybe 95 to 100 deg F and a maximum storage temperature of somewhere around 130 to 140 deg F. If it’s a nice hot sunny day and the temperature outside is 105, the car could easily end up somewhere between 130 to 170 deg F inside. ---
**Author:** ![snfaulkner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snfaulkner/32/433_2.png) [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2017, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laptop-in-a-hot-car-question/790663/3 "2017-07-07T02:12:10Z")
Joke redacted…might seem too “jerk like” ---
**Author:** ![dolphinboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dolphinboy/32/330_2.png) [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2017, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laptop-in-a-hot-car-question/790663/4 "2017-07-07T14:50:03Z")
How long are we talking about? 10 mins or 10 hours? ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2017, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laptop-in-a-hot-car-question/790663/5 "2017-07-07T14:53:39Z")
Under sunny skies the trunk is typically much cooler than the passenger compartment after just a few minutes. So if that’s your situation, your path of least risk is store the laptop in the trunk not the passenger compartment. Also let it thoroughly cool off (like in an indoor air conditioned space for a couple hours) before switching it on. Don’t try to hasten the cooling in a refrigerator. That might cause enough temperature imbalance to break something or induce condensation to form where you really don’t want it. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2017, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laptop-in-a-hot-car-question/790663/6 "2017-07-07T14:55:03Z")
It’ll be fine if it is only experience the ambient shade temperature. When they are running they generate temperatures inside the chassis far in excess of those found inside a hot car. If it is running or in direct sunlight that might be more of an issue. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2017, 7:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laptop-in-a-hot-car-question/790663/7 "2017-07-09T07:54:23Z")
> [@Novelty\_Bobble](#): > > It’ll be fine if it is only experience the ambient shade temperature. When they are running they generate temperatures inside the chassis far in excess of those found inside a hot car. > If it is running or in direct sunlight that might be more of an issue. The normal operating range of mid-low end CPU (like an Intel i3) tops out around 140 degrees Fahrenheit. You’re right, your laptop when powered off is going to be able to handle higher temperatures than what would kill you as a human being. Just don’t _run_ it in environmental temperatures like that, you’ll seriously risk damage that way. And a dark-colored laptop in direct sunlight can get much hotter than the ambient temperature so keep it shaded.