A new heatwave is sweeping across France as summer approaches. According to weather forecasts, temperatures are expected to climb above 35 degrees in some regions of France. When the mercury starts to rise again, our electronic devices suffer as much as we do.
Smartphones, tablets, computers, smartwatches, and internet boxes sometimes tend to overheat as the temperature rises. When a device starts to heat up excessively, its performance can be severely affected. Damage can also occur and permanently compromise the use of the device.
This is why many of the devices we use every day are equipped with a cooling system. This is calibrated to keep components that are likely to heat up, such as the processor, cool. Unfortunately, its effectiveness is reduced if the ambient air is too hot. The system may not be able to maintain a low temperature in these cases.
Why do electronic devices overheat?
Batteries are among the components most sensitive to heat waves. When exposed to excessive heat, they are likely to malfunction. Indeed, the lithium that makes up accumulators reacts poorly to rising temperatures. In a heatwave scenario, the accumulator risks going through a phase of thermal runaway. In concrete terms, the chemical reaction that allows electricity to be stored will accelerate. If the battery is no longer able to hold the energy, it will release a large amount of heat to the surrounding area.
Apple also warns its users on its website. According to the Californian brand, high heat risks damaging the battery and reducing the battery life of any of its devices. The American group specifies that iPhones and iPads are designed to operate at a temperature between 0 and 35 °C.
Beyond 35 degrees during use, a warning will appear on the screen. This warns the user to let the device rest until the temperature returns to a normal level. Other phone manufacturers have similar recommendations in the event of a heatwave.
The risk of overheating also concerns other components of an electronic device, such as the processor or graphics card. These components, designed to allow electrical current to pass through them, continuously perform intensive calculations. The more operations the user launches on the machine, the more electricity will pass through the processor's small components. This influx of electrical energy is accompanied by an increase in internal temperature. The cooling system may then not be sufficient to keep the structure cool. The whole system will therefore reject the excess energy in the form of thermal energy, i.e., heat. At a certain point, performance is likely to become uneven. In the scenario where you push the device to its limits, while being in direct sunlight, you risk damaging the components.
How to protect your smartphone and tablet?
First of all, we recommend that you do not leave your smartphone in direct sunlight. If you stop on a terrace, make sure to keep the phone in the shade, whether in your pocket, bag, or under a parasol. In direct sunlight, it won't take long for a warning to appear on the screen. It's even worse if the device is placed on a surface that already tends to heat up, like glass or brick.
When the sun starts to shine, we all tend to undress to avoid getting too hot. We advise you to apply the same logic to your mobile devices. Don't hesitate to remove the protective case, especially if it's made of thick leather, to facilitate heat dissipation. Avoid heavy, thick protective cases, which also serve as a wallet, for example, to avoid aggravating overheating. In summer, opt for a lightweight case, made of silicone or metal. Like you, your smartphone needs a light hold to withstand the elements.
To prevent your smartphone or tablet from overheating, it's also recommended not to push the device's components to their limits. If you're sunbathing at the beach, it's best to avoid power-hungry apps that drain the SoC, such as games or augmented reality apps. This also applies to video calls or using GPS. This last point is all the more problematic since smartphones are often used as navigation aids in cars, which are veritable ovens during heat waves. For the well-being of your phone, and yours at the same time, don't skimp on air conditioning.
As a safety precaution, we also recommend temporarily giving up on induction charging. Wireless charging remains the least efficient charging method on the market. When a smartphone is placed on a charging mat, some of the energy is lost. In fact, it is converted into heat during the process. A study from the University of Warwick (United Kingdom) observed numerous heat spikes, above the 35-degree threshold, during inductive charging of a phone. In some cases, these spikes lasted more than 50 minutes.
During heat waves, the heat buildup generated by wireless charging risks permanently damaging the battery. This is also the case for MagSafe technology, the magnetic wireless charging developed by Apple for its iPhones, to a lesser extent. During heat waves, traditional wired charging is preferred. Cable charging generates much less heat energy, and therefore accidental heat, than wireless charging. According to the Warwick researchers, the temperature never exceeds 30 degrees, which remains below the maximum threshold set by manufacturers. Following the same logic, we recommend you do without fast charging, which is very popular with Android manufacturers. These technologies are very effective, but they generate a significant amount of heat, which can compromise the integrity of the battery.
How to prevent a computer from overheating?
If you are the proud owner of a desktop computer, we advise you to first check the cleanliness of the ventilation grille of the tower or screen. Once clogged with dust, it will function much less efficiently, which may result in an increase in internal heat. To clean the ventilation, you can use a can of compressed air. This tool will effectively remove the dust. Also, make sure that no furniture or objects are blocking the process. Ideally, you should keep some space around the machine.
For laptop owners, you should also ensure that the ventilation grille is free. In the case of a laptop, you should especially ensure that the device is not placed in a location where it may not be able to dissipate heat. Do not place your laptop against a cushion or blanket, even when temperatures are more moderate. Air must be able to circulate freely, mainly under the chassis, which is the part that tends to heat up the most.
The same applies to machines without ventilation. If the computer is surrounded by elements that retain heat, it will not be able to reject the excess generated by the components. To watch a movie in bed, for example, we recommend placing the computer up high on a dedicated stand. There are a multitude of suitable stands for PCs on the market, notably on Amazon.
Consoles and Internet boxes: avoid mistakes
When it comes to heat, home consoles are similar to internet boxes. Both devices are often placed inside a piece of furniture... which doesn't make it easy to cool them down. Many people make the mistake of hiding their modem inside their furniture. This approach risks increasing the internal temperature of the case.
Similarly, a home console, like the PS5 or Xbox, needs to be able to ventilate to function normally. If you hide it in a cramped space, where the air remains warm, it will tend to heat up more, especially if it has been on for hours and the mercury is rising. In these cases, the machine may become increasingly noisy.
Also avoid stacking all your devices on top of each other. Due to lack of space or convenience, some people stack their modem on top of the decoder, which is itself placed on a PlayStation, a Nintendo Switch, or a DVD or Blu-ray player. This is the best way to cause heat buildup. If possible, keep all these devices, which generate hot air, away from each other. Like computers, consoles and boxes are equipped with ventilation grilles. From time to time, we recommend giving them a quick blast with compressed air.
The same recommendations apply to portable consoles, such as the Nintendo Switch and the Switch 2. Last year, the Japanese manufacturer warned its customers about how heat waves can affect the Switch. If the ambient temperature exceeds 35 degrees, Nintendo advises against playing with the console. It could overheat... with the risk of burning the player. In addition, Nintendo encourages its customers to leave at least ten centimeters of space around the air vents, both on the dock and on the console. This precaution should allow hot air to escape from inside the console.
What about televisions?
If you've started a Star Wars marathon, or if you spend the day in front of a video game like Fortnite, your television, left on for long hours, could also tend to overheat. Like your computer or console, the television has a ventilation grille that needs to be cleaned from time to time.
Similarly, check that no decorations or objects are blocking the air circulation. Also, don't hesitate to unplug the television if you're not using it. This will help you avoid unnecessary heat production. In the middle of a heatwave, small gestures can sometimes make all the difference. Also, pay attention to the string lights that are placed behind the television. If it's really hot in the room, it might be better to unplug it temporarily.
What about headphones and smartwatches?
Like any device full of electronic components, wireless headphones and smartwatches risk overheating during a heatwave. When charging, these wearables can increase in temperature. If you notice an abnormal peak, don't hesitate to stop charging and move the accessories to a cooler location.
For example, the Apple Watch is "designed to operate optimally at ambient temperatures between 0 and 35°C", says Apple. The same goes for AirPods. Apple recommends against leaving a pair of AirPods in a car, where the interior can get hot, or in direct sunlight. This applies to all electronic devices.
We hope these tips will help your devices survive the heatwave without any problems.
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