Running P-7805u FX with lid closed?

Hi all,

Newbie here, I used this excellent site's resources to help decide on a laptop to buy. I picked up a Gateway P-7805u FX from Best Buy and so far I'm loving it.

I do have a question, though - I am intending to replace my desktop with this, but due to a lack of desk space it's hard to run it with the lid open. So - my setup is as follows: I got a Targus Chill Mat, with the 7805u on top of that. I left that little mat thing between the screen and the keyboard to protect the screen.

Will this be OK to run it with the lid closed like this? It doesn't seem to have gotten very hot just yet.

 

Can you run it with the lid partially opened to allow cooling air movement across the keyboard and surrounding surfaces?

 

Compare temperatures with lid open and lid closed. Use HWMonitor or equivalent program find out the temperature of the components in the notebook. Run the computer for at least an hour or so in each condition.

 

I leave mine open just alittle for airflow

 

Ya know, I guess I am kinda old fashioned, as I was always taught that you never leave your laptop running with the lid closed, something to do with heat damage to the screen. Is that no longer a factor?

 

I don't think running it with the lid closed will do anything. It certainly won't push any temperatures into dangerous levels, or even close to that. Never heard of it damaging the screen though. Is that true, or just an urban legend?

 

I use to run notebooks with the lid closet until I noticed discoloration on the LCD after I opened it to match warm spots on the notebook. To avoid any possible damage to the notebook I usually keep the notebook running with the lid wide open. I also set the notebook to hibernate when the lid is closed because one notebook I had would randomly turn on.

 

I've been running it fine (for work, no gaming) with the lid closed. For gaming, I usually use the laptop screen.

But now that I think about it, it doesn't hurt to leave it open a little bit, plus you get to view the orange status icons (wifi, caps lock, num lock, hdd activity)

Plus I put something underneath the battery to lift it up about 1/2".

 

I'd rather leave it 90 degrees opened, just a little....I have to say poor hinges....more torque is now exert on them if they're only little opened.

 

When docking stations were common I always had the lid closed. I just assumed the manufacturer took that into consideration when they made docks available.

Now I'm not certain... I close the lid when playing audiobooks and .mp3's, but it's open when using a second monitor for gaming (in theory to provide more cooling for the CPU/GPU).

 

I used to have my lid close while gaming on an external 22" screen and i did notice it was significantly hotter to the touch nothing crazy but my 7811 runs very cool normally so now i just keep it full 90* open and adjust nvidia control center not to use the notebook display when plugged into external (unless i want to use both)

 

I just had my P-7811fx apart to install bluetooth and an Atheros wifi card and I noticed a lot of fuzz and dust bunnies on the right side speaker. One of the fans is right next to the speaker and it's drawing in air through the speaker grille. I'd say keeping the lid closed would cut down on that air flow quite a bit.