Using a Laptop (not a Tablet PC) in Portrait Orientation

starunj · Dec 8, 2006

Hello,

I have a Dell Inspiron 9300 and use an external keyboard and mouse with
it. I have tried using it in portrait mode (rotating the screen and the
laptop 90 degrees) and it seems much more comfortable to use (although
uneven colors on the screen are much more prominent).

You can see the pictures here:
http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/starunj

I was wondering if it is alright to use a laptop this way, or will it
risk damaging the components? One of the vents is covered, but I can
remedy that easily. Any suggestions? I'm using it normally now, but
sure would like to try it like above.

Thanks!

- Tarun

Rod Speed · Dec 8, 2006

(e-mail address removed) wrote

I have a Dell Inspiron 9300 and use an external keyboard and mouse
with it. I have tried using it in portrait mode (rotating the screen and
the laptop 90 degrees) and it seems much more comfortable to use
(although uneven colors on the screen are much more prominent).

You can see the pictures here:
http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/starunj

I was wondering if it is alright to use a laptop this
way, or will it risk damaging the components?

No risk of damage.

One of the vents is covered, but I can remedy that easily.
Any suggestions?

Just do it, and do the cooling properly too.

Paul · Dec 8, 2006

Hello,

I have a Dell Inspiron 9300 and use an external keyboard and mouse with
it. I have tried using it in portrait mode (rotating the screen and the
laptop 90 degrees) and it seems much more comfortable to use (although
uneven colors on the screen are much more prominent).

You can see the pictures here:
http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/starunj

I was wondering if it is alright to use a laptop this way, or will it
risk damaging the components? One of the vents is covered, but I can
remedy that easily. Any suggestions? I'm using it normally now, but
sure would like to try it like above.

Thanks!

- Tarun

Hard drives can be used in "compass point" orientations. A drive
can be turned on its side, as long as it is vertical. A drive
can run horizontally. Just avoid the use of weird angles (like
10 degrees or 45 degrees). 0 degrees, 90 degrees, 180 degrees are
all fine. So tipping your laptop at an angle is fine, as long
as the orientation is vertical.

I've read claims that CD drives have retention features, that
allow use like the hard drive. But this is not something
I've tested.

Another issue is heat pipe cooling. Making the base unit vertical
would have an effect on the heat pipes. If the heat pipes have a
capilliary finish inside, the effect is less pronounced than if
the pipes has simple copper rubes. Listen to the laptop,
to hear whether the fans are spinning faster, in an attempt
to cool the overheating laptop.

http://www.tomshardware.fr/images/tendance/20050303/guts.jpg

Paul

Rod Speed · Dec 8, 2006

Paul said:
(e-mail address removed) wrote

Hard drives can be used in "compass point" orientations.

Laptop drives dont care.

A drive can be turned on its side, as long as it is vertical. A drive can run horizontally. Just
avoid the use of weird angles (like 10 degrees or 45 degrees). 0 degrees, 90 degrees, 180 degrees
are all fine. So tipping your laptop at an angle is fine, as long as the orientation is vertical.

Doesnt have to be vertical, just like it doesnt have to be horizontal either.

I've read claims that CD drives have retention features, that allow use like the hard drive. But
this is not something I've tested.

The absolute vast bulk of laptops have a system where you snap
the CD onto the hub in the drive so orientation is completely irrelevant.

Another issue is heat pipe cooling. Making the base unit vertical would have an effect on the heat
pipes. If the heat pipes have a capilliary finish inside, the effect is less pronounced than if
the pipes has simple copper rubes. Listen to the laptop, to hear whether the fans are spinning
faster, in an attempt to cool the overheating laptop.

Or just check the cpu temp in both orientations.

Paul · Dec 8, 2006

Rod said:
Laptop drives dont care.

Doesnt have to be vertical, just like it doesnt have to be horizontal either.

The absolute vast bulk of laptops have a system where you snap
the CD onto the hub in the drive so orientation is completely irrelevant.

Or just check the cpu temp in both orientations.

I checked three Seagate disk drive manuals (one notebook manual, a
7200 manual for desktop storage, a 15K manual for servers), and the
wording for orientation has changed. At one time, I could find
compass point recommendations for drive mounting.

Of the three manuals I looked at, only the 15K manual had anything
to say. The laptop drive manual had nothing to say. This is for
the 15K drive:

"8.2 Drive orientation

The balanced rotary arm actuator design of the drive allows it to
be mounted in any orientation. All drive performance characterization,
however, has been done with the drive in horizontal (discs level)
and vertical (drive on its side) orientations, and these are the
two preferred mounting orientations."

So I guess you can do whatever you like :-)

Paul

Rod Speed · Dec 9, 2006

Paul said:
Rod Speed wrote

I checked three Seagate disk drive manuals (one notebook manual, a 7200 manual for desktop
storage, a 15K manual for servers), and the wording for orientation has changed.

Yeah, I havent seen anything like that compass stuff for
many many years and I read heaps of drive manuals.

I've never seen it in a laptop drive manual.

At one time, I could find compass point recommendations for drive mounting.

Of the three manuals I looked at, only the 15K manual had anything to say. The laptop drive manual
had nothing to say.

And I dont recall a laptop manual that ever did either.

This is for the 15K drive:

"8.2 Drive orientation

The balanced rotary arm actuator design of the drive allows it to be mounted in any
orientation. All drive performance characterization, however, has been done with the drive in
horizontal (discs level) and vertical (drive on its side) orientations, and these are the two
preferred mountingorientations."

So I guess you can do whatever you like

You can indeed. In spades with laptop drives. In spades in spades with
micro drives usually used in cameras and mp3 players and ipods etc.