Families are being urged to carry out a five-minute laptop stress test before returning to school, after new research from AO.com found that half of students (50%) experience issues with the device they rely on for education.
The findings come as students prepare for the new academic year, with nearly seven in 10 (69%) saying their studies are mostly or entirely dependent on having access to a laptop.
Despite this reliance, many students are dealing with performance problems that could disrupt studying and online learning. Almost one in five (19%) say their laptop freezes or crashes, while a third (33%) report slow start-up times.
To help students avoid problems once term begins, AO.com’s Technology Expert Nick Bunce has revealed the key warning signs that a laptop may not be ready for another year of studying and the simple steps student should complete to check their laptop’s performance.
Nick Bunce, Technology Expert at AO.com, said:
“Many parents and students don’t think about the condition of their laptop until they’re already back in the classroom and facing deadlines.”
“The reality is that small issues such as slow start-up times can quickly become frustrating when you’re relying on a device every day.”
“The good news is that you don’t need to be a technology expert to identify potential problems. A quick laptop health check before the new academic year can highlight whether your device is ready for another year of studying or whether it needs some attention first.”
The five step laptop stress test
Nick recommends carrying out these quick checks before the new academic year begins:
- Start-up challenge Restart your laptop and see how long it takes before it’s ready to use. If it’s taking several minutes, there may be room to improve performance.
- Battery health test Click on the battery icon and check how much charge remains and how quickly it’s dropping during normal use. If your battery percentage seems to fall unusually fast or you’re constantly reaching for the charger, it could be a sign your battery health is declining. Most laptops include battery health information in their settings, making it easy to spot potential problems before they become a bigger issue.
- Storage check Review how much free storage you have available. If your drive is nearly full, deleting old files can often improve performance and free up space for the academic year ahead.
- Multitasking test Open your usual study setup, such as multiple browser tabs, a document and a video call. If the device struggles, it may be time to streamline performance or consider an upgrade.
- Forgotten update fixCheck whether any operating system or software updates are waiting to be installed. These often include important performance, security and compatibility improvements that can help your laptop run more smoothly.
“If your laptop struggles with a few of these checks, it’s worth taking a closer look at the problem before term begins rather than waiting until coursework and deadlines start to build up,” adds Nick.
The five signs your laptop might not be ready for the new academic year
1. It takes too long to start up
“If you’re waiting several minutes before your laptop is ready to use, it could be a sign that too many programs are running in the background or that your device is struggling to keep up.
2. The battery won’t last through a lecture or study session
“Poor battery life can become a major issue when moving between lectures and study spaces. If you’re constantly searching for a charger, it’s a sign your laptop may need attention.
3. You’re running out of storage space
“Coursework, lecture recordings, software downloads and personal files can quickly fill up a device. When storage becomes limited, performance can suffer.
4. It struggles when multitasking
“If opening multiple browser tabs, documents or applications causes noticeable lag, your laptop may be reaching its performance limits.
5. It freezes or crashes unexpectedly
“Regular crashes or freezing can be a sign of deeper performance problems that should be addressed before term starts.
For more information visit: https://ao.com/computing/discover
Photo by Samer Daboul: https://www.pexels.com/photo/modern-laptop-keyboard-with-black-and-white-keys-4293219/
Leave a Reply