It has been very cold here recently (sub zero) in the past week. Usually, we get several questions a week about whether or not one should leave a computer in the car when it’s so cold out. The bottom line is: don’t do it.
The operating range for Apple computers is 50-95 degrees (F). Most of us have used our machines outside this range, but what are the real dangers of leaving a machine in the cold?
The cold can drastically affect its functionality until it warms up, and in some cases, permanently damage your battery or shorten its lifespan. Really cold temperatures may even cause the machine not to start. The display could be affected until it warms up. The optical drive may not work until its internal lubrication melts. Of course, these are just minor irritations compared to the big issue.
Anyone who wears glasses knows what happens when you come in from the cold — condensation. The real danger isn’t condensation on circuit boards; plenty of electronic devices live in the cold with no ill effects. The real issue is the hard drive. Even the slightest amount of water on the platters can cause serious damage to the heads and thus, catastrophic data loss.
So even though none of us tends to wait long enough (just like we don’t wait before swimming after a meal), bring that computer in from the cold altogether, or at the very least, wait an hour or so before turning it on.