Any way to keep dust out of the SP3?

[Geek.Verve]

Considering the fact that the SP3 is so thin, I would imagine dust could more likely become a problem at some point. I would also think the fact that the air intake vents are on the top would exacerbate this. Does anyone know of any available solutions on the market to address this? Any reasons I shouldn't be giving this a second thought?

 

[kundas1]

your really over analyzing and worrying for nothing, first off the vents blow air OUT not IN, secondly you move around so much with your SP3 that I don't see dust getting in..UNLESS you have it constantly docked and immobile then maybe just maybe you might have to worry... seriously stop worrying about silly things as dust...

 

[Liam2349]

your really over analyzing and worrying for nothing, first off the vents blow air OUT not IN, secondly you move around so much with your SP3 that I don't see dust getting in..UNLESS you have it constantly docked and immobile then maybe just maybe you might have to worry... seriously stop worrying about silly things as dust...

I'm pretty sure the fan intakes air from the top side of the top-right corner, where the power button was on SP2. It then disperses it across the motherboard, apart from the bit that goes straight back out of the right side.

I don't think dust should really be an issue though. Just don't put dusty stuff at the intake.

 

[kundas1]

so your saying it goes IN the right side and then OUT the right side? that makes no sense

 

[GreyFox7]

Outer space.. no wait ... space dust formed the planets and stars...
Clean room is your only option.

 

[Liam2349]

so your saying it goes IN the right side and then OUT the right side? that makes no sense

No, I am saying it goes in through the top vent, but only on the right side of the top vent. The intake is exactly where the power button was on SP2, on the top edge. From there, the air is dispersed out across the motherboard, however some of it goes straight out of the right side, which is the bit you can feel when the fan is on high.

It was in a video that has been posted here a few times but I cannot find it. A guy with a camera filming one of the engineers who was talking about the hinge, magnets, and four batteries... he had an sp3 in pieces on a table

 

[Geek.Verve]

your really over analyzing and worrying for nothing, first off the vents blow air OUT not IN, secondly you move around so much with your SP3 that I don't see dust getting in..UNLESS you have it constantly docked and immobile then maybe just maybe you might have to worry... seriously stop worrying about silly things as dust...

Well, I'll let you see for yourself, but there most certainly *is* an air intake portion in the vented area. Where would air come from to be exhausted, otherwise?

Maybe you've never cracked a computer open before, but if you had, you would know that dust gets in and tends to collect fairly easily. This isn't a huge problem for a desktop, but with the very small air channels in the SP3, it could become an issue over time. These things run warm to hot fresh out of the box. What will happen when airflow is obstructed to any degree?

 

[Liam2349]

Well, I'll let you see for yourself, but there most certainly *is* an air intake portion in the vented area. Where would air come from to be exhausted, otherwise?

Maybe you've never cracked a computer open before, but if you had, you would know that dust gets in and tends to collect fairly easily. This isn't a huge problem for a desktop, but with the very small air channels in the SP3, it could become an issue over time. These things run warm to hot fresh out of the box. What will happen when airflow is obstructed to any degree?

This is the video I was referring to.

 

[kundas1]

yea but one, you can't compare a desktop to the SP3, secondly the vent holes are so small I doubt dust could fall in through there and thirdly you move the SP3 around so much that again it would be hard for the dust to go in the vents.. maybe if it was docked permanently then MAYBE some MIGHT get in... again I say that your worrying for nothing... I find people hyper critical with the SP3... yes I get it you paid alot of money but don't have to worry about every single thing...

 

[Geek.Verve]

yea but one, you can't compare a desktop to the SP3...

Dust is dust and electronics actually attract it, so yes, the comparison is valid.

...secondly the vent holes are so small I doubt dust could fall in through there...

You're kidding, right? They're not *that* small, and there is active air movement into the tablet. Dust doesn't "fall into" a device. It's pulled in.

...and thirdly you move the SP3 around so much that again it would be hard for the dust to go in the vents.. maybe if it was docked permanently then MAYBE some MIGHT get in... again I say that your worrying for nothing... I find people hyper critical with the SP3... yes I get it you paid alot of money but don't have to worry about every single thing...

Again, your "falling dust" scenario doesn't hold water. I do hear you, but I also ask that you reconsider your knee-jerk reaction. Sure, there is a lot of what some may consider picking of nits around here, but I'm not complaining about anything. I'm all in with the SP3. I love the device. I'm not "worried". I'm just thinking of ways I can perhaps extend the life of the product (or merely prevent the reduction of such).

This was a simple and reasonable question. If your answer is "No, there are no such products or methods known at this time," then that's fine. Debating the relevance of the question is silly.

 

[kundas1]

you can believe what you want and be paranoid, that's your prerogative but what qualifications do you have? my field is electronics assembly and repair, also I repair computers as a side job and I have taken apart over hundreds of laptops to repair and diagnose faulty components and do up grades and you know what I've seen with all those laptops? not 1 laptop had dust accumulation EVER... yes some laptops had the vents clogged with animal hair and even lint from people using their laptops on the bed... but never dust.. and laptops have MORE bigger vents than the SP3... just saying

 

[Geek.Verve]

you can believe what you want and be paranoid, that's your prerogative but what qualifications do you have? my field is electronics assembly and repair, also I repair computers as a side job and I have taken apart over hundreds of laptops to repair and diagnose faulty components and do up grades and you know what I've seen with all those laptops? not 1 laptop had dust accumulation EVER... yes some laptops had the vents clogged with animal hair and even lint from people using their laptops on the bed... but never dust.. and laptops have MORE bigger vents than the SP3... just saying

Now you're just being argumentative. Dust? Lint? Dog hair? Fine, by "dust" I meant to include any and all of the above. And I'm not being paranoid. I'm not worried. I was merely asking a simple question.

As for qualifications - 18-years in IT and longer than that building, upgrading, repairing computers/laptops for myself, family and friends. Smokers were always the worst. You could guarantee that their computer was going to be coated inside with dust, when you cracked it open.

If you've ever replaced the cooling fan/heat sink on a laptop more than a couple of years old, you can't say you didn't find any dust in it, smoker or otherwise. Replacing the RAM or NIC module won't expose it, but crack open the air cooling loop, and it's there. I dare say that every heat sink I've ever pulled out of a computer had dust in the fins, and there has been no smoking in my house for nearly 20-years. I'm looking at my PC right now, and the front *dust filter* is in sore need of cleaning. No dog hair, just dust. If not for that filter, that dust would have been circulated through the PC.

The SP3 is an engineering marvel. It makes maximum use of the tiny areas of empty space available for circulating air. It wouldn't take nearly as much accumulation as a laptop, before cooling efficiency could be compromised. I would simply like to keep it as clean inside as possible. Maybe it won't be a problem at all. That would be great.