Originally Posted by
dvald001
Here's my question: What's the long-term SAFEST way of transporting a laptop?
Not transporting it.
Better options are
1. Using cloud synchronization software
2. A thumb drive with your files
3. A thumb drive with a virtual machine you fire up at work or home
If you do need one laptop the next safest option is an on-site service contract so that when it breaks you're not down for long. I had three mainboards replaced under warranty (I think some solder joints failed on the graphics chip and would speculate that it had a heavy heat sink hanging off it. After the first failure the replacements were all re-works and presumably had more fatigue cycles on that joint when I received them) and one failed hard-drive in my last laptop which I'd used for about two years.
I had my first mainboard + heat sink assembly replacement at the one year mark on my current laptop due to a failed thermal interface which led to emergency shutdowns when the CPU hit 100 degrees C.
I transported the first one in a nice Targus laptop backpack. I move the second one around in an Arkel Commuter pannier with a suspended laptop pouch. In both cases I was riding a road bike on decent roads 20-25 miles a day 4 days a week with 25mm tires at 90-95 psi front and 95-100 psi rear. The pannier is much nicer and I regret not switching sooner - I arrive at work much drier and am more comfortable on the way in.
Did anyone pick one of these three systems and end up regretting it?
I just accept that any laptop is going to fail so I spend the few hundred dollars extra for on-site next business day service (which usually ends up being two business days).