Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning we get a small commission if you make a purchase through our links, at no cost to you. For more information, please visit our Disclaimer Page.
The last thing you want is to have your laptop charger fried by an electrical surge. Surges are a common occurrence in many households, but they can cause a lot of problems for you and your electricity costs.
Most laptop chargers (old and new generation) do not have surge protectors fixed by their manufacturers, but that doesn’t stop you from taking a step forward to install surge protectors. A surge protector reduces the chances of getting your laptop and the charger damaged during a power surge.
Table of Contents
Do Laptop Chargers Have Surge Protectors?
Surge protectors are devices (however small or big) that protect an appliance from severe damage when a surge occurs.
If an electrical abnormality occurs, all the actively connected machines are at the risk of getting burnt by the excess power supply. If a surge protector is installed, it reduces the chances of this happening.
In the past, laptops were exposed to electrical damages because the surge protectors were not adequately crafted to withstand different levels of electrical problems.
Sadly, most new generation laptops still experience this problem but on a different level. Manufacturers have started installing surge protectors in their laptops, but just for minor electrical issues. Let’s call that a step in the right direction.
If your home has a functional surge protector for all the sockets and extensions, this might save your laptop from an electrical surge.
If you’re considering getting a laptop and power surge is a big concern for you, do your in-depth research to know which laptop has the best surge protector that’s reliable.
How Do Surge Protectors Work?
I’d be explaining this process in the simplest way for those who might not enjoy technical terms. I’m in that category, so don’t feel like there’s anything wrong with you.
Since that has been established, think of a surge protector as a regulator that monitors the current that goes into a device. If it detects any irregularities, it will divert the extra current into the grounding wire (the neutral one).
If the regular current that’s supposed to flow in from a power source should not be above 120 volts, if this surge protector detects a sudden increase that lasts longer than three nanoseconds, it would allow the 120 volts to pass and divert the rest into the grounding wire which neutralizes it. Pretty amazing, right?
That’s how important a surge protector is. It has saved people from power damages that could cause millions of dollars to replace.
Imagine operating an office that has over 1000 active computers without investing adequately in surge protectors.
Stepping away from that analogy, the importance of surge protectors cannot be overemphasized. They keep your laptops safe from electrical damage.
Does A Laptop Really Need Surge Protection?
If you don’t think surge protection is mandatory, imagine changing your laptop every two months (or less than that). That is what you should picture in your head when you think you don’t “really” need surge protection.
If you keep using your laptop with surge protection, what happens when you’re not at home, and there’s a power irregularity that sets your laptop on fire.
That situation can go left quickly. If your laptop is on fire, your work table is also at risk. If your table is at stake, that means your whole house is at risk.
Think of how bad things can go just because you did not install surge protection. Now that you’ve put that image in your head ask yourself the question all over again. I’m very sure the answer would be different this time.
Think of all your files and how you could lose them in a split second just because you didn’t get surge protection. I should note that some surge protectors are not as reliable as others.
I’ve had people complaining about their laptops being damaged despite installing surge protectors.
What they don’t know is not all surge protectors are solid.
Some are made from inferior materials, so you should carry out proper research before picking out a surge protector randomly. I’d be talking about the best surge protectors shortly, so keep your attention locked in for this.
Best Surge Protector For Laptop
Nothing hurts more than getting the best laptop on the market with all the best features, only to have it blown up by irregular current.
Trust me! I’ve been there, and I know what that feels like. I wouldn’t want you to be in such a situation. That’s why this part of the article focuses on the best surge protector for laptops.
Before I dive into the best surge protector, I need to establish that you can’t make this decision blindly because there are different grades of surge protection.
You cannot use a mini outlet (with surge protection) for hundreds of laptops. That would be you taking a knife to a gunfight.
It would be best if you had a mental picture of your needs before choosing a surge protector because selecting the wrong one is the same as not having a surge protector in the first place. Now that we’ve cleared that up, I present to you the best surge protector.
Hughes Autoformers
This surge protector has served me for years, and I can outrightly say it is worth every penny. The Hughes Autoformers offers a powerful 4,800 Joules of advanced surge protection for your laptop.
A smart surge protector, the Power Watchdog + EPO has built-in Bluetooth connectivity so that you can monitor park power conditions live at your fingertips from your smartphone.
If you’re away from home and need to charge your laptop in a strange place, you don’t have to worry about power incidents. The Power Watchdog feature allows you to keep track of the power activities you’re plugged into.
Other outstanding features of the Hughes Autoformers surge protector include:
It Has A Smart Circuit Analyzer
This allows you to use your laptop peacefully without having to check the switch countless times. It is one feature that makes this product one of the best on the market.
Users have access to a circuit analyzer that basically monitors your laptop, the current in the socket you’re plugged into and if it’s good enough for your laptop.
Imagine getting your laptop blown up in a coffee shop while you’re working on an important project. That can be devastating.
It Is Portable
These days, almost everyone takes their laptop out with them because they might need to work on a presentation or attend a meeting virtually, which requires them to use their laptop on the go. Other surge protectors that are big cannot be taken around. Most surge protectors are confined to the home because of their size. Not the Hughes Autoformers surge protector.
It can fit into your laptop bag easily. This makes it highly recommended for people who are constantly on the move.
Swift Response
Most surge protectors take time to analyze the current in a socket before allowing you to use it. This usually takes about 3 minutes which is a whole lot of time if we’re honest.
The Hughes Autoformers works almost instantly. It takes at most four seconds to analyze the current and detect any irregularities.
Works With Almost All Laptops
For a surge protector with all these fantastic features, I’m shocked that it works with all laptops. Most appliances that are world-class work with selected devices to protect their functionality.
For this surge protector, that is not the case. It works with most laptops, provided the plug of the laptop is compatible with the surge protector.
Lastly, It Is Durable
The quality of the Hughes Autoformers surge protector is the best on the market. I’ve used many surge protectors, and I know for a fact that this one stands out.
Conclusion
Never underestimate the power of a surge protector. It can be the reason you don’t lose everything you’ve worked all your life for.