Have you ever wondered what magnets might do to your computer? Magnets can have, quite literally, unpredictable effects on computers. Many different results could happen depending on the type of magnet being used and the computer’s location.
When it comes to magnets and computers, there is a lot of misinformation out there. Many people believe that magnets can destroy the hard drive inside a PC, but this is simply not true. Magnets in everyday items are just not powerful enough to damage a hard drive or any other computer component.
You would need a much stronger magnet to damage a hard drive or any other PC component with a magnet than the ones found in everyday items. While these magnets are powerful enough to attract small metal objects, they are not strong enough to cause any damage to computer components.
This article will detail what magnets do to computers and how to protect your sensitive computer electronics from these little powerhouses!
What Do Magnets Do to Computers?
Computers play a vital role in our lives, and we must take care of them. Many things can go wrong with computers, and if something bad happens to them, it can seriously impact our lives.
As you may know, magnets can have a powerful effect on electronic devices. But what exactly do they do to computers? For this, we need to see how magnets affect each component individually.
Following is a list of computer components that can be affected by magnets, so let’s see what effect magnets have on them.
Data Storage Devices
When you place a magnet near a computer, the magnetic field can interact with the electronic components in the computer. This can cause problems with the way the computer stores and retrieves data.
The most common problem is that the magnet can interfere with the hard drive, where the computer stores all of its data.
The hard drive contains spinning disks that are coated with a magnetic material. The head that reads and writes data to the disk is also magnetic.
When you place a magnet near the hard drive, it can interact with these magnetic materials and cause them to lose their magnetization.
But for that to happen, an extremely powerful magnet is needed, such as a neodymium magnet. This is impossible with the magnets we usually find in toys, hanging art, or fridge decorations in our homes.
Also, solid-state drives (SSDs) and other flash drives aren’t affected by magnets since they don’t have an inner working that relies on magnetism for data storage.
Display Monitors
If your computer has one of those old CRT monitors with big housings, you probably don’t want to place magnets near it.
CRT monitors use a cathode ray tube to create an image. The cathode ray tube is a vacuum tube that contains an electron gun. For the display to appear, electrons are fired at the screen by the electron gun.
Magnets can distort the image on a CRT monitor if they are brought near it. This is because the magnets interact with the magnets in the monitor, which can cause problems with how the electrons are fired at the back of the tube.
But most computer monitors these days are either LCD or LED, and neither of these types of screens is affected by magnets. So, nothing to worry about there.
This is because LCD and LED screens use a different technology than CRT screens.
Other Components
Magnets do not have any noticeable effect on any other components of a computer. The only thing that a magnet can do is affect the hard drive (and an old CRT monitor if you have one).
This is because the components inside your computer are not magnetic. The only thing a magnet can do to these parts is physically move them around if they are not properly secured.
Whether a laptop or a desktop, magnets won’t affect its processor, speakers, display, RAM, keyboard, or any other component.
Generally, it’s still best to avoid putting magnets near your computer. If you must use them near your machine, ensure they’re not too strong.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you bring a powerful magnet near your hard drive, the magnet can destroy data stored there. But for this to happen, you’ll need a strong magnet, not the one found in kids’ toys or kitchen decorations.
Because SSDs do not rely on magnetism for data storage, they are not affected by magnets. The same is true for USB flash drives; magnets cannot disrupt or damage their data.
