Sending Laptops in the Mail

I guess it depends how cold we're talking..Where are you sending it? Normal temps of cold you shouldn't have an issue.

Here is what I would do:

Take the computer and place it inside a nice fitting plastic bag. Seal the bag.

Find a good cardboard box. Preferably one with reinforced corners.

Have a minimum of 2" of foam in every direction to protect the laptop during shipping.

Something like this.

If you are going to be shipping the laptop a lot investing in a hard shell plastic case might not be a bad idea.

hi and thank you for your reply. i am shipping within canada so i was concerned about the overnight shipping. i think your idea will work though.

thanks again i appreciate your input.

Don't forget to buy insurance for your laptop. As with most insurance it's probably going to be expensive but its definatly worth it. If the mail system in Canada is anything like the rest of the world its worth the cost. I had a laptop sent about 3000km in 2" of hardened foam packing and specific postage cardboard box and it still managed to get damaged. The hardened plastic case (pelican) is a really really good idea.

Yes great point - Don't forget the insurance!!!

The Canadian Post Office may be able to advise.

One thing to keep in mind, check the recommended temperature range for the battery, I try to keep mine between 10 and 30^o C. If they freeze they tend to die.

One point nobody has mentioned is that if it at any stage goes by airfreight you may be committing an offence if it is transported with the battery installed. This is a safety thing and is meant to prevent accidental fires so it usually a good idea to remove the battery and package it in a separate container within shipping box. In some places it is actually illegal to ship batteries as air cargo without special dispensation so be careful here. Condensation can be a problem so some for of desiccant is also a good idea to stop damage to things like disk drives etc. Finally when it arrives at its destination let it acclimatize for a couple of hours before powering it up. This is again to stop any condensation from causing damage and to allow the temperature iof the internals to stabilize.

That is a very good point. The screen, motherboard, and hard-drive are the least of your worries. The battery is your biggest concern!