My laptop charger died on a deadline day and I learned a hard lesson about backups

I was finishing up a rush edit for a client last Tuesday when my laptop charger just gave out with a pop and a burning smell. Battery was at 12% and I had no backup charger because I thought that was overkill. Had to drive 20 minutes to the nearest Best Buy in Portland and drop $79 on a new one while my file sat half saved. Now I keep a spare in my bag for sick days when I can't afford to run out for anything. Has anyone else been caught without a simple backup like this?

3 comments

3 Comments

smith.lee8h ago

Did that burning smell not make you panic immediately?

keith1646h ago

The real backup people forget isn't just a spare charger, it's having a portable power bank that can juice up your laptop in a pinch. That's saved me more times than any extra cord ever has.

lee.cora5h ago

I get what you're saying but I see it a little different. Power banks are great and all but they only help if you remember to charge them before you go anywhere. I've lost count of how many times I've grabbed my power bank only to find it dead, then I'm stuck with a useless brick in my bag. A spare charger cord takes zero planning, you just throw it in and it works anytime you find an outlet. Plus power banks big enough to charge a laptop are heavy and bulky, they take up way too much space in my bag. So for me the spare cord is still the real MVP, it never lets me down.