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Like any tech we use on a regular basis, your laptop can get very dirty over time. Unless you maintain a strict cleaning regime, devices can soon end up crawling with bacteria – some of which could be dangerous.  

It’s a worrying thought, but there is another way to protect your device. Asus is expanding its lineup of devices equipped with Antibacterial Guard, a coating the company claims provides 99% antibacterial protection to the areas you touch the most: keyboard, trackpad, palm rest and power button/fingerprint scanner. 

Once upcoming Zenbook devices are released, it means 8 out of every 10 Asus laptops sold will feature Antibacterial Guard. It’s already available on a wide range of Vivobook hardware, including its S and Pro lines.

So, what is Antibacterial Guard? Essentially, it’s a silver-ion coating that can attack the DNA of microbes and inhibit their growth. This prevents them from multiplying and spreading rapidly, reducing the risk of harmful bacteria from spreading. Asus says it provides 99% coverage within a 24-hour period, while it meets ISO 22196 standards for antibacterial plastics.

However, this isn’t a substitute for cleaning – just an extra layer of protection. The coating is unaffected by household products, alcohol wipes and soapy water, so you can clean the device just like you normally would. 

Asus says Antibacterial Guard works for over three years of “normal usage”, at which point many people will be considering upgrading to a new laptop anyway. 

People have a heightened awareness of this kind of hygiene after the events of the last few years, so it makes sense for Asus to improve the cleanliness of devices we use nearly every day. In a survey conducted by the company and Pollfish, 68% of 20,000 laptop users expressed an above-average interest in antibacterial laptop protection.

But Asus isn’t the only company experimenting with technology like this. Acer already has its own range of antimicrobial products, while many cases and screen protectors deliver a similar effect on smartphones. Provided their protection credentials can be verified, it feels like something that more companies should adopt in the future.

As the resident expert on Windows, Senior Staff Writer Anyron’s main focus is PCs and laptops. Much of the rest of his time is split between smartphones, tablets and audio, with a particular focus on Android devices.