Gaming Notebook Cooling Pad

[ComplicatioN]

Lately I've been overworking my computer, so i decided to find a decent, cheap and efficient cooling pad for my notebook.

My budget is around $40, any suggestions?

 

[Originality]

I can't recommend any single cooling pad (there are many that are good, but I've yet to see a great one), but I can give one piece of advice. Do NOT get one that sucks air away from the laptop. That can lead to suffocating the parts inside the laptop, especially the fan, which means higher temperatures.

Always get one that blows air into the laptop/notebook.

 

[Deleted User]

http://www.amazon.com/Cooler-Master-Notepa...5846&sr=8-1

That's one I've been considering getting for a while, what do you think Originality, Complication? The video reviewer seems to suggest that the fans
blow cool air into your laptop (wherever you decide to position the fans).

 

[Elvarg]

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/3-fan-Usb-Light-Not...=item19b6acbdac

$8 bux CHEAP

 

[Originality]

@Raven, it looks like a well designed one. If I understand it correctly, you can position the fans however you like (i.e. where the heat actually is). Also the meshed design means it won't obstruct air circulation at all. I also like tilted design - it's more ergonomic. If I had a criticism, it'd be that the fans look like they may be noisy.

@Elvarg, that's similar to the one I have. The padded corners are useful in that they can lift the laptop slightly for ventilation, and the three fans don't have to be strong to provide a steady supply of air to the laptop. The problem with the design is that the fans are the super-cheap variety - a month or two after buying it, they'll get rather noisy. At least one of the fans will tend to fail within 6 months too. The version I have has a single 250mm fan that runs almost silently, around a year after buying it.

 

[Deleted User]

To be honest this one looks like a really cool design too.
http://www.amazon.com/Cooler-Master-Ergost...0085&sr=1-3

(More for actual "Lap"top use,) Then again, the first one I mentioned is built such that you can actually fold your screen down (you know, close the screen down to the keyboard), and fit it in the space behind the cooler and use it as a carry-on/mobile package (comes with a strap).

(1)st one I mentioned is more mobile, but this one seems to provide a good combination of a cooling pad & a "desk" for using the notebook on, has supposedly 4-5 positions for use. Intrigues me a bit, but I'll probably end up going with the first to cool down my GPU & CPU, 720QM is running at 60 Celsius while playing StarCraft II or Crysis, whereas the GPU capped at 78 Celsius (Crysis) (I have a GTX 460M now, remember). (800x600 @ High Settings). I'd definitely feel better if I could shave a few degrees off that temperature.

Anyway, thanks to complication for making such a coincidentally timed post, this was something I'd been thinking about off/on in the back of my head for a while!

 

[ComplicatioN]

To be honest this one looks like a really cool design too.
http://www.amazon.com/Cooler-Master-Ergost...0085&sr=1-3

(More for actual "Lap"top use,) Then again, the first one I mentioned is built such that you can actually fold your screen down (you know, close the screen down to the keyboard), and fit it in the space behind the cooler and use it as a carry-on/mobile package (comes with a strap).

(1)st one I mentioned is more mobile, but this one seems to provide a good combination of a cooling pad & a "desk" for using the notebook on, has supposedly 4-5 positions for use. Intrigues me a bit, but I'll probably end up going with the first to cool down my GPU & CPU, 720QM is running at 60 Celsius while playing StarCraft II or Crysis, whereas the GPU capped at 78 Celsius (Crysis) (I have a GTX 460M now, remember). (800x600 @ High Settings). I'd definitely feel better if I could shave a few degrees off that temperature.

Anyway, thanks to complication for making such a coincidentally timed post, this was something I'd been thinking about off/on in the back of my head for a while!

COINCIDENTALLY!
I was thinking about getting one of the two Coolermaster coolers you have posted up, The Ergostand looks more capable than the U2 though.
Which one would you recommend for off and on gaming?

 

[Originality]

The Ergostand is more capable, but the other one is low profile. If you don't mind the Ergostand getting in the way, get it. If you prefer something that's not always in the way, get the other.

It's just making a choice based on your needs ;p

 

[Deleted User]

lol indeed. I think the first one is better, it's cheaper & more mobile, & you can position the fans where you need them. I know that positioning them above my CPU, for example, could really help my idle temperatures (and keep my chest cool, rofl. Plus it comes as a carry-case ish design w/ a strap.

 

[Originality]

and keep my chest cool, rofl

Yes, because all of GBAtemp knows you have the hottest chest in the world.

EDIT (because I don't think it warrants another post): Second time for that kind of joke, 7th time showing my true self... on this forum at least. Either way, I know what you meant and the solution I came up with ages ago was a simple USB fan. It can either be pointed at you to provide rather effective cooling, or at the top of the laptop to keep the surface cool. I think it'd also help keep temperatures down, but I've no way to measure the effectiveness.

 

[Deleted User]

Wow, where did that come from Originality,

Definitely a first for you to say something like that, lol. I was being somewhat serious as I use my laptop on my chest/lap on a broken cooling pad (the material, I figure, still conducts the heat better than non-aluminum, etc). Still, it does get a little warm at times since this processor idles @ around 50 Celsius.

 

[Bently]

@Originality:

I didn't know about that when buying my cooling pad

. Mine sucks air out... I'll keep your words in to mind next time I buy a cooling pad. Also, could I turn over my cooling pad in order for it to blow air directly lol?

 

[Originality]

Depends on the cooling pad. My first one had two fans to suck air down, and push it out sidewards. That kind of thing can't be turned upside down.

To elaborate on the point, suction cooling pads can, at best, provide 1-2C cooling. It also doesn't have the disadvantage of blowing dust into the air vents. At worst, if the laptop cannot get any air from alternative vents, it can increase internal temperatures by anything up to 7C. This is based on an article I read ages ago, so I can't link the source. Naturally, performance of any cooler depends on the design of the laptop itself, and of the cooling pad.

Strangely enough, I've heard a similar story about the cooler for Xbox 360 (the one you clip on the back) - it's more likely to obstruct airflow than assist it, and makes so much noise that nobody ever recommends it.

 

[Bently]

Depends on the cooling pad. My first one had two fans to suck air down, and push it out sidewards. That kind of thing can't be turned upside down.

To elaborate on the point, suction cooling pads can, at best, provide 1-2C cooling. It also doesn't have the disadvantage of blowing dust into the air vents. At worst, if the laptop cannot get any air from alternative vents, it can increase internal temperatures by anything up to 7C. This is based on an article I read ages ago, so I can't link the source. Naturally, performance of any cooler depends on the design of the laptop itself, and of the cooling pad.

Strangely enough, I've heard a similar story about the cooler for Xbox 360 (the one you clip on the back) - it's more likely to obstruct airflow than assist it, and makes so much noise that nobody ever recommends it.

Well, my cooling pad just has two fans that suck in air. The two sides are basically the same. But I think I'd rather just buy a new cooling pad.
This is why you never ask your dad to get you stuff >.>.

 

[Originality]

Don't blame your dad if you were specific enough when asking ;p

 

[Bently]

Don't blame your dad if you were specific enough when asking ;p

Well he IS supposed to be a computer hardware technician, and bought two of these because they were cheaper then the one that blows in air (which he had previously bought for my sibling a month ago). The cost of two of these cooling pads = The cost of one of my sibling's cooling pad. :/


I was inspecting my laptop, and I found that there are bottom vents that let in air, and a side vent which blows out air.
Meaning that the cooling pad was going to eventually suffocate my laptop. Also my cooling pad isn't very elevated, so the air sucked out is
trapped between my cooling pad and desk :S.

 

[DeMoN]

http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Notebook-Co...bs_2243862011_5

This is the one I use. It cools really well and it is silent. However, there is only one fan and it is in the middle. Therefore, I would suggest the one posted by Raven's Sage simply because you can choose where to place the fans. Whatever you do though, do not buy anything made by Targus.

 

[Bently]

http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Notebook-Co...bs_2243862011_5

This is the one I use. It cools really well and it is silent. However, there is only one fan and it is in the middle. Therefore, I would suggest the one posted by Raven's Sage simply because you can choose where to place the fans. Whatever you do though, do not buy anything made by Targus.

Do you have any reasoning to why you shouldn't buy Targus products?

 

[Apk07]

http://www.amazon.com/Cooler-Master-Notepa...5846&sr=8-1

That's one I've been considering getting for a while, what do you think Originality, Complication? The video reviewer seems to suggest that the fans
blow cool air into your laptop (wherever you decide to position the fans).

Get this one for sure. My friends laptop frequently overheats and shuts down... he got this and everything runs smooth as butter now. Its really quiet and you can position the 2 fans directly under your laptops intakes. And yes, it blows IN. The slight angle is also really nice, and the whole construction is solid and sturdy.
$18 is a steal as well... especially when its a name-brand like Cooler Master. Consider getting amazon prime with a .edu email (for free 2 day shipping), or grabbing something else that costs $5 (to make your order be $25, thus qualifying for free shipping).

 

[DeMoN]

http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Notebook-Co...bs_2243862011_5

This is the one I use. It cools really well and it is silent. However, there is only one fan and it is in the middle. Therefore, I would suggest the one posted by Raven's Sage simply because you can choose where to place the fans. Whatever you do though, do not buy anything made by Targus.

Do you have any reasoning to why you shouldn't buy Targus products?

Sorry, I meant Targus laptop coolers, I have no clue how good their other products are. And I base this off my personal experience with one of their shitty-ass coolers that was overpriced, and this general buyer's guide to notebook coolers.

http://forum.notebookreview.com/accessorie...yers-guide.html

QUOTE

The Targus Chillpad’s are chronically under achieving and not making a difference. The fans are known to cut out, be noise and lastly be a potential a health hazard according to the State of California.

“This product contains chemicals, including lead, known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm. WASH HANDS AFTER HANDLING”

This excerpt was taken off a Targus Chillpad box and more about this can be found here.