Laptop cooling

JonathanRyan

JonathanRyan

Suspended / Banned
Messages
10,765
Name
Jonathan
Edit My Images
Yes
Anybody have a quiet laptop cooler they like? If it has lights then I must be able to turn them off :)

Because...I have an ultra thin Dell laptop. Like all ultra thins the heat kills it eventually and the last one lasted about a year from brand new. I've had it replaced but want to prevent the same thing happening again because environment. As always, Amzon has a bewildering choice mostly with 1 & 5 star reviews. This is a laptop that stays closed on my desk when at home - I use external keyboard, mouse and monitors. It's an XPS 14 so something small would suit it.
 
Sometime back I bought the OH a Zalman Laptop cooler to use with her first laptop.

It is USB powered, no lights but has an on/off switch and speed controller.

Of late (newer, cooler running Dell model) she mostly uses it unpowered as the body is metal (ventilated) and as sloping it tilts the keyboard to reduce strain.

I can't recall how noisy it is/was but as you say where 'heat' is the destructive problem, some noise is a small penalty to pay!
 
Last edited:
Laterally thinking, Mrs Nod's Mum overheats easily so I bought her a pet cool blanket which keeps her butt cool when she's in her chair (at 93, getting up an moving round isn't a viable option!) It came from 7dayshop IIRC.
 
Not sure how a pet cool blanket works but it did occur to me that a slow moving small desk fan changing the air around the laptop could work. Easily tested by putting a room thermometer with the laptop and checking the temperature before and after. Obviously not so efficient as a per pose designed fan underneath but you may already have fan etc.
 
Since the laptop is closed, a stand that holds it vertically may do the job.
 
sphexx said:
Since the laptop is closed, a stand that holds it vertically may do the job.
Click to expand...

Need to be careful putting undue strain on cables & ports when not flat!
 
I use a Belkin - it has a fan in it, powered by USB, no lights and cushioned underneath. It is quite bulky. I'm not sure how quiet it is as I have a hearing loss so I probably wouldn't notice. I only use the fan if I feel it is getting hot, and when I am doing processor intensive work, otherwise I get a cold lap :)

I have had to replace motherboards on both XPS Dell and Apple laptops in the past. My current MacBook Pro (15") has been going since 2015 with no problems so far, and I think I've had this Belkin for most of that time.

Amazingly - it is still available https://www.amazon.co.uk/Belkin-Coo...0046MUN6Y/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8
 
sphexx said:
Since the laptop is closed, a stand that holds it vertically may do the job.
Click to expand...

Thanks - yes it might. I wonder if the fans are designed to run vertically though. Might be good for a while but eventually put strain on them.

Bebop said:
I use a Belkin - it has a fan in it, powered by USB, no lights and cushioned underneath. It is quite bulky. I'm not sure how quiet it is as I have a hearing loss so I probably wouldn't notice. I only use the fan if I feel it is getting hot, and when I am doing processor intensive work, otherwise I get a cold lap :)

I have had to replace motherboards on both XPS Dell and Apple laptops in the past. My current MacBook Pro (15") has been going since 2015 with no problems so far, and I think I've had this Belkin for most of that time.

Amazingly - it is still available https://www.amazon.co.uk/Belkin-Coo...0046MUN6Y/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8
Click to expand...

O that looks interesting - would be useful for people using them as actual laptops :) Mine sits in a desk. Really good to hear it has lasted so long - will see if they make a desk based one.
Peter123 said:
I‘m interested in one too.

Google revealed these that may help

www.expertreviews.co.uk

Best laptop cooling pad: Prevent overheating with these great mats and stands | Expert Reviews

Is your laptop too hot to handle? These are the best laptop cooling pads for reducing its temperature so you can enjoy top performance
www.expertreviews.co.uk www.expertreviews.co.uk

www.techradar.com

The best laptop cooling pad in 2025: top picks to keep your laptop chilled

Stay frosty with the very best laptop cooling pad
www.techradar.com www.techradar.com
Click to expand...

Thanks - some good stuff in those. Hilarious to see the Mac "Cooler Balls" in the first article. Meanwhile, PC users just use pencils :D
 
I must be missing something, ?
A laptop that is always closed with external key, mouse & monitor is called a desktop !
Why not purchase a desktop for home use and leave the laptop for mobile work when needed ?
Especially if its killing laptops at the rate you are experiencing !

PS I sell PC's for a living and am constantly amazed at people who buy a laptop (to save space) only for me to visit a month later to find the laptop closed with external key, mouse & monitor.
 
Compuwight said:
I must be missing something, ?
A laptop that is always closed with external key, mouse & monitor is called a desktop !
Why not purchase a desktop for home use and leave the laptop for mobile work when needed ?
Especially if its killing laptops at the rate you are experiencing !

PS I sell PC's for a living and am constantly amazed at people who buy a laptop (to save space) only for me to visit a month later to find the laptop closed with external key, mouse & monitor.
Click to expand...

You may be right but maybe he needs a laptop to take out and about as many do.
 
Compuwight said:
I must be missing something, ?
A laptop that is always closed with external key, mouse & monitor is called a desktop !
Why not purchase a desktop for home use and leave the laptop for mobile work when needed ?
Especially if its killing laptops at the rate you are experiencing !

PS I sell PC's for a living and am constantly amazed at people who buy a laptop (to save space) only for me to visit a month later to find the laptop closed with external key, mouse & monitor.
Click to expand...
Well I bought mine when we sold our house 3 years ago and went to live with various adult children, sometimes moving about from week to week. I didn't want to shuffle the desktop around.
After we eventually bought a house I just use it as a desktop.
It's actually better than my old desktop - much higher spec.
Anyway, when I get up to make coffee or whatever and leave it on, when I return the screensaver has kicked in and the fan is going like mad.
As soon as I touch a key it stops?
So, I'm thinking a cooling pad will help.
 
Can I suggest you turn screensaver off for a while and open task manager to see what process(s) are using the CPU. I suspect if may be windows search or windows update that both kick in when the CPU is idle. Have you checked then fan is not obscured on full of dust and fluff, visual inspection with a torch and check that when it runs at speed - air is actually coming out from the vents. You might also try placing a pencil under the the rear to elevate the laptop slightly, improving air flow.
 
Compuwight said:
I must be missing something, ?
A laptop that is always closed with external key, mouse & monitor is called a desktop !
Why not purchase a desktop for home use and leave the laptop for mobile work when needed ?
Especially if its killing laptops at the rate you are experiencing !

PS I sell PC's for a living and am constantly amazed at people who buy a laptop (to save space) only for me to visit a month later to find the laptop closed with external key, mouse & monitor.
Click to expand...
Yes. I agree with all that and I do have a massive tower system with very effective cooling. When I'm running a vr game or rendering video I don't need the heating on

But the dell is a machine provided by a company I do work for and they will only supply laptops. It's their loss that one of them failed so quickly but since it's annoying for me to get it changed and bad for the environment I thought I'd look at affordable options to improve the cooling.
 
Would having the lappy open make any significant difference to its cooling? I can see the point of using external devices on it to improve the "handling" and viewing but if it's the closed running that's killing them, maybe running it open is the answer.
 
Nod said:
Would having the lappy open make any significant difference to its cooling? I can see the point of using external devices on it to improve the "handling" and viewing but if it's the closed running that's killing them, maybe running it open is the answer.
Click to expand...
I was thinking the same, lots of info on the canon thread (R5) about having the screen open and standing on left leg whilst whistleing to help stop heat build up.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top