Good laptop cooling pad?

[GeekAlex1995 0]

I have my laptop hooked into my 24' Toshiba HDTV at 1920x1080 resolution. When I play SC4, after about 20-30 minutes playing fullscreen, the CPU starts going faster and shuts down. I assume this is an overheating problem and was wondering, what's a good but cheap laptop cooling pad? Cheap as in, under $25. Thanks.

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

Good luck with that. Frankly a laptop is not a good choice for a program that runs processors at 100% all the time. The cooling plenum can't handle it. My desktop has the same type of monitor made by LG.

  Edited January 13, 2012 by A Nonny Moose  

[Meg 368]

How about this?

[Shadow Assassin 336]

One of these is an excellent choice. I own the 3-fan version and it did wonders for my laptop.

[Duke87 1,070]

I just wet my finger and rub water on the bottom of my laptop if it starts to get too hot. Evaporative cooling. It's a lovely thing.

Fortunately I don't have to do this too often, it's only after I forget to leave airspace under the machine for a prolonged period of time (it heats up like crazy resting on the couch).

But I know it's time if all of a sudden everything starts lagging.

Also, wintertime alternative: stick it on the window sill.

  Edited January 14, 2012 by Duke87  

[Bugs Bunny 11]

Good luck with that. Frankly a laptop is not a good choice for a program that runs processors at 100% all the time. The cooling plenum can't handle it. My desktop has the same type of monitor made by LG.

Laptops can be good if they have the right specs.

I recommend any cooling pad that works.

My friend had his laptop die because we forgot to plug in the cooling pad (we were playing SC4 at the time lol).

[AdoxxBE 289]

I have a HP Pavilion dv7, cooling sucks when i'm playing games. I've got 2 cooling decks, 1 from Microsoft (placed directly under my cooler) and on e from HP (placed under the rest of my laptop).

Now I won't even get higher the 35-40 degrees celcius when playing BF.

[Sniper296 83]

I echo the recommendation of Shadow Assassin, I own the two fan version for my HP G70 and it keeps it from overheating even in games like GTA IV (still runs bad). Shame the three fan version that is more appropriately sized came out about a month after I bought it. Make sure to maintain the fans every few months, a spray of silicon oil or sewing machine oil will keep them running whisper quiet and fast.

[Loney 22]

What is your fan's cooling system configuration? Where are the intake and exhaust vents located? No laptops are created equal, and the same thing applies to laptop coolers (especially active ones that come with fans).

If your laptop inhales air from the bottom and vents it out from the side, don't buy a laptop cooler that pulls air from the bottom and out the side. You'll create a vacuum and it will choke the cooling fan, and not much cooling will be done by the laptop cooler. Even worse if the laptop cooler is too small, because that means the laptop cooler's exhaust air will be quickly be inhaled again.

If there's no direct intake vent to the cooling fan or if it looks too small, take off the bottom panel (if possible) and see if it helps.

  Edited January 20, 2012 by Loney  

[Sniper296 83]

That is why I recommend the one Shadow Assassin mentioned, you can move the fans and even flip them so that they push or pull air.

[Loney 22]

I would also recommend replacing the thermal paste. Rarely do manufacturers use quality thermal paste.