Before buying a laptop cooling pad a common question may arise: does a cooling pad really work?. The quick answer can be, why so many branded cooling pads in the market if it does not work?
The hidden secret is that you have to understand if you really need a laptop cooling pad or not. I believe this article will make it clear where a cooling pad works and where not. You may also check our latest post: Best CPU Cooler Brands.
Does Laptop Cooler Really Work?
Yes, as a matter of fact, depending on your laptop type, a cooling pad usually does help. Especially if you’re using a gaming laptop, a cooler might be an essential product. But to understand whether your laptop needs a cooler or not, we need to get into some details.
When you Need a Cooling Pad?
Extensive use of a laptop causes CPU overload, which leads to overheating. This may slow down the overall performance of the laptop and cause damage to internal components. It also depends on the environment you’re in since a relatively cooler place will help control the excess heat.
What is a Laptop Cooling Pad?
Let’s start with getting to know what a Laptop Cooling Pad or a Cooler is. It is a platform like device to place your laptop on. Its function is to take cooler air from underneath and direct it towards the laptop. This is so that the laptop can doesn’t face overheating problems.
Laptops tend to heat up the surface they’re on with the hot air trapped at the bottom of it. As a result, that tends to make the laptop overheat. However, a cooling pad keeps the laptop raised an inch or two above the ground and helps resolve that problem.
How does a Laptop Cooling Pad Work?
Like any electronic device, when a laptop is constantly being used, the overworked hardware heats up. The heat can become too much to handle even for the laptop’s internal cooler. It shuts itself up before the overheating can cause permanent damage. Basically the fan or in most cases, fans in a cooling pad blow cool air right on the bottom of your laptop as you set it up. The constant airflow makes sure that the laptop does not overheat.
Which Cooling Pad to Choose?
It is very important to consider some aspects before buying a laptop cooling pad. First of all there are many different brands to choose from so it might get a little confusing. Let’s check out some other details you might need to consider while choosing a laptop cooling pad.
01. Portability and Comfort of Use
A must-consider aspect would be its portability and comfort of use. Since the chances of a user carrying around their laptop are high, the cooling pad must also be comfortable enough to carry around. Ergonomic lightweight designs are preferable in this case. It is important to make sure that the pad isn’t smaller than your laptop in diameter.
02. Product Quality
Another thing to consider is the quality of the product. Quality doesn’t only include the build material but also how efficiently it can reduce the temperature of the laptop. Cooling pads with multiple fans are usually more effective as it allows better airflow. Fans with 1000 rotations per minute can be more efficient in this concern. Poorly built devices may draw more power than necessary and without any protection that may cause serious damage to the battery.
03. USB Connectivity
Cooling pads are connected via USB ports to the laptop. Some cooling pads come with an extensive dual-sided USB port, which means you can connect another USB device in the same port. There are also some designs that have built-in ports on the cooling pad itself. Since laptops have a limited amount of average 3 USB ports, this can come quite handy.
04. Price
The aspect anyone considers most is probably the price of the product. Products that match all the required criteria end up being a little costlier than most. It is important to find one that is most cost effective according to the budget. Many different brands offer a variety of options to choose from so it is not hard to find one that fits best for you.
Types of Cooling Pad and Cooling Fans
There are a few different types of distinct features to choose from. Mainly there are four different types of coolers in the market.
01. Active Coolers
Active coolers usually have 1 to 6 fans that generate constant additional airflow around the laptop’s body. These types of coolers usually draw power through the USB port of the laptop, but some also come with additional adaptors. While some active cooler works by blowing on your device, other designs work by drawing the heats from underneath the laptop.
High spectrum fans might also feature manually adjustable fan speed. There are also some designs that have blowers and not fans. The blowers come with dust filters and seals that prevent hot air recirculation.
02. Passive coolers
Some cooling pads are usually filled with organic salt compounds and do not require any power to work. These organic compounds absorb the heat directly from the laptop. These are usually good for a limited amount of time that’s about 6 to 8 hours. Other powerless designs include a construct that simply elevates the laptop so there’s less hot air trapped underneath.
The organic compound-filled pads are not advisable for laptops with built-in ventilators directly underneath. Because the cooling pads block heated air from leaving the laptop and might cause system failure due to overheating. It is usually safe if you just make sure there are no fan vents built at the bottom of your laptop instead of the sides.
03. Multi-surface coolers
Passive coolers sometimes are designed with multi surfaces that keep a gap between the base and the cooler. These are safe to use for laptops with a vent at the bottom since there is space for air to move around. Some models also feature surface space between the cooling pad and users’ lap for maximum comfort. These can also be placed on any type of surface.
04. Multipurpose coolers
Multipurpose coolers have become very popular nowadays. These cooling pads usually come with built-in card readers that can be used for memory cards, pen drives, and even external hard disk drives. Some models offer an extra surface to be used as a mouse pad or a small work area. These models are built with indoor use in mind, especially to be used on the bed or the couch. The ones with extra workspace are usually heavy and not easily portable. Multipurpose laptop cooler tables are perfect for occasions when reclining on a comfortable surface as they come with adjustable stands