Which laptop cooling pad is best?

Laptops have their own cooling systems, but sometimes it isn’t enough. You may be working in a hot environment or pushing your laptop to its limits with intensive software or by gaming. Using a laptop in conditions like these for extended times will damage your components, leading to a broken computer and possible loss of data. Laptop cooling pads are designed to supplement your onboard cooling system to avoid these dangers.

The best laptop cooling pad is the Havit Laptop Cooling Pad. It’s affordable, effective and simply designed.

What to know before you buy a laptop cooling pad

Your conditions

Your laptop, what you use it for and where you use it have the biggest effect on determining how powerful a cooling pad you need.

• Laptop: There are a lot of variables, but in general, the cheapest and most powerful laptops are more likely to need more powerful cooling pads.
• Usage: Think of usage as the difference between sitting and working out in the same conditions. Working out will make you sweaty and you’ll want help cooling off. It’s the same for laptops — writing a report and browsing the web won’t have the same cooling requirements as using intensive software.
• Location: This refers to the temperature around your laptop. For example, if you take two identical laptops — one inside with air conditioning and the other outside on a warm day — and use them intensely for an hour, the outside laptop is much more likely to need additional cooling from a pad.

Portability

Laptop cooling pads can be split between those meant to stay on a desk and those designed to travel with you. Those meant for desk work tend to be more powerful and larger, while those designed for travel are small and have soft materials on the underside so they’re comfortable to keep on your lap.

Power source

Laptop cooling pads use your laptop’s battery as a power source by connecting to it via USB. Some also can use external power sources, such as portable chargers or power outlets, which will help maintain your laptop’s battery. Few are only powered via an external source.

What to look for in a quality laptop cooling pad

Less noise

Fans generate noise no matter what, but better fans generate less, even if they’re more powerful. The best fans have decibel counts as low as the 20s-30s on max power while the worst are as loud as the 50s.

Airflow

Most laptop cooling pads measure their airflow using cubic feet per minute. The higher the CFM, the more air is pushed through your laptop and the cooler it is.

How much you can expect to spend on a laptop cooling pad

Laptop cooling pads typically cost $20-$100. Low-powered models for basic needs cost less than $30. Most midrange models cost $30-$40. The strongest models start around $40 and can exceed $100.

Laptop cooling pad FAQ

How badly will a cooling pad drain my laptop’s battery?

A. That depends on the cooling pad. More powerful pads will obviously drain your battery faster, but some pads have features such as power control or off and on switches to help you tailor your cooling needs to specific situations. 

Do laptop cooling pads really work?

A. Yes. Even the weakest cooling pads can help lower your laptop’s temperature by a few degrees, while others can drop it tens of degrees. Even dropping your laptop’s temperature by a single degree will lower the risk of damage and help your laptop last longer than it otherwise would.

How can I tell if I need a laptop cooling pad?

A. The two main ways to gauge if you need to invest in a cooling pad are through touch and hearing. If your laptop ever feels hot to the touch in any area — even if it’s just slightly warm — or you notice that your onboard cooling fans are operating more frequently or louder than they should be, you can receive some benefit from a cooling pad. 

What’s the best laptop cooling pad to buy?

Top laptop cooling pad 

Havit Laptop Cooling Pad

What you need to know: It cools well and isn’t too pricey.

What you’ll love: It cools 15.6- to 17-inch laptops and comes in three designs. The fans don’t generate much noise, and it includes extra USB ports to expand how many devices you can connect at once. It can be tilted up to 1 inch high.

What you should consider: While designed to handle up to 17-inch laptops, those on the upper threshold don’t fit as well. It isn’t as effective at cooling gaming laptops.

Where to buy: Sold by Amazon

Top laptop cooling pad for the money

Klim Wind Laptop Cooling Pad

What you need to know: It’s designed to cool gaming consoles in addition to laptops.

What you’ll love: It can cool 11- to 19-inch laptops and the Xbox One and PS4, and it comes with red or green LEDs. It uses four fans that spin at up to 1,200 revolutions per minute for powerful cooling. The surface has retractable stoppers to help keep your device in place.

What you should consider: Larger and heavier laptops have trouble staying in place, especially if the pad is tilted. Some customers were unhappy with the plastic frame’s durability.

Where to buy: Sold by Amazon

Worth checking out

Targus Neoprene Laptop Cooling Pad

What you need to know: This no-frills pad is perfect for the office.

What you’ll love: The simple all-black design is more professional than that of most cooling pads. The neoprene base is comfortable when used on the lap and the surface has rubber stops to hold your laptop in place. It has two fans that don’t create much noise.

What you should consider: It doesn’t include any extra ports and the height of the tilt is not adjustable. The included power cable is too short for some laptops.

Where to buy: Sold by Amazon

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Jordan C. Woika writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.

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