A laptop cooling pad is a great way to keep your work, home, or gaming computer running at lower temperatures for more efficient processing and power consumption. A cooling pad uses an array of fans to assist your laptop’s built-in cooling system. It can help draw waste heat away from delicate components like CPUs, RAM chips, and graphics cards to prevent damage and overheating.
Many models also allow you to adjust the height and angle of your laptop for more comfortable viewing and typing, in addition to letting you control fan speeds and any LED lighting that may be built into the cooling pad. Most laptop cooling pads also have non-slip rubber pads or slip-stop tabs to keep your laptop firmly in place while you work, stream, or play games, as well as non-slip feet to keep your laptop from sliding around.
Laptop cooling pads can be made from plastic or metal, and each has its advantages and drawbacks. Aluminum helps draw waste heat away more efficiently, but it can be more expensive and heavy. While plastic builds are more affordable, they aren’t as durable as metal cooling pads.
If you’re looking to treat yourself or give one as a gift this holiday season, I’ve curated a list of the five best laptop cooling pads you can buy. I’ve broken down their features and price points to help you decide which is the best fit for your budget and needs.
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- Adjustable height
- Four USB ports
- Metal construction
- Fits up to 17-inch laptops
- No info on fan speed
- No fan speed controls
- May be a bit bulky for travel
Dimensions: 14.96 x 1.18 x 11.01 inches | Weight: 1.5 pounds | Max laptop size: 17 inches | Fan RPM: 1100 | USB passthrough: Yes | LED lighting: Yes
The Havit HV-F2056 is a simple, and affordable, solution for keeping your laptop cool while you work. For under $25, you’ll get three fans capable of up to 1100 RPMs in order to draw away waste heat from your laptop. The cooling pad features two foldable feet for adjusting the height and angle of your laptop for more comfortable use. It also has two USB ports for connecting peripherals and external storage devices and a power switch for the fans and LED light so you can turn the pad off when you just want to prop up your laptop.
The top of the cooling pad is a non-slip mesh to keep your computer in place while you work or stream videos, and it can accommodate laptops up to 17 inches wide. The black version has either blue or red LED lights while the blue version has just blue lights, so you can show off your personal style or match your office decor.
- Six fans
- Quiet operation
- Two USB ports
- LCD screen and controls
- Expensive
- RGB lighting can be annoying in a work setting
- Lighting can drain laptop battery quicker
Dimensions: 18.54 x 13.96 x 1.83 inches | Weight: 3.35 pounds | Max laptop size: 19 inches | Fan RPM: 800 | USB passthrough: No | LED lighting: Yes
If you have a larger laptop, the Thermaltake Massive 20 RGB is a great choice for a cooling pad. It can accommodate laptops up to 19 inches wide, making it perfect for gaming, workstation, and large home use computers. The back of the pad has a fan speed control dial, allowing you to set the 200mm fan RPMs anywhere from 600 to 800 as well as two buttons for controlling the five RGB lighting effects and colors.
The dual feet feature non-slip rubber pads to keep everything in place and fold out, allowing you to set your laptop and cooling pad at three different heights. The steel mesh surface also has two rubber pads to keep your laptop secured while drawing waste heat away from your laptop.
- Dual, 4500 RPM blowers
- Two USB ports
- Fan and lighting controls
- Seven height adjustments
- Expensive
- Loud operation
- LED lighting can drain your laptop battery faster
Once you have a budget finalized for your new laptop cooling pad, you should consider how you will use it. If you want something that will keep your laptop at optimal temperatures while you work or stream movies, a basic model with a single or dual fans will be enough. If you need to connect lots of storage devices or peripherals, you’ll want to choose a laptop cooling pad with USB pass throughs. And if you need heavy-duty cooling for your gaming laptop or workstation, you’ll need a cooling pad with a high fan RPM and larger vent holes for better heat dissipation and airflow.
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Choose this laptop cooling pad… |
If you need… |
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Targus Portable Chill Hub |
A reliable cooling pad with height adjustment and USB passthroughs |
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Havit HB-F2056 |
A simple and affordable cooling pad for laptops |
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TopMate C11 |
A cooling device specifically for MacBooks |
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Thermaltake Massive 20RGB |
A larger cooling pad for laptops |
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IETS GT300 |
A powerful cooling pad for gaming laptops |
Unfortunately, since a laptop cooling pad uses a USB connection for power, it will drain your battery faster than if you weren’t using one. The good news is that you can adjust fan speeds and LED lighting to control just how much power your cooling pad will draw from your laptop, giving you a bit more time before you need to plug in.
You can also use USB hubs (provided your laptop has multiple ports) to keep everything connected and juiced.
Not all of them; some ultra-thin models like the MacBook Air ditched built-in cooling fans in favor of slim form factors. And while they use passive cooling and heatsinks to protect delicate components from high temperatures, it’s still a good idea to get a cooling pad to help dissipate more waste heat and keep your laptop running smoothly.
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