Laptop Cooling Pads: Essential for Summer Performance
Boy, sure is a hot one today, huh? Okay, I get the irony: that’s a take so cold you could use it to replace your freezing Wim Hof showers. But when the metaphorical mercury creeps this high, you’ve got to keep your cool. The same goes for your laptop, which is why you might want to grab a laptop cooling pad this summer.
Fortunately for you, I’ve spent this week testing every laptop cooling pad I can get my hands on to see which offers the superior AC for your computer. Not only that, but I’ve brought receipts — this piece has more graphics and graphs than election night coverage. So if you want objective numbers about which pad is genuinely gusty and which is all bluster, I’ve got the data you need.
I get that it can be tempting to overlook cooling your laptop during warm weather — I’ve been more worried this summer about tracking down a fan to keep myself cool than my laptops. But you overlook the best laptop cooling pads at your peril.
Laptop Cooling Pads: Cooling Performance
Temperature Rise Using Laptop Cooling Pad
The temperature rise during a stress test while using the laptop cooling pad on max settings
| Product | Temperature Rise (°C) |
|---|---|
| Baseline | 31.9 |
| TopMate C12 Laptop Cooling Pad | 22.8 |
| Klim Mistral | 20.4 |
| Klim Wind | 19.5 |
| Almiuzi F2 Plus Laptop Cooling Pad | 18.4 |
| TECKNET Laptop Cooling Pad | 17.9 |
| Klim Ultimate | 15.5 |
| Liangstar Laptop Cooling Pad | 15.3 |
| Llano V10 Gaming Laptop Cooling Pad | 12 |
| Llano RGB Laptop Cooling Pad | 8 |
To put these numbers into perspective, the TopMate C12 Laptop Cooling Pad was able to limit temperature rise to just 22.8°C, a significant improvement over the baseline. However, I’ve reminded myself of the summer I redlined my laptop during a heatwave, which resulted in burnout and scorch marks on the inside of the case.
During this testing, the most surprising find was the TECKNET Laptop Cooling Pad, which, despite being more affordable, effectively reduced warming to 32.2°F / 17.6°C, placing it in the top half of tested cooling pads.
Noise Levels of Laptop Cooling Pads
Noise Level — Cooling Pad Alone
Noise level of the cooling pad or laptop alone taken at head height and from 3 inches away
| Product | Noise Level (dB) |
|---|---|
| Llano RGB Laptop Cooling Pad | 71 |
| Llano V10 Gaming Laptop Cooling Pad | 64.5 |
| Klim Mistral | 52.6 |
| Liangstar Laptop Cooling Pad | 45 |
| TopMate C12 Laptop Cooling Pad | 43.5 |
| Almiuzi F2 Plus Laptop Cooling Pad | 37.4 |
| TECKNET Laptop Cooling Pad | 36 |
| Klim Ultimate | 36 |
Interestingly, the Llano RGB Laptop Cooling Pad, while one of the best at cooling, also clocked in at 71dB — a sound level akin to that of a coffee grinder. However, if you don’t mind the noise, the cooling benefits might outweigh this consideration.
Do You Really Need a Laptop Cooling Pad?
Performance Comparison
In one test, I compared performance using a MacBook Air M5 with and without a cooling pad. The results showed a slight improvement in estimated encoding time from 122 minutes to 114 minutes with the cooling pad, indicating that cooling can indeed enhance performance, especially for resource-intensive tasks.
On an Acer Predator Helios 300, the cooling did little to improve or stabilize results, highlighting the variability in laptop cooling capabilities. Generally, high-performance machines with effective built-in cooling systems might not require additional cooling pads for day-to-day tasks.
However, if you’re into resource-heavy applications like gaming or video editing, investing in a cooling pad might be beneficial in the long run.
Given the data collected, it’s clear that a laptop cooling pad can be invaluable in preventing thermal throttling and maintaining performance during high-demand tasks. Ultimately, keeping your laptop cool enhances its longevity and efficiency, making it worth considering, especially in hot weather.
For detailed breakdowns and further insights into the laptop cooling products tested, check out my full review Here.
Image Credit: www.techradar.com
