Laptop Overheating

Sometimes notebooks overheat even when the air vents are clean and air can flow under the laptop. In these cases, placing the notebook on a notebook cooler or "chill pad" with fans that power more air through the air vents can solve the problem.

As laptop overheating has become a more and more common problem, several laptop accessory manufacturers have offered aftermarket stands for hot laptops with extra fans built in. some have two fans; others have three fans to pull even more air through the laptop. Most of these laptop coolers are powered through a laptop USB port, although some also provide an independent power supply to avoid putting extra strain on the laptop’s power system. Some offer additional USB hubs or memory card readers to provide functionality beside notebook cooling.

In our experience, these computer coolers work well, keeping the overheating laptop within operating temperature ranges. Aside from the cost (typically $20 to $50), downsides of these units include lack of easy portability and additional noise from the additional fans.