Excessive heat inside a laptop can easily damage important components and shorten the life of the computer. Overheating is avoidable, however, through the use of a laptop cooling pad. Cooling pads are not very expensive, and using them may save you a lot of money in the end.
Types
The two main types of cooling pads are pads that use fans and pads that do not. Cooling pads that use fans to dissipate heat may have two, three or four fans. These cooling pads are constructed of aluminum, plastic or a combination of the two materials. Laptop cooling pads that do not use fans are constructed of plastic, aluminum or special heat-dissipating materials.
Features
Cooling pads that use fans to cool require either an electrical outlet or batteries; however, most cooling pads simply plug into the laptop's USB port.
Several models of laptop cooling pads do not have fans, and these models do not require a USB port or any other power supply. Instead of dissipating heat via fans, some of these cooling pads are made of special materials that distribute the heat. Other fanless models help keep a laptop cool by elevating it slightly so that there is more airflow beneath it. Some elevating models are adjustable so you can angle the keyboard for easier typing.
Benefits
Because laptop cooling pads prevent laptop computers from overheating, your laptop will be less likely to crash or suffer heat-related damage. Cooling pads are relatively inexpensive; the cost is easily offset by the years the pads may add to the life of your laptop computer.
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Warning
When laptops overheat, it can damage the laptop's hardware, the table or desktop the laptop is on, or become unpleasantly warm if you are holding the laptop on your lap. In addition, although it is rare, some laptops have even caught fire after the batteries got too hot. Even if you use a laptop cooling pad, you should not leave laptops turned on unattended for long periods of time.
Considerations
Size matters when it comes to laptop cooling pads. If your notebook is a larger model, make sure you get a large enough cooling pad so that your laptop does not overhang the pad.
When choosing a laptop cooling pad, keep in mind what surface you usually place your laptop on. Most cooling pads work well on any surface, and many are for lap use, but some less flexible models may make you feel uncomfortable if used on your lap.
