Do Cooling Pads Work for Gaming Laptops? Are They Worth It? (2024)

As technology continues to advance, laptops are becoming more powerful and, as a result, generate even more heat. This raises the question: do cooling pads work for gaming laptops? With countless options available, it’s essential to understand their effectiveness.

Join me as I explore the science behind laptop cooling pads and examine their advantages. I will also provide insights by putting a laptop cooling pad through its paces. So, let’s dive in and keep your laptop cool and running smooth!

Introduction: Do Cooling Pads Really Work?

Yes, cooling pads do work, they are designed to help dissipate heat generated by the graphics card and processor, thereby improving performance and extending their lifespan. I have owned several coolers, and they have all helped to reduce the temperatures of my gaming laptops by up to 10 degrees Celsius (50°F)

Cooling pads typically feature one fan and some have up to six fans and a ventilated surface, enabling better airflow and heat dissipation, which reduces the overall temperature of the device. However, the effectiveness of a cooling pad can vary depending on factors such as the design, the device’s existing cooling system, and the ambient temperature.

While a cooling pad may not always lead to a drastic temperature drop, they can still provide additional cooling support and improve the your overall experience.

More Content: The Thermaltake RGB laptop cooler is by far the best Razer Blade 15 cooling pad or for any other powerful gaming notebook.

Why You Should Use a Laptop Cooler?

Using a cooling pad with your laptop can offer several benefits that enhance the performance and longevity of your device. You might want to use a laptop cooler if you use your laptop for gaming or running intensive programmes like Adobe when heat is inevitable.

A laptop cooler will help to maintain optimal temperature’s by dissipating excess heat generated the hardware. This can prevent a laptop from overheating. Which can lead to damaging internal components and may also reduce its lifespan.

I Tested A Cooling Pad To See If They Really Work

To see if cooler pad really works for gaming laptops. I used myHP Omen 15 gaming laptop and my newer Razer Blade 15 notebook. Two very powerful portable computers with powerful hardware. But when running intensive applications generates heat.

The tests I ran, included running the AAA game, Call of Duty Warzone with and without using a laptop cooling pad. Without using the cooler, the CPU temperature hit 79 °C (174.2°F), and the NVidia GeForce RTX GPU temperature hit 83.9 °C (183.02°F).

While using the laptop cooler the CPU temperature dropped down to 72 °C (161.6°F). While the NVidia RTX 3070 Ti graphics card temperature dropped down to 77.3 °C (171.14°F).

Are Laptop Cooling Pads Worth It?

From the test results above, involving two gaming laptops. Using a cooling pad resulted in a significant reduction in CPU and GPU temperatures. Further supporting their effectiveness. So, yes, laptop cooling pads are worth considering.

Especially for those who use their laptops for gaming or running intensive programs. Cooling pads help maintain optimal temperatures by dissipating excess heat, and preventing overheating. They can also improve processing capabilities by preventing thermal throttling.

How Do Laptop Coolers Work?

Laptop coolers work by dissipating the heat generated by the hardware. Like the graphics card (GPU) and processor (CPU) which helps to improve airflow and prevents overheating. Additionally, most laptop cooling pads include fans with varying fan speeds. The fans help to increase air circulation around the device.

They also work hard at cooling the base of your laptop, and some will cool down the surface area too. As a result, your laptop is less likely to suffer from heat-related issues. Cooling stands are also great for cooling down iPads. Consoles, and external storage devices.

What Types of Laptop Cooling Pads are there?

There are several types of laptop cooling stands. Including active and passive cooling devices and they can feature multiple fans, while some have a single fan. While some are powered by USB, and others require an AC adapter. Some have built-in stands so you can prop up your laptop, and some offer RGB lighting.

What Are Active Cooling Stands?

Active coolers are laptop cooling solutions designed to dissipate heat from a laptop. They typically have one or more fans that help circulate air around the device. Designed to improve airflow and prevent damage from overheating.

The fans draw in cool air and direct it towards the laptop’s base. This helps to cool down the internal components, such as the CPU and GPU. Some active coolers have adjustable fan speeds. So users can better balance cooling performance with fan noise levels.

Active coolers often come with extra features. Like USB hubs, adjustable heights or angles for ergonomic benefits. Some even have RGB lighting for a personalized aesthetic. Active cooling pads are usually powered through a USB connection to the laptop itself. Although some models might need an external power source like an AC adapter.

What Are Passive Cooling Stands?

A passive laptop cooling pad is a device designed to help dissipate heat from a laptop. Passive coolers do not have built-in fans. Instead, they rely on materials with high thermal conductivity. Like aluminium or copper, to absorb and transfer heat away from the laptop. Passive cooling pads often have a ventilated or ridged surface to promote natural airflow.

An example of a passive laptop cooler pad is the Razer Chroma Stand. Made of a single piece of aluminium. This helps to elevate the laptop to improve ergonomics. And allows for better airflow under and around the device. Its design helps draw heat away from the laptop, while keeping it cooler during use.

The Benefits of a Laptop Cooling Pad?

The benefits of buying a laptop cooler certainly outweighs the cost. A laptop cooler not only helps regulate your laptop’s temperatures but also reduces the fan noise levels of your device. And those with adjustable height improve the laptop’s workable angle, potentially reducing neck strain.

Other benefits of using a laptop cooling pad include enjoying better performance from your CPU and GPU, resulting in more FPS. Additionally, the extra USB ports on some coolers can help charge or power other devices, like storage devices, headsets, or mice.

Cooling Pad Main Benefits

Helpful Content: I tested the new Razer Blade 15 gaming laptop to answer the question. Do Razer laptops overheat, see the real truth here.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do Cooling Pads Work with Gaming Laptops?

Laptop cooling pads are an effective tool for cooling down a gaming laptop. However, the effectiveness of a laptop cooler will vary depending on the model of the cooler. That said, most active coolers or passive cooling pads will work with any gaming laptops. Nonetheless, you must choose a cooling pad large enough to accommodate your laptops size.

How Much are Laptop Cooling Pads?

Laptop cooling pads can range in price from around $30 to $100. However, the price of a cooling pad will depend on the features, such as the number and type of fans, the size of the cooling pad and whether the laptop cooler includes a USB hub or RGB lighting elements.

Do Cooling Pads help with FPS?

A laptop cooling pad has the potential to boost your frame rates (FPS); however, the extent of improvement depends on various factors such as the laptop model, internal PC hardware, and the app or game settings.

How Hot Should A Gaming Laptop Get?

Gaming laptops should stay under 90°C (194°F) during intensive gaming for best performance and hardware life. Keeping laptop temperatures under 80°C (176°F) is ideal. Proper cooling methods and ventilation are key to prevent overheating and thermal throttling which can degrade PC hardware.

Should I buy A Laptop Cooler Pad?

Yes, you must buy a laptop cooling pad if you use your laptop for gaming, video editing, or other intensive tasks. Investing in a laptop cooler pad would help reduce the temperature of the GPU and CPU and ensure stable performance and a longer laptop lifespan.

Is A Gaming Laptop Cooling Pad Worth It?

Yes, gaming laptop cooling pads are worthwhile investments. They can effectively lower CPU and GPU temperatures by up to 10°C and prevent throttling and potential hardware damage from overheating, while improving FPS performance. For intensive gaming and tasks, a quality cooling pad improves experience and longevity of your laptop.

Does A Gaming Laptop Need A Cooling Pad?

Though not absolutely necessary, a cooling pad is highly recommended for gaming laptops. The additional airflow and heat dissipation a quality laptop cooling pad provides reduces internal temperatures, preventing potential hardware damage from overheating. Allowing the CPU, GPU and other components to sustain peak performance during intensive tasks.

How Do I Know If My Laptop Needs A Cooling Pad?

Signs your laptop needs a cooling pad include overheating with temperatures exceeding 90°C, thermal throttling of the CPU/GPU, loud fan noise, unexpected shutdowns during intensive tasks, reduced performance like low FPS when gaming, or noticeable heat on the bottom of the device. A quality laptop cooler can help resolve these overheating issues.

Does Laptop Cooling Pad Improve Performance?

Yes, a gaming laptop cooling pad can improve performance by lowering internal temperatures, which prevents thermal throttling of components like the processor and the graphics card, allowing the processors to sustain higher speeds. With less throttling, gaming laptops see performance gains like higher, more consistent FPS when playing games.

Conclusion

In summary, laptop cooling pads are definitely worthwhile investments for gaming laptops or laptops used for demanding tasks. As demonstrated through hands-on testing, my article has answered your query, “do cooling pads work for laptops”.

Quality cooling pads can effectively lower internal component temperatures by up to 10°C. And lower temperatures helps to prevent thermal throttling and potential hardware damage from excessive heat. Cooling pads allow the CPU, GPU and other hardware to sustain peak performance and clocks, translating to gains like higher FPS in games.

For intensive gaming laptops, a choosing the best laptop cooling pad improves the overall experience and can extend the lifespan of the device. If you own a powerful laptop, a cooling pad is highly recommended to maximize performance and prevent overheating issues.

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