Laptops are a great way to do work, game or edit video without being confined to a desk. In recent years, laptops have become smaller and more portable than ever before, and in order to run modern games and software, they've also become much more powerful. Having all of this processing power crammed into such a small space may be the most convenient option, but it's not always the best for your hardware. Intensive applications like gaming or video rendering can cause a laptop to overheat in a matter of minutes, leading to decreased performance and possibly permanent damage. Laptop coolers can alleviate these problems by artificially increasing airflow to your laptop's critical components. Most laptop cooling pads accomplish this with powerful fans that push a constant stream of air through your system, ensuring it remains as cool as possible. While cooling is obviously a laptop cooler's primary function, the best ones have additional features that can also make your laptop easier to use.

Cooling pads like Cooler Master's SF-17, the Thermaltake Massive TM and the Gear Head CFS8800BLK offer features like height adjustment, temperature sensors and USB hubs to make using your laptop easy and comfortable. For more information on prevention and treatment for overheating, check out our other laptop cooler articles. Laptop coolers come in a wide variety of styles, shapes and sizes, depending on the features they prioritize. Some excel in portability by offering slim, streamlined designs that fit easily in your laptop bag. Others focus on adjustability for increased comfort during long hours at your computer. Whatever your needs are, it's likely there is a laptop cooler for you. To help you decide what's most important to you, we've broken the top characteristics you should look for in a laptop cooler into the following categories. The most important aspect of a laptop cooler's performance is the amount of air it is capable of circulating. It’s simple – the more powerful and efficient a laptop cooler's fans are, the more capable they are of effectively cooling your laptop.

Air circulation is typically measured in CFM (cubic feet per minute) and varies widely from model to model. The most powerful fans can push upwards of 70 CFM, while those on the lower end only reach 20 CFM. More power typically means a higher price tag, so you want to choose the one with the best power-to-price ratio for you. Noise is another factor that is important to consider. Whether you're spending time at work or play on your laptop, you don't want any sounds to distract you from what you're doing. Fortunately, most laptop coolers are quiet and average only about 24 dBA. Most laptop coolers are USB powered, which can cause problems for you if you run out of available USB ports. To combat this issue, many cooling pads come with at least one additional port. If you often use peripherals like external keyboards, mice or hard drives with your laptop, this is an important feature. Although not as important as the volume of air they circulate, the number of fans can also impact your cooling pad's performance.

Before you purchase a laptop cooler, it's a good idea to determine where your laptop's hottest spots are and compare their locations with the layout of the fans of various models.air duct cleaning tools vacuum Your laptop cooler’s design ultimately decides how you can use your laptop. best rated rechargeable vacuum cleanerFor this reason, it's important to consider how you use your laptop the most. air duct cleaning valueIf you prefer to use your laptop at a desk, look for something with height adjustment for a comfortable viewing angle.best way to clean dirty antique furniture

If you prefer to use your laptop in your lap or bed, you should find a laptop cooler with rounded edges and raised fans that won't be obstructed by blankets or other uneven surfaces. best vacuum cleaner for builders dustHowever, both of these styles can be bulky and often aren’t very portable. fan on hp laptop always runningMore travel-oriented models forgo both adjustability and lap comfort for a more streamlined and packable design. It's also important to consider how durable a laptop cooler is before you purchase it. The most durable options are made from tough plastic, rubber reinforcements and often a metal mesh top panel. Some models also include a convenient place to stash your USB power cable when you're not using it. While this is probably the least important design feature, it's one that many coolers include.

The standard warranty length for laptop coolers is one year. This entitles you to repair or replacement you should come across any defects in workmanship or materials. Some manufacturers offer longer warranties, and some offer a lifetime warranty, though it's relatively rare. If you have any questions or issues with your cooler, most manufacturers also have several channels for support like phone, email, social media and live chat. Overheating can seriously inhibit the best laptops and can even lead to permanent damage if left unchecked. Laptop coolers are an excellent way to keep this from happening, and you can even use them to improve the functionality of your laptop. Check out our reviews to find the one that's right for you.Technology can be a hazardous to your health, and gadget-related dangers come in all shapes and sizes, from BlackBerry thumb to mouse elbow. One of the most common complaints we hear is from laptop users literally burned by overheated systems. While desktop PC hot-rodders have all kinds of elaborate water-cooling contraptions at their disposal, laptop owners are stuck with decidedly more low-tech solutions.

Many users would never dream of resting a laptop directly on their legs without a pillow, magazine, or some other improvised shield in place. After all, with faster processors, smaller cases, and increased workloads, the modern laptop burns the candle at both ends, so to speak. Even moving the laptop from your lap to a desk won't cure heat-related problems, especially if you're working in a cramped environment with lots of clutter to block fans and air vents. Naturally, for any problem, there's always someone willing to sell you a solution, and there are literally dozens of laptop cooling devices available. Some are simple, passive, plastic trays designed to keep the laptop from touching your legs, at best providing some additional air channels. Others are complex, powered devices with one or more built-in fans, running off power provided by a laptop's USB port. The right solution for you depends on whether you primarily use your laptop on a desk or on your lap, whether you want a powered or passive device, and how much extra space can be spared in your laptop bag.

We looked at a total of eight cooling options, rating each for its design, utility, and capability to keep laptop temperatures down. To test the thermal properties, we ran our grueling Multimedia multitasking test on a sample laptop--the popular Lenovo T60p--recorded the CPU temperature for each product, and compared it to the laptop's CPU temperature without any cooling assistance. Among the passive, or unpowered, devices we tested, we were surprisingly impressed by the Xpad Laptop Desk, basically a massive chunk of plastic that looked like a cutting board with a big "X" on it. A more inelegant computer accessory would be hard to find, but the Xpad was inexpensive, could handle large laptops, and was as effective as our fan-equipped laptop coolers. The two LapWorks laptop desks--one for mid-size laptops, one for smaller systems--weren't particularly effective at cooling, but have a textured surface on each end for use with a mouse. For the aesthetic minimalist, BlueLounge's Cool Feet are four simple rubber feet that attach to the bottom of your laptop, but are better for giving your system a more ergonomic angle than for cooling.

If you're interested in a powered laptop cooler, there are several essentially similar devices out there. Each plugs into a USB port on your laptop, which powers one or two fans designed to suck hot air away from the system. They can all be a bit noisy, and only one--the Antec NoteBook Cooler S--is especially portable. All four powered coolers we looked at worked reasonably well. The Antec NoteBook Cooler's twin fans were slightly better than the single fan in the Belkin Laptop Cooling Stand and the LapWorks Ergo Fan Riser. The smaller Antec NoteBook Cooler S (hence the "S") was the only one that operated a little differently, placing the fans behind the lid rather than under the system. Honestly, none of these laptop coolers radically outperformed the others, as evidenced by the chart below. Personal preference plays a big role here. One of our co-workers swears by the LapWorks Laptop Desk 2.0, for its portability and built-in mouse pad, while I find the subtle sloping grade of a laptop sitting on the Belkin Laptop Cooling Stand to be easier on the wrists.