Keep your laptop cool with the best cooling pads

Chicago Tribune

18-07-2025

Laptops have their own cooling systems, but sometimes it isn't enough. You may be working in a hot environment or pushing your laptop to its limits with intensive software or by gaming. Using a laptop in conditions like these for extended periods will damage your components, leading to a broken computer and possible loss of data. Laptop cooling pads are designed to supplement your onboard cooling system to avoid these dangers.
The best laptop cooling pad is the Havit Laptop Cooling Pad. It's affordable, effective and simply designed.
Your conditions
Your laptop, what you use it for and where you use it have the biggest effect on determining how powerful a cooling pad you need.
Portability
Laptop cooling pads can be split between those meant to stay on a desk and those designed to travel with you. Those meant for desk work tend to be more powerful and larger, while those designed for travel are small and have soft materials on the underside so they're comfortable to keep on your lap.
Power source
Laptop cooling pads utilize your laptop's battery as a power source by connecting to it via a USB cable. Some can also use external power sources, such as portable chargers or power outlets, which will help maintain your laptop's battery. Few are powered solely by an external source.
Less noise
Fans generate noise no matter what, but better fans generate less, even if they're more powerful. The best fans have decibel counts as low as the 20s-30s on max power, while the worst are as loud as the 50s.
Airflow
Most laptop cooling pads measure their airflow using cubic feet per minute. The higher the CFM, the more air is pushed through your laptop and the cooler it is.
Laptop cooling pads typically cost $20-$100. Low-powered models for basic needs cost less than $30. Most midrange models cost $30-$40. The strongest models start around $40 and can exceed $100.
How badly will a cooling pad drain my laptop's battery?
A. That depends on the cooling pad. More powerful pads will drain your battery faster, but some pads have features such as power control or off and on switches to help you tailor your cooling needs.
Do laptop cooling pads really work?
A. Yes. Even the weakest cooling pads can help lower your laptop's temperature by a few degrees, while others can drop it tens of degrees. Even dropping your laptop's temperature by a single degree will lower the risk of damage and help your laptop last longer than it otherwise would.
How can I tell if I need a laptop cooling pad?
A. The two main ways to gauge if you need to invest in a cooling pad are through touch and hearing. If your laptop ever feels hot to the touch in any area — even if it's just slightly warm — or you notice that your onboard cooling fans are operating more frequently or louder than they should be, you can receive some benefit from a cooling pad.
Top laptop cooling pad
Havit Laptop Cooling Pad
What you need to know: It cools well and isn't too pricey.
What you'll love: It cools 15.6- to 17-inch laptops and comes in three designs. The fans don't generate much noise, and it includes extra USB ports to expand how many devices you can connect at once. It can be tilted up to 1 inch high.
What you should consider: While designed to handle up to 17-inch laptops, those on the upper threshold don't fit as well. It isn't as effective at cooling gaming laptops.
Top laptop cooling pad for the money
Klim Wind Laptop Cooling Pad
What you need to know: It's designed to cool gaming consoles as well as laptops.
What you'll love: It can cool laptops ranging from 11 to 19 inches and comes with red or green LEDs. It uses four fans that spin at up to 1,200 revolutions per minute for powerful cooling. The surface has retractable stoppers to help keep your device in place.
What you should consider: Larger and heavier laptops tend to have trouble staying in place, especially when the pad is tilted. Some customers were unhappy with the plastic frame's durability.
Worth checking out
Targus Neoprene Laptop Cooling Pad
What you need to know: This no-frills pad is perfect for the office.
What you'll love: The simple all-black design is more professional than that of most cooling pads. The neoprene base is comfortable when used on the lap, and the surface has rubber stops to hold your laptop in place. It has two fans that don't create much noise.
What you should consider: It doesn't include any extra ports, and the tilt height is not adjustable. The included power cable is too short for some laptops.
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. BestReviews and its newspaper partners may earn a commission if you purchase a product through one of our links.
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.