Are Laptop Coolers Worth It? The Ultimate Laptop Cooling Pad Guide 2024! (20 Coolers Tested)

Summary

This video tests the top 20 bestselling laptop cooling pads on Amazon, comparing traditional and specialty designs, including a unique thermoelectric model. Using three laptops—from a low-end HP Victus to a high-end Asus Strix G16—the reviewer evaluates idle and stress temperatures, GPU load, performance boosts, noise, and price. High RPM specialty coolers like the Lano and Iets GT500 V2 lead in cooling and performance, while budget-friendly options like Kyin and Liines 2 Fan offer solid results at low cost. The video concludes with practical recommendations based on performance, noise, and price, helping viewers choose the best cooler for their needs.

Takeaways

• 💻 Laptop cooling pads can significantly impact temperatures and performance, especially under load.
• 🌀 There are three main types of coolers tested: traditional, high-RPM specialty, and thermoelectric.
• 🔥 Traditional coolers have bottom-mounted fans and moderate airflow, suitable for budget laptops.
• 🚀 High-RPM specialty coolers like Lano and Iets GT500 V2 provide the best cooling for high-performance laptops.
• ❄️ Thermoelectric coolers (e.g., Nava Zip) offer subambient cooling but are inefficient and require high power.
• 📊 Testing was done across three laptops: older Asus GL 522, HP Victus, and Asus Strix G16 to represent different performance tiers.
• 📈 Additional cooling can improve performance slightly by providing more thermal headroom for turbo boost.
• 🔊 Noise levels vary widely: Lano is the loudest, while budget options like K Two Fan and Liines Two Fan are quiet.
• 💰 Price varies from ~$12 for budget options to high-cost specialty coolers; price-to-performance should be considered.
• 🏆 Overall recommendation: Iets GT500 V2 balances performance, noise, and cost, while Lano is best for maximum cooling regardless of noise.
• 🎯 Budget options like K Two Fan and Liines Two Fan punch above their weight and are ideal for less thermally challenged laptops.
• ⚖️ Mid-range options like I GT300 and Ice Coral K9 offer a compromise between performance, noise, and price.

Q & A

What are the two main categories of laptop cooling pads discussed in the video?

The video categorizes laptop cooling pads into Traditional Coolers, which have one or more bottom-mounted fans with graded ventilation, and Specialty Coolers, which use high RPM fans and specific airflow designs to improve cooling efficiency.

Which laptops were used for testing the cooling pads?

Three laptops were used: the older Asus GL522, the HP Victus with Ryzen 5 7535 HS and RTX 2050, and the Asus Strix G16 with Intel i9 13980HX and RTX 470.

Which coolers performed best in thermal testing?

The Lano laptop cooler and the IETS GT500 V2 consistently performed the best across thermal benchmarks, including idle, stress, and GPU load tests.

How did the cooling pads affect laptop performance?

Cooling pads, especially high RPM specialty coolers like Lano and IETS GT500 V2, slightly improved performance by providing extra thermal headroom, allowing CPUs and GPUs to maintain higher turbo boost clocks.

What was observed about noise levels among the tested coolers?

The Lano cooler was the loudest by a significant margin, while budget 2-fan coolers like K2 and Lin's ran much quieter while still delivering solid performance.

Why is the Nava Zip thermoelectric cooler not recommended?

Although it offers decent cooling performance, the Nava Zip draws high power that cannot be supplied by a normal USB port and lacks portability, making it less practical for most users.

Which coolers are recommended for budget-conscious users?

The K2 2-Fan and Lin’s 2-Fan coolers are recommended for budget-conscious users, costing around $12 and providing quiet operation with good performance.

What specific benefits did the IETS GT500 V2 provide?

The IETS GT500 V2 offered nearly the same performance as the Lano cooler but was quieter and cheaper, making it the best overall choice for high-performance laptops.

How did cooler design affect performance on different laptop types?

High-power laptops like the Asus Strix benefited more from high RPM specialty coolers due to their higher thermal dependence, while narrower laptops with side-mounted exhausts could also see performance gains from large fan designs that efficiently expelled heat.

Does using a laptop cooling pad always improve performance significantly?

Not always; while cooling pads improve thermal headroom and can slightly boost performance, the impact is more noticeable on thermally demanding laptops, and less so on older or low-power models.

What is the recommended cooler for high-end gaming laptops despite noise concerns?

For high-end gaming laptops where maximum cooling is prioritized over noise and portability, the Lano laptop cooler is recommended as it provides the best performance.

Which mid-range coolers offer a good balance of price and performance?

The IETS GT300 and Ice Coral K9 are mid-range options that provide good cooling performance while being reasonably priced, though the IETS GT300 can be somewhat loud.