Notebook coolers are not as widely known accessories as mice or keyboards. Therefore, knowledge about them is also relatively uncommon and has led to many misconceptions. In this article we have rounded up what we consider the top 10 most important notebook cooler myths.
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There is a “Best” Cooler.
Like many other products on the market there is no “best” notebook cooler. Every notebook model has different layout of vents and in addition to that every user has different wants and needs. Notebook coolers have a similar story: every cooler has a different fan location. The goal to getting the best cooler is to choose a cooler for your notebook by aligning your laptops vents with the airflow locations of the notebook cooler while also identifying the features you desire. If you need help choosing the best notebook cooler for your notebook please refer to
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Coolers that Suck air Work Better
Most notebook coolers on the market blow air into rather than out of the notebook for a very simple reason: it is more effective. Blowing cool air yields better airflow than trying to blow warm air. Therefore, blowing cool air through the bottom rather than trying to suck it out of the exhaust, is the more effective solution. In fact trying to suck air out of the exhaust specifically can actually lead to higher temperatures as the fan can block the airflow.
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You can/can’t Use a Notebook Cooler on a Soft Surface
Theoretically you can use your notebook cooler on a soft surface such as a bed, but there is a catch: you shouldn’t turn it on. If on, the majority of notebook coolers while on a soft surface will block the fan intake of the cooler, which will lead to it burning out and eventually failing.However, it is very important to note that there are specific coolers that are designed to be usable on soft surfaces. For several examples check out the following article: Five Notebook Cooler’s You Can Use On Your Bed
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Materials Don’t Matter
The plastic VS metal debate has always been around and still is. It is said that metal can dissipate heat better than plastic but weighs more. The difference in cooling efficiency is not astronomical but it may be there.
What we would like to touch on is that it is not just what the part is made out of, it is how is it made. If a cooler is fully metal with two little holes with fans, the metal is likely to heat up and continue your laptop’s heat problems, if it were mesh it would allow for better airflow and result in better cooling.
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A $5 Cooler from Ebay will Cut it
It can but we don’t recommend this option. There are two basic layouts common among these $5 coolers, either three fans placed in a triangle or two fans next to each other in the middle. Very few if any notebooks can benefit from their placement and the quality of the fans lead to higher noise levels.
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Reviews are the “Best” way to Choose
Although nearly half our website is based on reviews of notebook coolers, reviews are not “perfect”. We use a specific ventilation layout that is as close to the mainstream layout as possible. Unfortunately, some review sites use Macbook Pros or other notebooks which are simply not suitable for most coolers as they have no vents on the bottom. Such reviews are only really helpful for Macbook Pro owners or owners of the other notebooks specifically tested. If you have another brand you are likely to have vents on the bottom and the benchmark simply is not as coherent.
Reviews are a guideline not a ranking list.
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Notebook cooler’s will solve ALL your Heat Problems
Heat problems are not simple. Having one is like having your car make a thumping noise, there are a large variety of possible causes and the same goes for a notebook’s heat problem. You could have worn out thermal paste, a clogged fan (due to dust) or your fan died, a cooler won’t help in these cases as much as solving the problem at hand.
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Stacking Cooler’s Lead to Better Results
Even though it may sound bizarre for some, we have seen and been asked about this. Stacking multiple notebook coolers has no effect; in fact it is likely to make it less efficient.
This is especially the same when different branded coolers or different models are stacked. The fans will likely hit nothing from every cooler and will generally restrict each cooler’s airflow which in turn leads to poor results. Moreover, it may wear down the fans faster and can be a safety hazard in case it tilts over.
We highly recommend against ever stacking multiple coolers on top of themselves.
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All Notebook Coolers are the Same
To some every notebook coolers look the same. Yes there are some coolers from different manufacturers that appear very similar and are very similar in design but there are some that may appear the same but are not.
For example, let us take the Zalman NC2000 and NC3000, both coolers look aesthetically similar but the NC3000 looks a bit more modern. What some do not notice is that the NC2000 has an even airflow system with 2 fans in-taking air from the bottom-rear and blowing it through the hole towards the front. On the other hand the NC3000 has a single large 200mm fan in the center region of the cooler, the vent holes on the left and right have some areas where there is no real airflow. -
Notebook Cooler’s Do Not Require Any Maintenance
It is a common misconception that notebook coolers do not require any maintenance what so ever. However, they do require some maintenance though they can still be considered as low maintenance accessories. It is like any other peripheral, with an external monitor you dust and keep the screen clean, a mouse you make sure to wipe off every now and then, and a keyboard you occasionally tilt over to shake out any bits of dirt.
Dust is also what you have to be concerned with in case of notebook coolers. Dust will collect both underneath your notebook cooler (if it is taking air in from the bottom) and within your fan and top grille. A compressed can of air (which you should have for your notebook anyways) should clear any dust caught in the fan while a simple duster will clear away the rest. If you do it when you clear out your notebook fan it should not be much of a hassle at all.
