Cooling pads on the highstreet?

The_One_Who

Does anyone know if it's possible to buy a cooling pad, or even just a simple laptop stand on the highstreet?

The only place I can think of is Maplin, and I'm loathe to give them any money. Is there anywhere else? I'll be in Glasgow, so should have reasonable choice of shops...

I'd prefer the highstreet so I can actually see how large the pad is. My laptop has a 17.3" screen, and so would prefer to get something suitable first time.

closed

a cooling pad shouldn't be needed, and if the vents are on the underside, a flat surface can reduce the effectiveness of the machines own cooling system

The_One_Who

I know, but I will be gaming and a pad will also mean I can use it on my lap without burning, or on my couch or bed.

[Deleted User]

I have one from the pound shop.. It plugs into a USB port powering a fan under the stand. I'm not sure it will support a 17" laptop. I had a gel mat on my old laptop and that was massive, but it overheated the gel and burst the mat

Be careful with gel mats!

Avoriaz

What is wrong with Maplin?

I rarely shop there as their prices are not usually competitive (perhaps answering my own question) but they do have some bargains and I have made some good purchases there.

If Maplins have what you need at a reasonable price, why waste time elsewhere?

But try Ebay first. That is where I do most of my shopping.

techspec

I tried high St. and gave up. None fitted my 17" laptop.

So ended up on ebay - got the ones with spare USB ports and fancy blue lights.

USB port lasted a week and the lights 2 weeks.

Got a refund and seller said keep it. Fan still works fine and is very quiet.

I used my Laptop as a desktop mostly - and one incident of overheating was enough for me. Worth getting.

paddyrg

Avoriaz wrote: »

What is wrong with Maplin?

I rarely shop there as their prices are not usually competitive (perhaps answering my own question) but they do have some bargains and I have made some good purchases there.

If Maplins have what you need at a reasonable price, why waste time elsewhere?

But try Ebay first. That is where I do most of my shopping.

Maplin certainly have a place, they are not cheap but they carry lines nobody else does and have a good returns policy. I've bought some total rubbish from mine, I've had some real bargains from mine. Usually open when I need them, no 3-5 day wait.

The_One_Who

Avoriaz wrote: »

What is wrong with Maplin?

I rarely shop there as their prices are not usually competitive (perhaps answering my own question) but they do have some bargains and I have made some good purchases there.

If Maplins have what you need at a reasonable price, why waste time elsewhere?

But try Ebay first. That is where I do most of my shopping.

Got it in one - their prices. I've found them a bit hit-or-miss in the past as well. Like I say though, seems to be the only place I can think of that might sell them.

I'll pop in tomorrow and see what they've got (although their website has very little!). If for no other reason than to scope out sizes of items. Websites give dimensions, but it's not the same as seeing the real thing.

molerat

I use a lap tray, the things with a polystyrene bead cushion underneath and a flat top with edges which stop the laptop from sliding off when you lean a bit.

neilwoods

Was going to say same thing, just a use a lap tray, gaming laptops will have been built with enough cooling in them. They generally only over heat if you don't use them correctly

As for shops, argos, pc world, local computer shop. Although won't be that be that much cheaper.

londonTiger

posting because I just discovered this.

I use my laptop in bed, rest the lappy on my chest while i browse the net before sleeping.

found that the laptop overheats after 15-20 minutes. But it's fine when on desk can watch all the videos I want.

You don't really need a cooling pad at all, the laptops just needs a completely flat surface to sit on. When it's on your laptop you can block the vent holes as your body/duvet wraps around it.

A free/very cheap way to keepo your lappy cool is just use a piece of plywood (or some other light wood to rest the laptop on top. This has been done on my cheap fan laptop - I am not sure abouty those unibody laptops like macbooks. maybe you will need to stick some rubber feet onto the wood, so you can place your macbook on it and it will create a small lift for air to circulate.