Laptop Cooling Pads

poppellerant · 4 April 2015 at 9:43PM

Anne_Marie wrote: »

This is not what your original question was. I am not a mind reader. Why did you not put all the relevant info in your first post?

I don't feel there is any need for this sort of attitude.

The OP is weary about their laptop reaching 50c and want to know if they should perhaps invest in a laptop cooler. Fine, it took a few questions before we got the full picture, but that doesn't excuse poor attitudes.

To answer the OP, 50c is perfectly safe. I would start worrying if the temperatures went above 60c. But with a little DIY maintenance you can probably clean out any existing dust and fluff build up yourself. I recommend a bright area to work in with a small paintbrush, a can of compressed air and small screwdriver set to hand - all usually available from most Poundland stores.

If you post the make and model of your laptop, we might be able to find some instructions to help you clean out the dust.

strangeotron · 4 April 2015 at 9:47PM

If I may: why the assumption that there is dust at all?

I don't have any reason to suspect there are problems - there might well be dust, but i was asking generally.

poppellerant · 4 April 2015 at 10:07PM

Laptops can easily build up enough dust to clog up a heatsink in just one year. It could well be the case that when you open up your laptop there isn't any dust at all. But I have seen dust peel off heatsinks on laptops that are little over a year old.

strangeotron · 4 April 2015 at 10:27PM

That may well be the case but there's no way i'm breaching the warranty by taking a screwdriver to it on the off chance there's dust inside.

poppellerant · 5 April 2015 at 10:29AM

You're absolutely doing the right thing by not invalidating the warranty. But if you want to just blow some dust away, a few squirts in all the vents with compressed air will leave the warranty intact.

Dust is just one of those things with electrical items like computers. The static from the electric components can attract dust like a magnet.

strangeotron · 5 April 2015 at 7:12PM

where do i find a compressed air cylinder and how does blowing into it instead of sucking it out help? Wouldn't that just blow the dust around the inside?

poppellerant · 5 April 2015 at 9:02PM

I usually get my compressed air from Poundland. To a degree it does blow it about a little, but the main purpose of blowing against it is to dislodge it and hopefully push it out the laptop. This isn't guaranteed, but it's the best thing that I'd recommend without invalidating your warranty. For a pound, it's worth a try!

jobbingmusician · 5 April 2015 at 9:55PM

IKEA do some very good laptop trays (a hard surface for your lappy with a soft surface for you lap underneath. Not the same thing as a cooler, except that they are designed to stop the thing overheating. Don't be tempted to buy a laptop stand to use on your lap unless it does have a cushiony thing underneath - they are bloody uncomfortable!