Many models also allow you to adjust the height and angle of your laptop for more comfortable viewing and typing, in addition to letting you control fan speeds and any LED lighting that may be built into the cooling pad. Most laptop cooling pads also have non-slip rubber pads or slip-stop tabs to keep your laptop firmly in place while you work, stream, or play games, as well as non-slip feet to keep your laptop from sliding around. Laptop cooling pads can be made from plastic or metal, and each has its advantages and drawbacks. Aluminum helps draw waste heat away more efficiently, but it can be more expensive and heavy. While plastic builds are more affordable, they aren’t as durable as metal cooling pads. If you’re looking to treat yourself or give one as a gift this holiday season, I’ve curated a list of the five best laptop cooling pads you can buy. I’ve broken down their features and price points to help you decide which is the best fit for your budget and needs. Also: The best office tech: Work better and have more fun This laptop cooling pad from Targus is not only designed to keep your computer running at cooler temperatures, but to help you stay productive and comfortable while you work. The laptop shelf is made of metal and has vent holes to help draw waste heat away from your laptop, allowing the dual, high-speed fans to draw in cool air more efficiently. You can also adjust the height and angle of the shelf to put your laptop in a more comfortable position for viewing and typing, while the rubber pads keep your computer firmly in place. It also features four USB ports, allowing you to connect external storage drives and peripherals if ports on your laptop are limited. The Targus Portable Chill Hub can be used with up to 17-inch laptops, making it perfect for home use cases, office laptops, and even gaming. The Havit HV-F2056 is a simple, and affordable, solution for keeping your laptop cool while you work. For under $25, you’ll get three fans capable of up to 1100 RPMs in order to draw away waste heat from your laptop. The cooling pad features two foldable feet for adjusting the height and angle of your laptop for more comfortable use. It also has two USB ports for connecting peripherals and external storage devices and a power switch for the fans and LED light so you can turn the pad off when you just want to prop up your laptop. The top of the cooling pad is a non-slip mesh to keep your computer in place while you work or stream videos, and it can accommodate laptops up to 17 inches wide. The black version has either blue or red LED lights while the blue version has just blue lights, so you can show off your personal style or match your office decor. If you’re a MacBook user, you know that they use passive cooling rather than a built-in fan, which makes investing in a cooling pad important to keep your laptop running efficiently and safely. The TopMate C11 is an excellent choice with its array of six fans capable of speeds up to 2400 RPMs without being loud and distracting. It also has an integrated phone stand, so you can easily transfer files between your iPhone and your MacBook; FaceTime family, friends, and co-workers; or just keep an eye on your notifications. The stand can be adjusted to six different heights for more ergonomic placement, and the integrated LCD screen makes it easy to read fan settings at a glance and make adjustments as needed. You can also use the controls to set one of seven different RGB lighting modes or turn the lighting off. There are two USB pass throughs for connecting peripherals and storage devices, so you can stay on top of tasks as well. If you have a larger laptop, the Thermaltake Massive 20 RGB is a great choice for a cooling pad. It can accommodate laptops up to 19 inches wide, making it perfect for gaming, workstation, and large home use computers. The back of the pad has a fan speed control dial, allowing you to set the 200mm fan RPMs anywhere from 600 to 800 as well as two buttons for controlling the five RGB lighting effects and colors. The dual feet feature non-slip rubber pads to keep everything in place and fold out, allowing you to set your laptop and cooling pad at three different heights. The steel mesh surface also has two rubber pads to keep your laptop secured while drawing waste heat away from your laptop. Gaming laptops can run pretty hot, especially while playing graphically-demanding titles, so you need a heavy-duty cooling pad that can keep up. The IETS GT300 uses dual blowers with speeds up to 4500 RPMs as well as a flexible rubber ring to create negative pressure that draws waste heat away from your laptop more efficiently than a traditional cooling pad. The fresh air ports have filters to trap dust, hair, and debris that can clog your laptop’s built-in fan grates, keeping everything running at cooler temperatures. You can remove the filters for cleaning to extend the life of both your laptop and cooling pad. You can set the cooling pad to seven different heights, and two slip-stop tabs keep your laptop from moving while you play. There are two USB pass throughs on the back of the cooling pad, letting you connect mice, keyboards, game pads, headsets, and other peripherals or external storage devices if USB ports on your laptop are limited. There are simplified fan and lighting controls on the front of the cooling pad so you can adjust fan speeds for quieter operation or shut off the LED lights to preserve your laptop’s battery life. You can also use USB hubs (provided your laptop has multiple ports) to keep everything connected and juiced. Furthermore, a cooling pad won’t pull a drastic amount of heat away from your laptop, but you’ll be able to run your laptop at temperatures at least a few degrees cooler than you would without one.
