Laptop Coolers

[Hoarach]

Is anyone familiar with these?

My laptop runs hot and I was wondering if anyone has any experience with laptop coolers and are they worth it?  Any particular model or brand?

[llama]

Is anyone familiar with these?

My laptops runs hot and I was wondering if anyone has any experience with laptop coolers and are they worth it?  Any particular model or brand?

My wife uses an old notebook based on a P4 processor, and it gets darn hot. Very uncomfortable on the lap.

I got her a CoolerMaster unit (http://www.digiconcepts.com/coolermaster_cooling_19.htm) and it is very effective. It is a little lumpy-bumpy on the underside, but my wife says that it is much more comfy on her lap now than before, and not even warm now.

This particular unit uses a single large fan that has adjustable speed, and it is very quiet. It also has pop-out feet to adjust the angle of the unit when it's on a desk.

Recommended.

-Llama

[Delirium]

I'll look into getting one as well, my laptop gets so hot that it has literally cooked the paint job on the case to black.

[McDeath]

Wife had a laptop that had overheating issues and the laptop cooler solved the problem.

I used an Anteck cooler after the first one I got died and its still going strong.

[eagl]

I just got a zalman ZM-NC1500 from newegg for my wife's laptop, and it seems to work fine.  It's more for using on a desk though, since it has little pokey feet to angle the stand towards the user by a couple of degrees.  It's inexpensive and plasticky but it works.

[Hoarach]

I just got a zalman ZM-NC1500 from newegg for my wife's laptop, and it seems to work fine.  It's more for using on a desk though, since it has little pokey feet to angle the stand towards the user by a couple of degrees.  It's inexpensive and plasticky but it works.

That is the one I was looking at but the NC2000 as its the newest one out.  I saw very good reviews about the Zalman's but with the plastic feel does it feel it would break easy?

This one is a bet pricier but it seems that it does the job better.  http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834997341

And this one...http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834997410

Just havent made a decision yet.

[eagl]

That is the one I was looking at but the NC2000 as its the newest one out.  I saw very good reviews about the Zalman's but with the plastic feel does it feel it would break easy?

It doesn't really feel "cheap" or fragile...  It's not made from billet aluminum but it feels durable enough for everyday use.

This one is a bet pricier but it seems that it does the job better.  http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834997341

And this one...http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834997410

Just havent made a decision yet.

I looked at a lot of reviews to try to find one that didn't suck...  For example, the one I got has "squirrel cage" centrifugal type blower fans instead of regular fans with blades.  The squirrel cage ones don't seem as fragile and don't need big fan grilles that either block airflow or allow objects to go through and nick the blades.  Any torque on a lightweight fan enclosure can cause enough flex to make the blades hit the walls or grilles, but the centrifugal blower type fans just don't seem to have that problem.

That's just one consideration that I hadn't thought of until I had read a lot of reviews.  I tend to focus on the negative reviews not so much to rule out any particular purchase, but to get info on things to look out for with all types and brands of items.  The fan issue is very common with many laptop coolers, so that one common gripe was just one of the features I looked out for.