The best laptop cooling pads of 2024: Expert tested | ZDNET

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A laptop feature that often gets overlooked is its cooling system. Processors, graphics cards, and more demand a lot of energy, which results in a lot of heat. Ask anyone with a gaming laptop -- they'll tell you how uncomfortably hot it can get. Unfortunately, you can't prevent your computer from generating heat, but you can mitigate it with a laptop cooling pad. These devices sit underneath the laptop, absorb the heat created, and actively cool the device with a combination of high-speed fans and clever airflow engineering.

Also: The best gaming laptops of 2024: Get your game on

We tested some of the top laptop cooling pads on the market, and the Llano Gaming Laptop Cooler is ZDNET's top pick. Its powerful cooling can reduce the temperature of even the hottest computers. It can hold 17-inch laptops, is height adjustable, and has eye-catching RGB lights.

As much as we like it, it may not be the best choice for everyone. Maybe you want one with additional RGB lighting fixtures or a more low-key design. We've included a handful of other models on this list with different use cases so you can choose the right one for you.

As we used the Llano Gaming Laptop Cooler more and more, we eventually concluded that it's truly the best cooling pad on the market today. The device is very effective at what it does. It has a unique design where the cooling fan sits inside a recessed pit surrounded by foam cushioning.

Placing a laptop over space creates a powerful vacuum effect. What's more, the fan spins at 2,800 RPM max, which is capable of cooling down even the hottest gaming laptops. We know this because that's exactly what we did. Llano's pad was tested with an old gaming laptop that quickly overheats. It successfully lowered the temperature of what is normally a very hot computer (so hot you can barely touch it) in just a few minutes. It was genuinely impressive.

Also: My favorite headset for work and gaming has a 300-hour battery, and it's on sale

Like many other gaming accessories, Llano's Laptop Cooler has RGB lighting in the form of a ring light that goes around the main body. You have the option to change the pattern of the lights via the on-device touchscreen.

This device offers the option to run the machine using a traditional power adapter instead of a USB cable. All you have to do is plug it directly into a wall socket. It saves you a USB port that you would normally have to give up on other laptop coolers.

Llano Gaming Laptop Cooler Specs: Dimensions: 16.9 x 12.9 x 2.7 inches | Weight: 4.69 pounds | Max laptop size: 19 inches | Fan RPM: 2,800 RPM | USB passthrough: Yes | LED lighting: Yes

The Kootek Laptop Cooling Pad houses one large fan surrounded by four small ones. According to the company, this five-fan array design provides better heat dissipation. It was successful in cooling down our hefty laptop and we were able to type and work on it. However, Kootek's model was nowhere near as powerful as Ilano's pad.

Despite the fact it brought temperatures down, the keyboard on our test unit felt warm even after sitting on the pad for hours. It does, however, do great in cooling down thin and mid-range laptops. Those types of computers have an easier time maintaining optimal temperatures since they're less bulky and their hardware doesn't demand much from the battery. Like the previous entry, it's height adjustable for better ergonomics, or if you prefer, you can lay it down completely flat.

Users are unable to control the fan speed, but it does have separate on/off button for the fans. One button controls the main central fan while the other controls the smaller, surrounding fans. It's large enough to support 17-inch laptops and there are a pair of anti-slip stoppers at the bottom preventing computers from sliding off.

Another nice bonus is the device includes a pair of USB-A ports along its side letting you connect additional peripherals. So, if you want an inexpensive laptop cooling pad with RGB lights and USB ports, the Kootek Laptop Cooling Pad is a good choice.

Kootek Laptop Cooling Pad Specs: Dimensions: 14.96 x 1.38 x 11.81 inches | Weight: 2.55 pounds | Max laptop size: 17 inches | Fan RPM: 2,400 RPM | USB passthrough: Yes | LED lighting: Yes

ThermalTake's Massive 14-2 is a great cooling pad for the office. It's big enough to support large, 17-inch laptops. The device has a couple of blue LED lights for added flashiness, but if you prefer a subdued experience that won't distract others, you can turn them off at any time.

For cooling, the Massive 14-2 houses a pair of 14cm (5.5 inch) fans, capable of spinning at a maximum speed of 1100 RPM. These produce an abundant amount of cold air, enough to chill out even the hottest of laptops. The company states the hexagonal mesh reduces "wind resistance and wind noise [as well as] increase airflow through the area." This does mean the fan can be rather noisy. If the noise is too much for you, there's an adjustment wheel on the side next to the light switch. Scrolling down quiets the fans.

ThermalTake also designed its cooling pad to be ergonomically sound. Two legs on the bottom can be taken out to lift the pad, placing the Massive 14-2 in an upright position for easier typing.

ThermalTake Massive 14-2 Specs: Dimensions: 15 x 10 x 1 inches | Weight: 1.5 pounds | Max laptop size: 17 inches | Fan RPM: 1100 | USB passthrough: Yes | LED lighting: Yes

Gamers who want a laptop cooling pad that makes a big statement should check out the AICHESON K1. It's a large device capable of supporting 18-inch laptops and sports vivid RGB lights around its body. The device sports the same vacuum pit design as other entries on this list. As we've established, the form creates a vacuum seal that helps significantly cool down the laptop.

The fans of AICHESON K1 spin at a speed of 2,800 RPM max. Because the fans spin at 2,800, it can be pretty noisy. Our tests show it can get as loud as 80 dB. Fortunately, you can lower the speeds down to 600 RPM by pushing the scroll wheel below the fan down to its lowest setting for a much quieter experience. Of course, this comes with the tradeoff of less powerful cooling.

On the other side of the scroll wheel is a button that changes the RGB lighting array. You can pick between a series of rotating colors or a static hue like red, blue, and green.

The AICHESON K1 also offers two ways to power the cooling pad. You can siphon energy from a laptop to the K1 via a USB cable or supply power through the packaged-in power adapter. The latter ensures you don't lose out on a USB port.

AICHESON K1 Gaming RGB Laptop Cooling Pad Specs: Dimensions: 16.85 x 2.95 x 12.5 inches | Weight: 3.5 pounds | Max laptop size: 18 inches | Fan RPM: 2,800 RPM | USB passthrough: Yes | LED lighting: Yes

The IETS GT500 V2 (Hub+RGB) has the most powerful fan on this list as the blades can rotate at 5,000 RPM. Nothing on the guide comes close to this speed. You effectively have a device capable of creating a mini wind tunnel instead of a focused airstream.

The fan sits in the center of the cooling pad. Instead of blowing air up towards the bottom of the laptop, it spins the air in a spiral pattern, sort of like a washing machine. This causes, what the company describes as, "360-degree undifferentiated cooling," which means air cools every part of a laptop equally.

Furthermore, the fan sits recessed in a pit surrounded by foam, a great design that enables highly effective cooling. The foam creates a vacuum seal with the bottom of your laptop that traps the circulating air. Together with the 360-degree fan, the GT500 V2 can cool down the most powerful gaming laptops. This model also has a three-port USB-A hub and RGB lights for extra pizazz.

The major drawback of the IETS GT500 is the high fan speed causes the device to get really loud. The fan volume is the number one criticism on its Amazon reviews. IETS is well aware of this issue, and its product listing states that noise can reach 65 dB. The company even says, "if you are sensitive to noise, please buy carefully." They're not hiding the fact that the GT500 V2 sounds like a jet engine. If noise bothers you, we recommend buying something quieter like the Kootek device.

IETS GT500 V2 Specs: Dimensions: 16.93 x 2.76 x 13.03 inches | Weight: 2.54 pounds | Max laptop size: 17.3 inches | Fan RPM: 5,000 RPM | USB passthrough: Yes | LED lighting: Yes

For this entry, we're breaking our rules and recommending a laptop cooler that isn't a pad. It can't hold a laptop, nor does it support USB passthrough. But what it does offer is powerful cooling and portability. KLIM's Cool Vacuum Laptop Cooler is a unique device as you're supposed to place it up against a laptop's air vents.

Cooling pads operate by blowing air up towards the bottom of a laptop where much of the hardware is located. This piece of tech works by utilizing a vacuum fan to extract the hot air from inside the comptuer and blowing it outside. It's a similar principle to the pit cooling pads highlighted throughout the list although it operates at a smaller capacity.

You install it by pressing the Vacuum Laptop Cooler against a laptop's heat vent. To ensure optimal performance, the company gives you an array of plastic frames around the vents. That way, the vacuum fan can work on cooling the computer without leakage. And it's quite effective, too.

The fan spins at 3,500 RPM max, capable of chilling very warm laptops out. It does get rather noisy, however. Also, you'll notice that the Vacuum Laptop Cooler is quite small and weighs under five ounces. KLIM's gadget is perfect for travel. You can stick it into your bag whenever you and your laptop go on the road.

KILM Laptop Cooler with Vacuum Fan Specs: Dimensions: 6.1 x 1.42 x 3.23 inches | Weight: 4.94 ounces | Max laptop size: N/A | Fan RPM: 3,500 RPM | USB passthrough: No | LED lighting: No

One of the main problems with all previous entries on this list is that they are loud. The high-speed fans are great at cooling, but we wouldn't recommend taking them to work as the noise may disturb others. If you want a device to bring to the office, we strongly suggest the Havit HV-F2056.

It has a quiet fan with a maximum speed of 1,100 RPM. You can freely use this cooling pad without disturbing other people around you. Havit's model does sport RGB lights inside its mesh frame, but they're not super bright; in fact, they're rather dim. The company designed this cooling pad to be ultra-lightweight. It weighs a little over 1.5 pounds, so you can stuff it inside a bag and hardly know it's there.

Additionally, Havit's HV-F2056 is ergonomically sound. Users can adjust the back legs, allowing them to place the cooling pad in a more comfortable position when typing. It's important to mention that because the fan only spins at 1,100 RPM, the device isn't the best at cooling. We wouldn't recommend it for gaming laptops. It's best suited for supporting work laptops.

Havit HV-F2056 Specs: Dimensions: 14.96 x 1.18 x 11.02 inches | Weight: 1.54 pounds | Max laptop size: 17-inches | Fan RPM: 1,100 RPM | USB passthrough: Yes | LED lighting: Yes

The best laptop cooling pad on the market today is the Llano Gaming Laptop Cooler. Its powerful fan spins at 2,800 RPM and features a unique design that helps lower computer temperatures quickly. The device also has a striking ring light that outputs vibrant RGB colors.

However, it's not the only good laptop cooler out there. Look at the table below for our other recommendations.

It's important to consider how you plan on using your laptop cooling pad. If you want something to keep your laptop cool while you work or watch a movie, then a basic cooling pad with one or two fans will suffice. But if you have many peripherals you want to connect or own a powerful gaming laptop, you should buy a more heavy-duty cooling pad with faster fans or ports.

The table below can help you choose the best cooling pad for you.

When picking out a laptop cooling pad, there are four key factors that you should consider:

Our search for the best laptop cooling pads began by judging the review units using the above core considerations. We looked at ergonomics, fan design, cooling performance, price, and extra features. We included the IETS GT500 despite its loud fans because of how well it cools a laptop.

Once the selections were made, we tested several laptop cooling pads ourselves. We placed an old Alienware Area 51 laptop that frequently runs hot on the pads to see how well they could bring down temperatures. All the pads successfully cool the laptop down, but some more were better than others.

We also looked at several sources online, such as Reddit, Amazon reviews, and other consumer sites, to see what everyday people thought were the best laptop cooling pads. Reading users' personal experiences helped us narrow the potential field and make our final picks.

You should consider getting a cooling pad when you notice your laptop starts to become uncomfortably warm during usage. That's a sign that you should consider taking action to lower temperatures, as heat can damage your computer. If you ultimately don't think getting a cooling pad is necessary, we strongly recommend monitoring your laptop's internal temperatures regardless.

Absolutely. Excessive heat can limit a laptop's performance. High temperatures strangle hardware performance and, in the worst cases, shorten a computer's lifespan. It is primarily for this reason that I recommend getting a cooling pad, especially if you own an older laptop. Older machines have a harder time dissipating heat effectively. Cooling pads are an important tool in boosting performance and greatly improving user comfort. Speaking from experience, high temperatures make typing on a keyboard very uncomfortable.

Even if you own a more recent device, it's still a helpful tool if you live in a warm climate. Having proper air circulation can go a long way in those environments. Results vary as they ultimately depend on your cooling pad's fan speeds. But at the very least, you can keep your computer operating at lower temperatures, promoting optimal performance.

Don't worry about your cooling pad potentially causing overheating -- they don't take a lot of energy to run, so it's unlikely the devices will exacerbate the problem.

There are plenty of alternate methods out there that you can try out. First off, make sure your laptop's fans and heat vent are not covered in dust. Clogged vents prevent proper airflow. To fix the issue, we recommend getting a can of compressed air and blowing out the dust. It's also possible one of the fans is malfunctioning. If this is the case, you'll have to replace the component.

Another simple method is to elevate your laptop at a comfortable angle. Some companies sell metal stands that hoist your computer above the desk, promoting better airflow. Additionally, don't sit your laptop on any carpeted or padded surfaces. Cloth and fabrics insulate heat well, but that also means laptops can't ventilate properly.

Yes, they do. Because cooling pads require a direct USB connection for power, they will siphon power from your laptop's battery to operate. Many models allow you to adjust fan speeds and/or disable LED lights, both of which can help conserve battery, but you still have to contend with the extra power demand.

A powered USB hub can work as an alternative power source. If you own one, try plugging your cooling pad into the hub instead of your laptop. It is worth mentioning there are pads out there that plug straight into a wall socket instead of draining power directly from a laptop battery.

There are many options out there on the market if you're looking for a laptop cooling pad. Below is a list of great alternatives.

Targus' Laptop Chill Mat Plus is a solid pick for anyone who wants to keep their computer cool but prefer to not have bright RGB lights. Its lighting scheme is much more subtle.

The IETS GT202UB isn't a cooling pad, but rather a device that clamps directly onto your laptop's side heat vent to draw out hot air from inside.

The KeiBN RGB Laptop Cooler is a large pad housing six individual cooling fans. It also comes with 10 unique lighting modes, such as "Breathing," where the lights fade in and out.