Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Computing
  3. Best Ofs

The best laptop cooling pads

By

A constantly overheating laptop can lead to hardware component failure, low performance, and a shorter lifespan. A cooling pad is arguably the simplest solution to your laptop’s overheating problem, especially if there’s nothing wrong internally.

We’ve found that the Kootek Chill Mat 5 is the best cooling pad out there, with its dual USB hub, multiple height options, and affordable price. We also discuss other options for laptop users who value portability, low weight, and a more compact design.

Recommended Videos

The best

Kootek Chill Mat 5

Kootek Chill Mat 5
Image used with permission by copyright holder

The Kootek Chill Mat 5 is designed for laptops anywhere from 12 to 17 inches, and it can handle just about anything. As you can see by the LED lights, it uses a set of five fans to supply cooling air circulation–the number of fans isn’t always indicative of cooling power, but it is usually a sign of a cooling pad that can handle some heat. You can switch between modes that activate only one fan, four fans, or all five if you please. There’s also a dual USB hub for connecting additional devices if you please. We particular fans of the two pull-up barriers in the front, which will keep your laptop from sliding off, no matter which of the six different height options you end up choosing.

Related: 
Best new movies to stream on Netflix, Hulu, Prime Video, Max (HBO), and more

The rest

Cooler Master NotePal X3

Cooler Master NotePal X3
Image used with permission by copyright holder

This version of the Cooler Master pad is designed specifically for gaming. It has a little more weight for extra support of larger gaming laptops, and one large 200mm fan to push out a steady stream of air fast — plus, of course, those blue LED lights for showing off a little. While the price is a bit higher on this model, it’s also more durable than many cooling pads. Considering that laptop cooling pads are somewhat notorious for breaking down sooner than people would like, the extra expense for extra durability may be well worth it for more active users.

Notably, there’s a front vent, so your hands get a breath of fresh air too, which is all the better for staying cool and dry under pressure. The Cooler Master NotePal X3 also comes with two height settings for propping up laptops and a fan speed controller, but no extra USB port. The pad is made to fit laptops up to 17 inches.

Targus Lightweight Chill Mat

Image used with permission by copyright holder

The Targus mat is, in a word, practical. You won’t find fancy shapes or LED lights here, just a basic tilted mat that props up your laptop a bit and helps cool it down. The two internal fans, powered by USB connection, also help keep laptops cool. There are four rubber stops on the surface, in addition to woven plastic padding that can help prevent slipping. The bottom side is covered in more comfortable neoprene, and velcro straps are including to help route charging cables if necessary.

All in all, the Targus Lightweight Chill Mat is made for up to 17-inch laptops, although larger versions are available. It’s particularly well-suited for those who like to use their laptop on their laps.

Tree New Bee Cooling Pad

Tree New Bee Cooling Pad
Image used with permission by copyright holder

This stylish Tree New Bee pad has an interesting shape, but it’s the low weight and quad fans of this cooling pad that impress us. There are also handy features such as a built-in dual USB hub, a switch to control fan speed, and adjustable “anti-skid” flip-up arms to get the angle right.

That being said, several users have pointed out that the lightweight nature of the Tree New Bee Cooling Pad makes it difficult to support a full 17-inch laptop with the legs up, which means heavier laptops may be condemned to the flat position on this pad. The shape, while interesting, may also make it a little more difficult to store in your laptop case, so make sure to measure before buying.

Havit HV-F2056

Havit HV-F2056
Image used with permission by copyright holder

This Havit pad is a bit simpler than some of our other top picks. It only has three fans, for example — but that underlines the minimalistic, slimmed-down design that makes this model especially portable. It’s particularly easy to slide into a bag or store next to your laptop, even in a tight case.

The stand options are a little limited, but you do have two heights to choose between, along with an extra USB port. If you don’t mind settling for a few fewer fans, the Havit HV-F2056 may be just what you had in mind. The stand fits laptops between 15.6 and 17-inches, but again be wary of using especially heavy laptops.

Opolar LC05 Laptop Cooler

Opolar LC05 Laptop Cooler
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Maybe you don’t care about laptop height or the angle at all, and you’d just as soon play at your average tabletop level (or you already have a stand and don’t want to mess with it). In this case, take a look at the Opolar LC05, which is a fan attachment that you plug into the side of your laptop. It still dissipates heat and has a handy little temperature indicator as an optional add-on to keep an eye on just how hot things are.

The Opolar LC05 Laptop Cooler is specifically designed for laptops with air vents on the sides or back, especially larger gaming laptops. It is not recommended for super-compact laptops like MacBooks.

Tyler Lacoma
Tyler Lacoma
Former Contributor
If it can be streamed, voice-activated, made better with an app, or beaten by mashing buttons, Tyler's into it. When he's not…
Topics

Editors’ Recommendations

Best refurbished laptop deals: How to find cheap used computers
microsoft surface laptop go 2020 on desk

With so much stuff these days needing a laptop, owning one can be necessary. That said, not everybody wants to buy a laptop, or wants to spend the large chunks of money they often cost. In fact, most folks probably need something relatively simple, and if you just need something to get online and do work, refurbished laptops are a much cheaper option for you, especially if you're not interested in one of the best laptops on the market. That means you can snag a good laptop while saving a bit of money, and most places that sell refurbished laptops offer some kind of guarantee, so you may not even be stuck with a computer that has issues if you end up receiving one.

To that end, there are really great refurbished laptop sales that you can check out as part of Best Buy laptop deals, Dell laptop deals, HP laptop deals and Lenovo laptop deals. Alternatively, if you're in the Apple ecosystem, take a look at these refurbished MacBook deals, or if you still want to go for something new, you could consider checking out these laptop deals instead.
Best Buy refurbished laptops -- starting at $190
Best Buy's refurbished laptops are -- you guessed it -- Geek Squad Certified and while they may not be free and clear of absolutely all cosmetic scuffs they are still exceptionally clean and always in working order. Some of them even come with additional software like virus tools, streaming access, like Apple TV+, and much more. Of course, the best part is that you can get a premium and fully upgraded model for less, often with more storage, more power, and more features than you would when buying a base model brand new. You've got some great options from Lenovo, Acer, HP, Dell, Gateway, and even Apple to choose from. The cheapest models start around $120 and increase from there. The best way to know what's available is to head over and browse for yourself.

Read more
The best 17-inch laptop deals from HP, LG, Razer, and more
An HP Omen 17 laptop on a desk.

If you don't find the 15.6-inch screen size of the average laptop convenient or big enough, then you can absolutely go for a bigger screen, with a lot of great options. The laptop industry has boomed a lot in the past few years, and now you'll find a lot of 17-inch laptop options. In fact, a lot of the best laptop brands are putting out 17-inch laptops and even larger sizes, although the largest is probably Dell's m18 gaming laptop, and that can get quite pricey, so you're going to want to grab these laptops on sale.

To that end, we've gone out and found some of our favorite 17-inch laptop deals out there, including HP laptop deals, Dell laptop deals (and Dell XPS laptop deals), and gaming laptop deals.
HP 17.3-inch laptop — $650 $950 31% off

Read more
The best tablets in 2025: top 8 tablets you can buy now
A person holding the 13-inch iPad Air (2025).

Even the best smartphones still have relatively small screens. After all, they can only get so big before they're no longer practical or pocketable. There are some great folding phones that try to give you the best of both worlds, but these are pricy options and often make compromises you're unwilling to live with. If you're looking for a larger canvas for reading, sketching, gaming, or just about anything else, you're likely much better off going with a tablet. This lets your smartphone keep doing what it does best — being portable, taking great pictures, and offering solid battery life — while giving you an alternative for those times when you need more screen real estate.

However, choosing the right tablet can be tricky. People use tablets in different ways, so there are dozens of options on the market to address these myriad needs. We know how hard it can be to wade through them all and find the one that works best for your use case and budget, so we've done the legwork for you, reviewing dozens of tablets across the entire spectrum to compile a list of the top eight for all walks of life.

Read more