Laptops are built with stronger hardware than ever. But the more powerful a laptop is, the hotter it'll get. Top models can hit temperatures of 170 degrees Fahrenheit or higher, especially when gaming. Hot laptops feel awful to hold, and heat can wear down your components over time. If you don't want your new laptop to double as a space heater, you should consider investing in one of the best laptop cooling pads.
Our favorite laptop cooling pads for gaming include the TopMate C11, which has its own detachable phone stand. We also recommend the IETS GT500, which features an incredibly powerful 5,000 RPM fan. Either one will cool your laptop and help guard your thighs from burns.
Below, you can find all of our picks for the best laptop cooling pads on the market right now. We've also included some information on how well cooling pads work and what you should expect from a typical purchase.
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Staff Pick
A full-featured pad
The TopMate C11 features six fans, RGB lighting, two USB ports, and a detachable phone stand.
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Staff Pick
The best high-end pad
This premium metal cooling pad has two adjustable fans and an automatic temperature sensor.
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Staff Pick
A pad with extra power
The GT500's 5,000 RPM fan makes it one of the most powerful cooling pads on the market.
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Designed for easy airflow
This binder-shaped cooling pad has two fans, a slight tilt, and an open design to help disperse heat.
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Sleek and quiet
This stylish RGB cooling pad can cool your laptop without making too much extra noise.
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Extra-large with RGB
The Massive 20 is lined with customizable RGB lights and can support bigger 18-inch laptops.
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Big power in a small package
The TopMate C5 isn't the biggest pad around, but it's a powerful option with five fans and up to 2,500 RPM.
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A portable cooling vacuum
Rather than a typical pad, the Klim Cool is a "vacuum" fan that hooks directly onto your laptop and pulls the hot air out.
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A flexible cooling solution
This affordable Kootek pad features five fans and lets you choose which ones are running.
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A big yet quiet fan
The NotePal X3 features a large 200mm fan that's rated for just 23 dB.
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Simple and slim
This Havit pad comes in three different colors, and each one has three fans and a slim design.
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Perfect for a desk setup
This is a cooling stand that lets you lift your laptop up to eye level, which is better for posture.
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Colorful cooling power
This butterfly-shaped cooler comes in a variety of colors, but they're all powerful.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do laptop cooling pads actually work?
Yes, but it depends on what you're looking for. Testing shows that the best laptop cooling pads do cool down laptops, usually by about five to 10 degrees Fahrenheit, depending on strength. That's not substantial, but can make a difference over time. And if you tend to use your laptop directly on your lap, putting a pad underneath can protect your thighs from burns.
On the other hand, there's not much evidence that cooling pads actually help laptops run faster. The few-degree difference isn't enough to noticeably improve CPU or GPU performance. And if your laptop already has overheating issues — maybe because the vents are damaged or dusty — a cooling pad is just a temporary fix.
Laptop cooling pads can make you more comfortable when gaming, but don't expect them to improve your laptop's performance. For better performance, you'll need to invest in better laptop hardware. Check out our guides to the best gaming laptops and best budget gaming laptops to see our top recommendations.
How loud are laptop cooling pads?
You should expect most cooling pads to range in volume from about 20dB to 50dB. 50dB is about as loud as a typical conversation between two people, or the hum of a refrigerator. The stronger a cooling pad's fans are, the louder it'll be.
Remember that a cooling pad won't replace your laptop's internal fans. So if your laptop's internal fans are running at the same time as the cooling pad, you'll have two sets of fans making noise, which means double the volume.
How heavy are laptop cooling pads?
A cooling pad's weight will depend on its size and the material it's made of, typically plastic or metal. But in general, cooling pads range between 1.5 and 3.5 pounds in weight.
For reference, gaming laptops tend to weigh about four to five pounds, and a gaming laptop charger adds at least a half-pound more. This means that in total — with the laptop, charger, and cooling pad — you're looking at about seven to nine pounds of weight.
What size cooling pad should I buy?
Any cooling pad you buy needs to be at least big enough to fit the base of your laptop comfortably. Your laptop shouldn't be hanging off the sides or the back and should be able to sit flat without any wobbling. In other words, a bigger cooling pad will work with smaller laptops, but not the other way around.
Cooling pads work best when the pad's fans can line up with your laptop's vents. This will usually mean keeping your laptop in the center of the pad, an even distance away from each fan and/or directly above the center fan.
Tech Reporter for Insider Reviews
William Antonelli (he/she/they) is a writer, editor, and organizer based in New York City. As a founding member of the Reference team, he helped grow Tech Reference (now part of Insider Reviews) from humble beginnings into a juggernaut that attracts over 20 million visits a month. Outside of Insider, his writing has appeared in publications like Polygon, The Outline, Kotaku, and more. He's also a go-to source for tech analysis on channels like Newsy, Cheddar, and NewsNation. You can find him on Twitter @DubsRewatcher, or reach him by email at wantonelli@businessinsider.com.
