As with any computer, the real enemy is heat.  My notebook does get really hot, especially at the hard drive which is right under the space for the left palm.  A really bad design on the part of Acer engineering.  The cooler you can keep your notebook, the longer it will last.  Other than making sure there is unrestricted airflow around you notebook, there are a number of products you can use to improve the notebooks’ cooling efficiency.

Comfort / Cooling Pads

Company: Lapinator
Product: Portable Insulated Laptop Desk
Web Site: http://www.lapinator.com
Retail Price: $24.99 and $29.99

The Lapinator is a passive cooling device design to give your notebook good air circulation and improved comfort.  It is available in two versions: the 11 oz., 13"x12"x1" Lapinator and, its large brother, the 15 oz., 18"x12"x1" Lapinator Plus for larger notebooks.  Both use 3M Thinsulate sheets to block 95% of the heat from reaching your legs or desktop.  By improving the air circulation, the Lapinator helps the notebooks’ internal cooling system run more efficiently.  So the Lapinator helps to improve heat dissipation, comfort, and ergonomics.  It’s also thin enough to fit in most notebook bags.

With the foam pads under the Lapinator, the main feature of this product is to protect you from the heat, so that your “laptop” computer can actually be used on your laptop.  As with all notebooks/laptops, the bottom tends to get too hot to actually use on your lap.  But heat dissipation is the real benefit.  By allowing more air to move the heat away from the notebook, it improves the internal cooling system.  The Thinsulate material will not absorb heat like the metal or wood surface of a desk, which acts like a hot plate under your computer.

The Lapinator also features 2 bumpers which can be added to the back edge to angle the notebook to increase the heat dissipation.  An optional mouse pad is available ($9.95) which attaches to either side of the Lapinator to give you a comfortable surface for your mouse.

So if you are looking for a great way to improve both the comfort and cooling of your notebook computer, the Lapinator is a great, inexpensive choice.

NOTE:  See the results of our cooling test at the end of this article.

Active and Passive Cooling Pads

Company: Targus
Product: Notebook Chill Mat, Podium CoolPad, LapDesk
Web Site: http://www.targus.com
Retail Price: $29.99

Targus has a wide range of products for improving the cooling and ergonomics of the modern notebook computer.  Active cooling is my regular choice for use on a desktop as it forces air around the notebook.  Here are a couple of good choices from Targus, the Notebook Chill Pad and the Podium CoolPad.  One offers active, fan cooling and the other is a passive device to angle the notebook for improve air flow.  Both are design to be used only on a desktop, which makes them impractical for use on your lap or an unstable surface.

The Targus Chill Mat is a cooling mat using 2 fan to force heat away from the notebook and protect the surface of your desk from heat build-up.  The Mat is powered from a USB port on the notebook and has an on/off switch and rubber feet on the back edge to angle the notebook. 

The Chill Mat features:

1. Two-fan cooling system pulls heat away from the notebook and prevents the CPU from overheating during use
2. Powered from notebook: Uses USB port for power, and turn on the fans with the on/off switch
3. Color - Silver
4. Dimensions - 11.75"x9"x0.8"
5. Includes - USB Power Cord
6. System Requirement - USB Port
7. Air Flow - 28 CFM (cubic feet per minute)
8. Speed - 1500 RPM
9. PC Power - USB: 5V, 500 mA
10. Power - 1.05W
11. Warranty - Limited One Year
12. Weight - 15 oz.

So if you are looking to take a more forceful, direct approach to reducing the heat and heat damage of your notebook computer, then the Targus Chill Mat is a quiet, efficient product that delivers good results towards improving the life of your notebook computer.

NOTE:  See the results of our cooling test at the end of this article.

For a non-powered alternative to the Chill Mat, Targus offers the Podium CoolPad.  The product features a double layer pad to protect your furniture, multiple stacking pucks to adjust the angle height, a support bar for the pucks to improve the stability when using it with 17” notebooks, and a 360 degree rotating base.  Rubber pads on both the bottom and front edge of the Podium keeps your notebook computer stable on your desk.

The Podium features:

Adjustable angle design improves heat dissipation to help your notebook run cooler.
Double surface protects furniture from heat damage and notebook from liquid spills on work surface.
360 degree pivot for presentations.
Support bar for 17” notebooks
Size - 10.25"x8.75"x2"
Weight - 18.1 oz.
Warranty - Limited One Year

The Targus Podium CoolPad is good for desktop use with its angled design for cooling and ergonomic tilt, but I would not recommend using it on any small, unstable surface or on your lap.  Only use this product on a large, stable work surface to achieve the best results.

NOTE:  See the results of our cooling test at the end of this article.

Finally, we have the Targus Notebook Portable Lapdesk, which is a folding tray that supports a notebook computer on your lap or any surface that needs to be more stable.  It can fold for easy packing in your notebook bag and has a five position tilt stand to improve the cooling efficiency of your notebook by raising the back edge to increase airflow.  The Lapdesk also has ventilation channels to help move the heat away from the notebook.

The Lapdesk features:
Folded size - 0.6"x11"x11.25"
Unfolded size - 0.6"x11"x22"
Weight - 22 oz.
Warranty - Limited One Year

While the Lapdesk does provide stability and some protection from the heat of a notebook, the venting holes do allow a lot of heat to reach the lap or desk surface.  If you are mainly looking to improve the surface stability when using your notebook and your notebook does not get too hot, check out the Targus Lapdesk for an easy solution to improve your workspace when traveling.

COOLING TEST RESULT

Test Notebook - Acer 3400
Heat Test Points - CPU Core and Hard Drive
Test Point Locations - CPU (Rear Right), Hard Drive (Left Front)
Average Usage Time Before Check - 30 Minutes
Temperature Listed in Celsius

PRODUCT_______________________________CPU CORE TEMP_______________________HARD DRIVE TEMP
Notebook Only - Startup__________________________48c ______________________________________31c
Notebook Only - High Temp on Desk________________65c______________________________________53c
Lapinator with Rubber Spacers_____________________59c______________________________________53c
Targus Chill Mat_________________________________51c______________________________________44c
Targus Podium CoolPad with maximum tilt___________56c______________________________________52c
Targus Lapdesk_________________________________62c______________________________________53c

While the results we got are not exact and the products were not tested in a controlled environment, the basic results can be used for comparison.  Results will vary greatly depending on the design of the notebook computer. 

The Lapinator was the most comfortable product and best at keeping the heat away from the work surface or laptop with good cooling of the CPU Core.  Tilting the notebook had a major affect on cooling the CPU which is located near the rear of the notebook.  Only the Targus Chill Mat, with its powered fans, did a good job of cooling the hard drive, which is located in the front edge of the notebook.  The front edge of the notebook, being the lowest point when tilted, is the hardest area to cool and is usually the farthest area from the notebooks internal fan, which is normally at the rear of most notebooks. 

If comfortable use and improved external air circulation is the goal, then the Lapinator is the best choice.  For desktop use, the Podium CoolPad had good results.  Finally, if keeping the internal temperature down and improving overall reliability of your notebook is the priority, then the fan powered, active air circulation of the Chill Mat is the best choice. 

We hope this information will help you to choose the best product for your needs.

--Harvey Lee,
Senior Technology Editor