An overheating laptop can spell serious problems for your system, but you must first consider whether or not your laptop is one which simply 'runs hot' or is actually overheating. Some laptops simply run hot because of the varied components used inside it, although most modern high spec machines should run relatively cool. Typical symptoms of an overheating laptop are system crashes, untypically slow or sluggish performance, and certain parts being too hot to comfortably touch. If your laptop is displaying those symptoms then it is very likely that you have a overheating product. Excessive overheating can destroy sensitive electronic components and as a result drastically reduce the life of your laptop, and in some cases can even cause serious human injury.

Causes of Laptop Overheating

There are a number of possible causes for laptop heating, one of which is blocked air vents caused by physical obstruction or dust, sometimes dust build up can be the cause of poor design. Upgrading a systems operating system can also cause overheating, as the computer struggles to keep up with an increased level of demands. Most commonly the cause of overheating is simply poor design, with many manufacturers cramming powerful desktop CPUs into laptop configurations and then failing to provide for adequate release of heat through vents and cooling systems.

Solution to Laptop Overheating

The most effective way of dealing with overheated laptops without compromising on performance is to buy a 'Laptop Cooler', also often referred to as 'Chill Pads', these are simply products incorporating fans which sit underneath the laptop. These are normally powered through the laptop by USB, and often provide additional USB ports to increase your computers USB capacity. If you believe that your laptop is overheating, then you should cease to use it immediately and pick up one of these; I have been using one for one of my overheating laptops for the past year in the knowledge that it would be in a skip now if I hadn't have made the investment. When buying a laptop cooler it is always wise to consider the position of the fans in relation to your computers hot spots. Below you can see my choice for the 5 Best Laptop Coolers on the market.

This is my personal choice for the most effective laptop cooler I have ever experienced, when based purely on cooling ability. and one of the best in regards to adaptability. The 'Unbeatable' features two large ball bearing fans, and comes with a three year warranty - a mark of it's strong construction. The Antec is aimed at gamers, and quite rightly, as it is probably the best around for lap comfort; many other coolers are for use on flat surfaces or tables. There is however one area which the Antec Unbeatable really falls down, and that is the loss of a USB port, as it doesn't provide any extra USB ports to make up for the one that you lose; therefore you should be confident that you have a spare port after your iPod, printers, etc are taken into consideration. You are paying a premium for this quality and the 3 year warranty however, with the Antec being one of the more expensive coolers on the market.

Another great cooler, the Zalman ZM-NC2000 is also a two fan cooler with some 928 vent holes to ensure comprehensive air distribution. The Zalman is made out of Diamond Cut, Sand Blasted, and Anodized aluminium for a sleek design. Aluminium is of course a metal which stores cold naturally and assists the cooling process. This is more of a table cooler, although is light enough for effective lap use, and has rubber grips at the bottom to ensure that table surfaces are not scratched or damaged. This product also has incredibly quiet fans (as close to quiet as you will get), a great attribute for cooling fans (some of them can get pretty noisy as they age). The Zalman also provides a second USB port to compensate for the one that it steals from your laptop, however this is my only criticism..... it could have provided even more! Coolers with inbuilt USB hubs are available, as you will see, so think about your requirements before buying.

I selected this cooler as my chosen 'budget cooler', and its low price does not reflect on it's performance. It is certainly no thrills, but no performance is compromised. What the Connectland brings you which the others on this list do not is a six level adjustable combination stand, particularly useful for those that choose to use a combination stand already; the stand also enables increased external airflow by effectively lifting the laptop off from a table by an inch or two. The stand also allows you to swivel your laptop 360 degrees, however is not really suitable for lap use and is designed specifically for use by so called 'deskers'. Before purchasing, please note that this cooler is not suitable for screens over 15 inches.

Perhaps the most aesthetically pleasing cooler around, this sleek cooler is perfect for either lap use or table top use. Logitech are so confident of this coolers quality that they provide a three year warranty, and having used one myself I can tell you that everything is quality about this. It works perfectly to cool any laptop up to 15.4in and is incredibly energy efficient, with it's impact on your CPU minimal. It's another quiet one, in fact as close to silent as you can get. My one gripe, yet again, is that is steals a USB port and doesn't give it back.... despite this being an incredibly easy component for them to add to the design.

The Belkin answers one of the biggest problems facing cooling pads, and one that I have mentioned several times on this page already, and that is the loss of a USB port. The actual components involved in providing extra USB ports are minimal in price and yet so many manufacturers do not bother. Belkin have the answer, and have provided a 4 port USB hub in with this cooler. So not only are you cooling your laptop, but you also have more rooms for all of those little gadgets. Like all coolers featured it is USB powered, meaning that you actually end up with 3 new USB ports and one used to power them. Belkin use its patented 'wave design' to effectively use just one fan to cool your laptop and making this cooler one of the most energy efficient available. It is also very light, aesthetically pleasing, quiet, and reasonably priced. However, like all of the coolers, I still do not consider this perfect. I would choose 'Antec Unbeatable' for a lap cooler if you don't need additional USB ports, whilst I would choose this as a table based cooler purely on the basis of it having those extra USB ports. A great product, but even Belkin have not yet fully cracked it.