I thought I would return to the theme of hot laptops which we discussed in a recent post. Most modern laptops will run hot, and will become uncomfortably so if actually used on your lap! But why do laptops heat up and is there anything we can do to minimise this effect?

So why do laptops heat up?
All the major components of a computer will generate, to varying degrees, some heat during their operation. So the power supply, the battery, the motherboard circuits, the disk drive, the CPU and graphic cards chips all will, when running, generate some heat. Some components generate more heat than others though, with the worse offenders probably being the chips. So if these components are fully used, for instance if you’re playing a game or have a lot of different applications running, then things are going to get hot quickly. Also although the processors used in laptops are designed to run cooler that those designed for desktops, the fact that everything is packed in tightly close together means that there is little air space and flow to provide cooling. A fan or fans are provided inside the laptop to cool things down, and this will come on if things start getting hot. You will hear this going if your computer is working hard.

How to keep cool

On most laptops the internal fan exhaust output to expel the hot air is on the underside of the computer. If this is blocked in anyway the internal temperature will rise quickly. This is one potential issue for those using a laptop on their lap, where clothes etc. can easily block these vents. A flat board on which the laptop can rest will help significantly. If using on a desk then there are a number of useful cooling pads for laptops which often provide additional fans to help cool things down. A good example of this is the Belkin laptop cooling stand which gives plenty of room for air flow and provides an additional fan that runs from the USB port of the laptop, reducing wires and meaning that it is potentially portable to some degree.

How do you keep your laptop cool?