Posts Tagged laptop cooler

Wandering through the Las Vegas Convention Center at the recent 2010 International CES, I had a chance to meet some of the folks from ThermaPAK, a company that makes a laptop cooler pad that really works.

They sent me one of their HeatShift pads to evaluate. And anyone who has had their legs warmed (or scorched) by a laptop will want to check this out. Even worse than a case of warm legs is having your laptop shut down from overheating during heavy use. The HeatShift can help prevent that, too.

ThermaPAK’s HeatShift looks like a plain mat on the outside—a simple, puffy design that’s easy to carry (it can even be rolled up) on the road. But the inside is high-tech. Organic crystals inside the mat dissipate heat from the laptop. ThermaPAK says the technology will keep laptops up to 11° F (6° C) cooler.

As they get warmer, the solid crystals in the mat will change to a gel and keep drawing heat away from the computer. The HeatShift also has grooved channels built in that also help dissipate the heat. When the pad cools, the crystals become solid again and ready for the next use.

My 12″ laptop was hardly a challenge for the HeatShift. I couldn’t feel any heat at all on my legs and the computer ran comfortably. So I also tried it with my 15″ laptop, which uses more power and generates more heat than the smaller one. The HeatShift worked just as well with the larger computer.

The surface also gives a good grip on the computer so it doesn’t slide off.

The HeatShift works differently from the polycarbonate Futura laptop cooler I reviewed earlier. It’s also different from some other products because it doesn’t use any power, wires, fans or refrigeration.

The HeatShift comes in several different sizes to fit laptops with 13″ to 17″ screens, and available colors include black, pink and white. The list price for the 15″ black version I tested is $29.99. It’s available from many online retailers, including Amazon.

ThermaPAK has spent years researching laptop cooling solutions. The HeatShift is an excellent way to keep your laptop running comfortably and cool.