5 Simple Ways to Cool a Hot Notebook

Getting Into Windows Power Manager

Some of the tips below involve editing the advanced power settings in Windows Power Options.  To access the advanced power settings:

1.  Open Power Options either by clicking the icon in the All Control Panel Options menu or by double-clicking the Windows battery icon in your system tray.


2. Select Change plan settings next to the power plan you are using (balanced, power saver, etc).

3. Select Change advanced power settings.

Tip #1: Enable Active Cooling

Make sure that, in the Windows power settings or in your notebook’s proprietary power management software, the highest level of cooling is enabled. The menu option for enabling active cooling varies from notebook to notebook, but in some cases, the option will actually say “active cooling” and in others the option will say “maximum performance” as opposed to “maximum battery life.”

Always, select more cooling performance. This will keep the fan running longer and stronger to cool the system.

Tip #2: Enable all power saving options for the CPU, graphics, wireless card, etc.

It’s simple physics. The more power your notebook consumes, the more heat it generates. If you’re willing to sacrifice a little performance by running your notebook’s key components in low power modes, it will generate less heat.

To use less juice and generate less heat, we recommend changing the advanced settings in the Windows power manager’s, both for “on battery” and “plugged in” states:

    * Wireless Adapter Settings: Maximum Power Saving
    * Link State Power Management: Maximum power savings
    * Graphics Power Plan: Maximum Battery life or the equivalent, based on what video card your notebook
       has installed.
    * PCI Express -> Link State Power Management: Maximum power savings
    * Processor power management -> Maximum processor state: Set to a lower percentage such as
      30-percent. You will want to experiment with this setting as it could severely impact performance by
      literally throttling down the CPU.


Tip #3: Unplug Your Notebook

Some notebooks are manufactured to consume more power (and generate more heat) when plugged in than on battery alone, even with the exact same power settings enabled. After lowering all your power saving settings (as in tip #2), you may want to try pulling the plug.

Tip #4: Put the notebook on a table or desk

Many of a notebook’s vents are located on the bottom of its chassis, so when you put the notebook on your lap, you’re partially obstructing those vents.  And if you put the notebook on a on a fabric surface like a bed or couch, you’re really choking its airflow. If the bottom of your notebook is getting really hot, consider putting it on a table or using a lapdesk that sits between you and the notebook.

Tip #5: Using a cooling pad 

Some might say that this is the most obvious tip and should appear first, but cooling pads add bulk to your notebook bag and make your system less portable.