Passive Cooler/Pads for HP dv5t "on lap" use

I thought that i'd post a separate thread to see if anyone has specially good ideas for a passive laptop "pad" or work surface for use when on the sofa or in bed, i.e. the bottom of the laptop would likely be "blocked" from much air flow by a blanket or comforter, or even one's own lap.

i was thinking along the lines of a passive item, with no fan and thus not requiring any usb to plug into the laptop.

there have been a few: lapinator.com being my favorite so far, not the most attractive, but the most practical. i do wonder whether the laptop would slip down from it when your thighs are at an incline, however, as thighs then to be when you're lounging on a sofa or in bed.

an alternate better solution would be something with a "mesh" top so there's better air flow. i have not yet found one. the thermaltake iXoft "pad" won't work as it would virtually totally block the airflow at the bottom of the laptop.

fyi: my laptop will be the hp dv5t, but i specifically chose the least warm running configuration: P8400, intel on board graphics solution, 5400 rpm hard drive.

thx in advance!

 

the thing i like about the lapinator is that it has those bump stops in the back that raise the back of the laptop up. that would be a better cooling selection if u'r lookin at passive pads.

i read alot about aluminum passive pads, and some can conduct some heat after longer uses.

 

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thx for your reply. true what you said about the aluminum passive "pads", yet, it is THE reason why they are good!! Reason: conducting heat = moving heat AWAY from the bottom of the laptop, which implies "sucking heat away", which in turn, implies "passively cooling the bottom of the laptop". So, the fact that the aluminum ones get a bit warm is a pro, not a con.

however, while the lapinator really looks like it is a good idea, i'm concerned that there is no "lip' in the from, i.e. the part closest to the trackpad of the laptop. the reason is when you're on a sofa or in bed, with your knees up slightly, your thighs are going to be at an incline. In this scenario, there is a chance that with no lip, the laptop would slide off!. even a tiny lip of 1/4" would "catch" the laptop and not allow it to slip off, right?

i guess my ideal would be a pad that has some grooves in it so they, in effect, become "channels of air" to promote airflow, therefore not requiring those rubber bumpers in the back.

sigh. i guess no one yet has found really good passive laptop "pads"?

 

Another option is to get an active cooler like the Zalman NC1000 and only turn it on when you want a lot of cooling power. The NC1000 is all aluminum and should be a good conductor of heat.

The Targus Chillmat is another solution . . . it is plastic but raises the notebook up a decent amount. It works well as both an active and passive cooler. It is less $ than the Zalman.

 

actually they get hot to the point where its uncomfortable to use. i read a review somewhere that the user got a slight burn after a long session.
the lapinator actually insulates the heat so there is no heat transfer to and from yur lap. i don't think the front, not havin a lip, will affect anythin. the notebook will be raised in the back for improved airflow, but still be sittin on its own feet in the front. the raised back also improves typing comfort. pretty sure u have nothin to worry about.

soft areas like beds/sofas will often block the nc1000/nc2000's fans.

 

Hey Dual,

Any updates? I usually use my dv5t on my lap sitting in bed(that's about the only time I get online)

I don't play games - but I want my laptop to last as long as possible so minimizing heat is someone important in that cause

 

Personally, I went the low-tech route for this. A piece of plywood a little larger than than laptop with a low strip of wood across the back to prevent it from sliding off (but not high enough to restrict airflow). The main reason for doing this wasn't heat, but comfort. My ASUS F3Sv has short legs on the back that are perfectly positioned to stick into my knees. Now I keep the laptop on this board whenever I am at home. This has the added benefit that when it is on a table, the table is insulated from the heat of the laptop. There is a patch on the table that was heat-affected by a previous laptop (I really should refinish the table).

David

 

Get a $10 radiation stand...it raises your notebook's height so it is easy to look at screen without straining the neck ...and it brings down temperature for casual surfing, browsing.

but for Gaming u ll need an Active cooler if u game like me for hours

 

http://www.organizeit.com/polaptopdesk.asp#

hi uncming: after much search, everywhere, i decided on this one. it is certainly not perfect nor is it that well thought out/designed, but, from what i've seen, it is the best passive "lap desk" that allows adequate air flow especially in the rear portion - which is the critical part for our mutual dv5t.

those little "tabs" raise the back, and under the plastic top, there's a pillow that's attached to the bottom and it's filled with some sort of beads.

there are a few issues: the top front "lip" can and should be slightly higher so the laptop won't slip towards you when you are in bed, and your thighs are at an incline towards you. as it is now, you have to be somewhat careful. those tabs that raise the back are a bit silly - a far better design would be little feet that are a bit more solid - yet, the tabs do work and they, so far (a week) appear to be just sufficient to bear the weight of the dv5t without snapping or breaking.

over all, as imperfect as this is, it is the simplest, lightest way for me to raise the back, have the laptop on a slight incline, use my laptop on my lap or over a comforter or blanket, and not block the air flow at the bottm and insulate it from my thighs.

hope this helps.

 

Thanks DualMonitors - I appreciate the response. I'm wondering if I can just get away with making sure the top left corner(where I can feel most of the heat venting out) is not blocked in anyway...I'm not trying to be cheap, but in fact I'm just thinking about comfort(interms of weight and bulkiness)

 

Look at the notebookbuddy. It has a magic material that keeps the laptop of the legs but lets the air flow through it. I bought mine at thenotebookbuddy.com. for 18.95 but I think they are on Amazon also. If you look at the pictures on the web you can see one side has this wide open mesh for airflow. It is very light so its great to bring on the road in your bag.