Does the size of a laptop have any impact on its cooling?

I was just wondering if I picked one 15" laptop identical hardware-wise to 14" same model laptop, would I get any cooling advantage over smaller laptop?

This is how I THINK it is. If a laptop is bigger, than there are wider spaces left between the components installed inside. This way more heat radiates to the outside rather than to other components inside a laptop. So in this scenario, it should run cooler (maybe just by 1F degree). Are my speculations even slightly correct? Would I notice any difference in temperature between 15" and 14" laptops shown in for example Everest or any other software?

 

Completely depends on whats inside them :/ but yeah your right if they have the exact same spec, the larger one should have more room to cool

 

Often, even in a "same model" laptop, the cooling systems are different. So, it's impossible to make that generalization--you're best off looking at each individual system you're considering.

 

The smaller the notebook the less room there is for cooling aka the hotter it will get. Although this is not right all the time, there are always better or worse models.

For example my Vaio Z11 (13inch) get's about ~90 degrees celcius max. While i read some macbook's (macbook pro 15inch) get even warmer eventhough it's in a 15inch package (same specs, but ~100 degrees celcius).

 

You can't pull this off this way

Better or worse cooling is a result of only 3 things:

1. Configuration
2. Engineering (design)
3. Materials used


You just can't compare an Acer to Sony or Asus to Toshiba as well as even 2 different models made by one manufacturer - Vaio S with Vaio E where the one has a metal base and the other is all plastic, even if they would have theoretically the same configuration It is just comparing apples with oranges!

It just doesn't work that way There are plenty of 17" laptops with terrible cooling the same way there are 11" models that overheat

 

What I had in mind is if we picked two same series laptops with the exact same configuration, which differ only by screen size. Lets say Dell Vostro 3450 and Vostro 3550. They are practically the same. So would the temperature difference be noticable?

 

It's hard to say. If they indeed differ only by screen size (i.e. not only are the specs the same, but the cooling system is also exactly the same), then the difference will be negligible because having extra air inside the case is not very helpful. However, manufacturers often use the extra room to put in a larger heat sink or bigger fan or something of the sort in which case you get significantly lower temperatures with the same listed specs.

 

The MB architecture would still be different! So you can't judge by size!
There could be no difference to huge difference in both directions!

The size is just the smallest variable in the equation.

 

I will not be surprised if 15" will be cooler than 14"

 

Yeah, but that's Apple hardware: Form over function=lousy design, but pretty...

 

It is possible to keep a smaller chassis adequately cool by making the fan run faster. However, this comes with a payload: Extra noise. Bigger laptops have more room for bigger fans which enable the same heat to be shifted with less noise.

John

 

Pretty This is exactly what they are not. look terribly boring with that metal look... just like my oven. My own opinion.

This is just the theory. However the FAN of a 16,4" notebook is seldomly bigger than the one of a 13"

Much more important is as I said WHAT fan, WHAT cooling and HOW designed.

As I said - the size of the notebook is the least important variable in the cooling equation!

 

The bigger they get, they cooler they are, I say. Of course, you guys with your SCIENCE may think otherwise. Will your SCIENCE explain God?!

 

Aren't you basing your theory on science too? It is part of the science to know that more volume means more air

 

I don't know about cooling, but size sems to effect fan noise. I had an EEE 901 and it was loud, then my Acer 3810T with an SU9400/GMA 4500 is quiet, but then I went to an Acer 1830T with an i5-430UM/Intel HD Graphics and it was really loud.