Y580: Best Fitting Cooling Pad?

Picked up my Y580 over the weekend at Fry's instead of waiting for Lenovo to ship it. I've read posts where people are using laptop cooling pads, but I was wondering has anyone discovered which pad works the best? By that I mean which one fits the best (fan locations, exhaust port, size, etc)?

TIA

 

I'm using the Notepal U2. It has two adjustable fans and seems to work well.

That being said, the 580 hangs off the edges. I'm going to get a U3 soon. It has three adjustable fans with speed control. Plus it's much larger.

Some other people on the forum are using a U3. Seems like the best option.

 

I've seen a lot of posters using the Cooler Master Notepal U3 because the Y580 is a bit wide and hangs off the sides of a U2.

 

Well I think that answers it!



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Order Summary

Sales Order Number: 101239219
Sales Order Date: 7/16/2012 11:02:31 AM
Shipping Method: UPS 3 DAYS

1 x ($27.99) Cooler Master Notepal U3 Laptop / Notebook Cooling Pad, Up to 19" (3 x 80mm Configurable Fans)
$27.99

Subtotal: $27.99
Tax: $0.00
Shipping and Handling: $4.99
Total Amount: $32.98

 

I was considering buying the U3 as well. My only concern is portability. Does it fit in a normal backpack? For that reason I think I'll go with the slim one, not sure yet

Amazon.com: Cooler Master NotePal X-Slim Laptop Cooling Pad with 160mm Fan (R9-NBC-XSLI-GP): Computers & Accessories

any ideas?

 

Would you guys say getting a cooling pad would be worth it/necessary for this laptop?

 

My guess is it will equate to a big 4" binder.

I recommend it at least keep it elevated a bit in the back. This thing is pushing a lot of power, and I've heard the HDD gets hot too.

 

Eh, who really knows. Yes, a cooler helps keep temps a little lower than they would be without one.

My 580 is almost always sitting on a desk so I just keep it on a cooler for some peace of mind. I doubt anything would happen if I didn't use one, but it can't hurt.

If I had to carry it around all the time, I doubt I would use one.

 

Wow 4" binder... not sure about that, the description says it thickness is less than 2in. Anyways thanks for the reply.

 

I don't think it matters that much if the laptop hangs over the edge of a cooling stand, unless you need to get one of fans near that edge. Just having the laptop elevated makes a big difference in ventilation.

Of course, if stability is an issue then that's a different story.

As far as portability, you can stick the laptop into a U2 or U3 if you take the fans off first. I guess in a way that gives the laptop some extra armor, although I don't think you can pass through TSA like that. I have a Y570 and a U2. Knocks about 20 degrees off my temp "spikes".

 

Wow is this pad nice! I see why everyone likes them. High build quality, matte black brushed aluminum just like the Y580's case. Fan's are dead quiet and since it is coolermaster, they are high quality. I haven't recorded temps yet, but I bet this thing will keep the laptop nice and cool. Having it elevated is nice too, helps to type and it brings the screen up a bit higher.

 

I wouldn't say that they are "dead quiet." You can still here it when you pump up the rpms, but it sound is lower than what your machine makes...

 

Out of curiosity, anyone have an opinion on the best location to place the fans on a U3?

 

If you look at the bottom of the laptop, there are three vents. That's where I put them. So, two on the bottom left, and one beneath the "2" key. Not sure if this is ideal though, so someone with better knowledge might want to correct me.

 

That where I put mine, just make sure that there enough clearance of the fan and the desk floor...

 

I use the notepal slim, I actually had the U3 but got the slim because I wanted space. I actually like the slim better, big fan and puts air under evenly.

 

Nice! I was waiting for someone to buy the slim one. What can you tell me about the build quality? Is it solid? Can you used it in your lap? Or in bed or couch? How are the temps compared to the U3? And finally, can you upload some pics to see how well it fits with the laptop?

Thanks in advance.

 

I usually just used it, laptop cooler u3, when I am gaming. The y580 had a pretty good cooling system if you just writing papers or watching movies, surfing the web i wouldn't turn it on since the fan do make some noise, unless you can't mask it noise with sound, if you cannot deal with it.(I for one can't write papers or study without silence) W/o the pad and I play aion the HDD will get to about 58C. With laptop cooler u3 it doesn't get over 50C.

Also big fan does not necessary mean better cooling, where it place matter more. I would just read review and make your decision. Also, I could order new fans for the u3 which is like 10 dollars compare to buying a new cooler that would be 30 dollars with the same effect.

However nothing beat a desktop fan pointed at your computer to cool down your hands and computer lolz.

Also, people are blowing the HDD out of proportions. It should not be the cause of worry every time you turn on your laptop. If your HDD does not get above 50~53C+ when on load, you should be fine. If it like 60C when gaming, you should worry then. Just have fun with your laptop and always back up important context on another place. Laptop will generate lots of heat when on load, gaming. It is excepted.

 

Judging by the U3 amount of air when I had it and the bigger fan putting out and even flow throughout the bottom on the slim I chose the slim over the U3. Also the U3 IMHO didn't put out that much air on high, I owned the both and returned the U3 to Fry's. I felt the slim was putting out more air and evenly cooling the entire bottom and getting more air in the vent at the same time but it not as silent.

The U3 was much stronger and had the fan placement but the Slim is strong enough and much lighter. It fits the Y580 perfectly where as the U3 was much larger. Allot of people like the U3 and I liked the quality and construction but the size and airflow on the slim got me.

This is my personal preference and experience though after using both on my Y580.

 

I have another question... Does the cable get in the middle of anything when you plug it to any of the usb ports? For example can I still use the ODD if I plug it in the right side, the rear one? Or in the left side, do I lose the HDMI or the second usb? I was hoping to connect it on the right one (USB 2.0, not the 3.0).

 

I origonaly had it by the power cord. Its the same cable as the u3 and extends as far out as the left side as it does right i actually like the way the bottom channels the cable.

I have a external usb hub with switches on each port so i can turn whichever hub on or off the fan is powered to. It does not have a off switch so i use that hub that connects my fan and turn it on when i run heavy programs like bf3.

It will be fine by the back usb near the power cord. I can chcck for you the others when i get home if you want.

 

If the plug on the U3 is the same as the U2, it will block the ODD. The cable comes out towards the disc tray and if you want to eject it, you need to unplug the cooler.

This is definitely the case with the U2 if you plug it into the USB that is located by the power connector.

 

The usb hub makes it all into one hub that can individually be switched off so i can just unplug it and go instead of tying up all the usb hubs. And it doesnt block anything.

 

I guess it also depends on how much the disc drive is going to get used. It's not ideal, but I keep my U2 plugged in the back and it's not an issue since I've used the drive 2-3 times in the month and a half that I've had the 580. When I do need to use it, I just unplug the cooler.

Would get annoying for someone who uses the disc drive frequently.

 

Hi everyone;

Thanks for the info guys... I rarely use the ODD, but I'm too lazy sometimes . But if I want to watch a blue-ray movie (which I don't have) or If I want to play a nice game (which I don't have either). Then I guess I'll have to put the disc first and then plug the cooler pad. No big deal. ... The last pc game I bought was like 10 years ago... I think was Diablo II... so ... My knowledge is very obsolete... we still need the disc inside the laptop... Am I right? Buahaha very dumb question... don't care.

AnimalMother... Is the cable from the picture Syed117 uploaded the same cable of the slim?

 

Yeah it's the same exact one.

 

The U2 is a much better fit than the U3 IMO, the U3 has a massive footprint that is inches bigger than the Y580 on all sides and to me isn't portable (can't fit in my backpack). The U2 is just slightly smaller than the Y580's case (this is a good thing as I don't want to waste any desk space) however the Y580's rubber feet fit easily on the U2's surface and the U2 can fit comfortably in my backpack. 2 fans is plenty also.

 

I have my U3+U2 fans connected to my 7-port Kensington Hub leaving the ODD area free of obstructions. Then again, I already swapped out my ODD for a HDD caddy

 

I used the Lapair for a day, it didn't seem to have enough targeted airflow for the Y580 though. Switched to a U3 cause there is 3 exhaust meshes on the Y580. Seem to be much better than stock. I was using Speccy to see temps, but it was not responsive enough. Used speed fan and I like it more for temp readings at least. Interestingly, there is no fans I can see on the Y580 to control. Even the GFX card fan is not there. I also have to let Speedfan graph my temps. I was popping out to desktop, and the temp of the GTX660 would drop quickly(because of Optimus).

My only thought now is that if I really want to get some great cooling, I will have to remove some grate. The grate that the fans attach to seems obstructive. And since I would keep the fans in the their current positions, I think cutting out a round hole so the fans blow directly would show even more temperature improvement.