Thermaltake notebook cooler pad? dangerous or good?

I've checked a few independant reviews of the pad, and they're all surprised to find it seems to work, knocking 5-10 degrees off the temperature while in use (and for only a few hours, before its fully converted to liquid form.)

I picked one u pretty cheap nearby, and it does seem to keep things cool, and certainly keeps the heat away from my lap under the notebook. Well and good.

I'm still worried about the fact it actually _blocks_ some of the intake vents on the bottom of the notebook.

ie: Sure, it might help displace heat to create cool, but if it blocks the intakes, isn't it artificially causing the heating system to be inefficient (and thus make itself work overtime.) Further, you run the risk of burnout, once the pad stops cooling? (And further, it can cool all it wants, if no air goes in, you burn out period, no?)

IT does have a dimple pattern across the top surface, so that may permit some airflow.

But I worry..

Anyone used one of these pads long term and had success stories.. or burn out stories?

jeff

 

(aside; Hibernate wasn't working for me "insufficient resources for API" or suchandsuch; theres a hotfix for WinXP SP2 to repair this, which is handy!)