Typing this on an Omen 17t right now, and I have to say I completely agree. When I got this thing, I was blown away by the price to specs ratio, but it was a stuttery gaming mess. Even with G-Sync on my model I was getting terrible throttling and screen tearing due to the CPU throttling up and down. Honestly I would not consider buying unless you're willing to shell out a bit more in upgrades (anywhere from $8-$75ish depending which suggestions you choose to pick up) and apply a little bit of elbow grease (and literally some thermal grease).

If you're up for it, you can have the best of all worlds (cooling, performance, and price). I regularly idle between 45-50C, and I no longer get thermal throttling while gaming, almost never get past 85-90C while gaming, even lower if I have my fans on (detail below).

If you're curious what I did, here it is in order of (imo) most effective to least effective changes:

• Repasting the CPU and GPU - Prior to replacing the horrifically bad thermal paste on this thing, my idling CPU temperatures never dipped below 70-75C (yikes), games were almost out of question, they were always pinned at 99C with horrific thermal throttling. JUST repasting the CPU brought it down 10C. Highly recommend using Arctic MX-4 if you're considering this option (the 2019 edition comes with a cute little paste spreader if you don't have one already). A word of warning on doing this: HP uses some kind of fucking insane screws on their internal heatsink mountings. They look like a standard phillips, and for all intents and purposes they are, but the fuckers are mounted INSANELY tightly and are frustratingly between a size 0 and 00 screwdriver (one is slightly too small, one is slightly too large). And they strip damn near instantly. I had to gently file down the side of 3 screws to make one side flat, then tap them loose with a small hammer. Just a word of warning, it's well worth the effort, but you have to be careful.
  
  
• Undervolt your CPU - I've had great luck undervolting my CPU on this Omen and getting way better temperatures from it. It's as easy as downloading Intel's Extreme Tuning Utility and clicking on one slider, that's it. This super easy fix dropped my temperatures another 5-10C. And for anyone wondering, this does not have any performance impact on your machine whatsoever, it's not a "downclock" it's simply giving your CPU slightly less voltage to work with (making it run much cooler). I've had zero issues with -0.155 to -0.16 offsets, but it's a highly YMMV sort of thing. You can drop it even lower on the fly if you're not doing any real crazy intensive tasks.
  
  
• Bring in some more fan power - The two steps above can EASILY net you a 15-25C decrease, and I'd recommend doing those before anything else (given thermal paste is free if you have some extra tubes laying around to under $8). But if you want to beat down those temps even further, I think these OPOLAR laptop fans are a godsend. These are different from normal laptop cooling pads (the big plastic ones with big fans in them you set underneath your laptop) in that they aren't shoving air in the PC but outtaking it. This works particularly well on the Omen line, given their back fans are both outtakes. When I want to really grind down temps, they routinely give me another 5-15C (depending on how sensitive you are to fan noise) in gaming. HP, imo, has bar none the worst fan curves in the game, and they don't let you tinker with them in the bios either (I've had no luck in getting speedfan to work either). You can mount these things permanently with a little plastic mount that can fit PERFECTLY spaced on the bottom of the Omen laptops I have (ie, not blocking fan intakes) for super easy mount/removal. In a surprising feat of good design, HP fan outtakes are removable on most models (meaning, you can expose the heatpipe fins while keeping the rest of the laptop all in once piece), so you can chuck those off and mount these suckers darn near directly on the laptop heatpipes and really draw out heat. I have two mounted on my Omen, but you could probably get away with only one and get very similar performance benefits (particularly by attaching on the heatpipe that is mounted on your CPU, that seems to be the hotter heatsink in my experience, but obviously YMMV).
  
  
• Rip off the stupid webbing air filters on the underside of your laptop - Fair warning, this will obviously require you to dust out your laptop a bit more frequently (you should be doing that regardless, really) and leave you open to crumbs/dust particles getting your machine a bit more easily, but I think it's well worth the tradeoff. HP puts on this silvery tightly knit webbing glued on the bottom of their gaming laptops that is really, truly great at stopping dust and debris from getting into your chassis. With that said, it's also great at stopping AIR getting to the intake fans (seriously, if you have an Omen and haven't done this already, try taking your back panel off your laptop and blowing through it, this webbing drastically cuts airflow on a machine already airflow deprived). This won't give as drastic of a boost as the other recommendations, but it's another completely free way to get better performance.
  
  
  
• Elevate - Get a laptop stand that allows you to get your laptop off the table, or hell even prop a book under it, anything to give the fans more clearance. Obviously try a free option first to see if you get any benefit from it, but if you're looking for a recommendation on stands, I've tried a good chunk of them from Amazon, and I like this Nulaxy the best. It's super stable and has a really nice heft to it, works great for me at home/office.
  
  There's some other minor stuff you can do, but those are the big ones. I think it's worth it, but it's all personal preference. If I can clarify something/add pictures or whatever, just ask, or if I missed something big feel free to reply and add it.
  
  TL;DR In order of effectiveness: Repaste your CPU/GPU (Arctic MX-4 is great), undervolt your CPU, get some laptop fans (I prefer ones that outtake), rip off the air filter webbing on the bottom laptop panel, elevate your laptop off your usage area.

So far, my 7590 has been performing quite well. Here are my thoughts and observations:

Battery life is about 6 to 7 hours of typical real-world usage (WiFi browsing of internet, video streaming, concurrent Office apps, photo editing) all at about 70% of the max screen brightness. I have the 4k non-touch OLED model with an i7. I've got mine undervolted by -0.100 mV using intel XTU. I use the dark mode theme, which helps prolong battery life but is also easier on the eyes, in my opinion. My power mode setting is always on "better" performance when I am on battery (that's one step below the max "best performance"). I do not experience any hiccups with these settings, everything is buttery smooth. Interestingly, when I ran a battery report, my full charge battery capacity is 87,438 mWh (the design capacity is 97,003 mWh, which is why the advertised battery is 97 W-hours). I think dell releases these from the factory at a 10% down-charge to promote better battery longevity. Other XPS 15 owners have reported similar findings with their models. There are ways to reset the battery to change the reported capacity, and perhaps that might squeeze out some more battery life. Personally, for me, I'm satisfied with the battery performance.

Audio to me is adequate. I am not an audiophile. The built-in-speakers offer enough sound, although I personally feel they could offer a little more bang. I don't think you'd be disappointed when plugging in some external earphones.

The only thing I upgraded is the WiFi card. The included Killer 1650x sucks. It dropped the wireless connection frequently. It also seemed to have a slow, unreliable connection with poor signal strength in general. I replaced it with an Intel 9260 wireless card and I am very pleased with the result. It's a relatively easy upgrade. Other than that, the other internal components have all been great. It's very easy to replace or repair. You have easy access to an M.2 SSD and two standard laptop RAM slots that you can easily upgrade.

Regarding thermals: I am using a Havit laptop cooling pad, it has 3 small fans that are powered by USB through my laptop and the fans are directed at the undersurface of the chasis. My idle ranges 36 C to 39 C. Typical use case comprising about 10% CPU utilization brings me to a package temp of 42 C to 50 C (for example, while typing this review my temps are sitting at a nice cool 43 C). During two sustained back-to-back benchmark runs (userbenchmark, you can see my results here ) I hit three instances of 100% CPU use corresponding to a max core frequencies around 4.15 GHz at which time the max core temp hit an instance of 90 C, BUT most peaks hovered around 75 C. My 7590 had a single brief instance of thermal throttling (as per monitoring of the intel XTU tool).

I haven't done any gaming, but I didn't buy my xps 7590 for gaming purposes. I bought it mostly for productivity, business/professional use, and the beautiful screen. The OLED is incredible. In terms of gaming, my assumption is that it can run certain games (like Dota 2) at great frame rates, but I am not expecting to run things like Witcher 3 or FF15 on this. I imagine that more demanding applications could push the thermal envelope up to the point of throttling so that problem could persist for you.

As a final thought, the USB-C port has TB3 and supports a full 40 gb/s throughput that plays nice with eGPUs so that would be an option for future-proofing and upgradeability if needed.

Good luck with your decision!

Been thinking about writing a guide on this for a while, so you'll get a lot of info as a rough draft!

The raw specs you listed are good enough for FM but the big thing here is that you're on a laptop. Some laptops have problems with sustained performance due to thermal and power throttling via BIOS settings or even manufacturer specifications at the hardware level. If that is the case, you'll have to learn a lot about how Intel Turbo Boost works to get to the bottom of things. But first, you have some simpler options.

Easy stuff to try: go to Power Options by right-clicking on the AC/battery symbol at the bottom right of the screen, on the taskbar, and make sure that your CPU utilization and all that stuff is set to 100% in the advanced options. Usually the High Performance preset has all that stuff cranked up. Also make sure that you're using your GPU for FM, it probably won't make much of a difference since it's more CPU-intensive but it doesn't hurt to check. Download the Nvidia Control Panel if you don't already have it to manage that stuff. Try disabling your antivirus while you play to see if that makes a difference; it probably won't, but it doesn't hurt to try. Finally, you've probably already done this, but play with the graphics settings in FM, particularly the backends. With Nvidia GPUs I always get the best performance with D3D, but ymmv.

More involved stuff: it sounds like you need to reinstall Windows anyway, so you might do that before trying anything else. It will only save you a headache in the long run. You should also download a program like HWMonitor to monitor your CPU temperatures. If it seems like they're peaking pretty high but cutting off at a specific temperature, like 80C or something, you might just need to cool it down some -- open up your computer and dust the fans with compressed air, or buy an aftermarket cooling pad like this one.

Last thing, but a pretty big one in my experience: preventing throttling. This will take you into the world of overclocking. It's a pretty nuanced topic so I'm only going to give general advice but I encourage you to do your own research, because you do run the risk of damaging your computer if you are too aggressive in changing these settings. Look in your BIOS for an option to disable power management, disable Intel C1E state, etc. There are lots of possibilities here.

If your BIOS doesn't include those options, which is likely on a laptop, or they didn't help, your only option is to modify the BIOS (really tough) or use a program like Throttlestop or Intel Extreme Tuning Utility to prevent throttling. Here's a Throttlestop guide to help you out. Limit Reasons is your friend. If one of those is lighting up while FM is open, you've found at least one potential area of improvement. I've worked with a couple of computers that performed way better once TDP limits were increased, allowing the CPU to sustain a higher wattage and therefore a higher clock speed without being throttled down in the interest of saving power.

Sooo yeah I'll probably turn this into a real post at some point, but I was really bored and figured I'd get started on the whole laptop performance troubleshooting guide thing.

I bought my laptop from Amazon. Was a little worried about it being damaged during shipping but I was confident that Amazon would make things right if that happened. I bought directly from Amazon, rather than from a 3rd party seller (make sure it says "Ships from and sold by Amazon.com" under the Buy button.) Unfortunately for me, when I bought it, it was $1,199 but fortunately for you, it is now $1,088. I'm honestly very surprised they lowered the price like that, considering it was already a steal at $1200 (IMO.) Oh, and for the record, I had no issues with damages during shipping. The laptop was in a box which was in a box which was in another box and there was plenty of protective elements within those boxes.

I have not had too many issues with my thermals, although this is my first gaming laptop so I don't have much to compare it to. I did a lot of reading before buying though so from what I have seen, I think it does a good job of keeping the components cool, even under heavy loads. The highest I have seen it go is around 85°C but once it gets over 80°, I usually either turn the fans up higher and/or get out my cooling pad (I bought this one from Amazon and have been pleased with it.) However, the fans can get really loud, so I use a headset when I have to turn the fans up. In general, the fans are not too loud, though (once again, just my opinion.) I will often play shows on Netflix or Hulu and can hear everything through the laptop speakers with no issues. I do carry around a portable bluetooth speaker for louder environments but when I'm just sitting at home, it is not needed.

I do remember reading that the older models of the Helios 300 (the ones with red accents and backlighting) had a lot of thermal issues and most people who either reviewed both or just owned both said that this model was significantly better in that regard. One thing that I have thought about doing is changing the thermal paste because that would apparently really help the older models but I have not seen any reports of anyone trying it with the 2019 model. I might just give it a shot because it seems like a very cheap and relatively easy way to shave a couple degrees off the temps. I'll have to look into that some more.

I actually have heard of that good xbox gamepass deal but I had no idea that it had PC games. As someone who has pretty much only gamed on PlayStation (at least since the early 2000's), I often forget that Xbox is owned by Microsoft so it makes sense they would have PC games. I will definitely be signing up for that after I finish writing this comment. Thank you so much for clueing me in.

One other thing, you will probably want to quickly buy another m.2 SSD because the one that comes with the laptop is fairly small. Just be careful about the one you buy because they are not all compatible, apparently. I am pretty sure that Acer has a list out there somewhere (though I don't think the list is all inclusive) but I bought this Sabrent 1TB drive based on what another reddit user recommended and have been very happy with it. It was extremely easy to install as well. I haven't gotten around to buying an 2.5" drive yet but I'll probably pick up a very large HDD around Christmas time. Or I might go for the SSD, maybe sacrificing a little bit of storage. I'll have to check prices at the time and think on that some more.

And no problem. I love talking about this laptop and I also enjoying helping people out so no worries. If you think of anything else you want to ask, I'll be here. If not, enjoy your new laptop!

FYI: if you do need to reapply the thermal paste, the last time I checked Intel's site (less than 6 months ago when I did a deep clean and installed a new cooler), they recommended the pea shape size but to not spread it so you may want to check that.

Also the best thing you can do if you open up your pc and touch anything is keep one hand on the metal part of the case or have a wrist static strap like this https://www.amazon.com/Rosewill-Anti-Static-Components-RTK-002-Yellow/dp/B004N8ZQKY. Worst case if you're worried you'll let go of the metal and don't want to buy one any metal wire will do just twist a bit around the case edge (there's usually holes somewhere) and around your wrist, as long as it constantly touches the case and your skin you're good.

My first step would definitely be open it up and let it run, and make sure the water is moving and the fans are all running, including the video card fans. Are your video card temps normal or have you checked. MSI Afterburner is good even if you don't have an MSI card, it's got some fun skins too, if you don't have a program to check them already.

I can guarantee it isn't "heat's just built up so much over the duration my PC's been on", it's not how it works. Especially if it's water cooled, it seems like your temp should be half of what they are. I don't water cool but my husband does. I had an ancient case when I built mine (I've since upgraded it and got a better than stock CPU cooler) and gaming I'd hit near 80C right away but it would never go higher even after hours of game play. And that's pretty much it, it gets to whatever temp the cooler and airflow can cool to and stays there. Since this is a new issue I'm pretty sure it's not airflow (at least as in how it's set up assuming all fans are running properly), unless your intakes/out vents are clogged so check those too for an easy thing to rule out.

I hope you get it figured out and it's an easy fix, it's so stressful when there's pc issues and no money :(.

Well, there are three settings for the cooling fans and I have mine set on high, so I’ve technically added noise (though it’s reasonably quiet, even with all 4 fans at full speed, and I don’t notice it when I’m playing games at a normal volume — also they’re muted a bit as they’re underneath the PS4). I haven’t noticed the PS4 Pro sounding like it’s going into overdrive since I’ve started using it either. You could always set them to a lower speed if you like (you have three speed options and can control the left and right sides individually). I bought it from Amazon, and for this product the manufacturer has a 30 day money back guarantee and a year warrantee, so you could try it if you’re on the fence and ship it back if you don’t care for it.

• The only gripe I have is that the LED light show resets upon powering off, so if I bring the PS4 up from rest mode with a controller, I would have to walk over to press a button on the fan to cause it to stay solid blue rather than cycling colors (which I prefer and looks nice bouncing off the glass shelves of the entertainment center I have my PS4 on). But I’m lazy and don’t really care.
  
  There are other models (this is probably designed to be a laptop cooling pad), but I had seen another redditor link this and the price was cheap enough that I figured I’d give it a try. And I do like that it tilts the PS4 up approximately 10 degrees (with foldable arms on the front of it, giving an inch or two of room for air to circulate underneath and blow outwards from the shelf). In games where my Pro sounds like a jet engine (“RDR2” for example), I’m pretty sure the cooling is making a difference but it could just be confirmation bias. Here’s another model with fans that top out at 1200RPM rather than the 1500RPM that mine does, or this one with 5 fans that push 2500RPM — all three are roughly the same price. Those two don’t have the 30 day guarantee from the manufacturer though, and are subject to Amazon return policies.
  
  *****
  
  Anyhow, hope that helps out. I have my PSVR box sitting on top of my PS4, as well as an 8TB external HD to the left of it, so I’m just happy to be keeping that whole area cool and ventilated.

I have the Y580, and I can't be happier.One of my parents has a DV6 and it suffers from constant overheating issues, especially when rendering or even surfing the web. The 660M graphics are actually benchmarked much higher than one would expect, and I can run Skyrim on High/Ultra with ENB mods and it runs around 55 FPS.

Build Quality: Good- The case feels sturdy, and the matte brushed metal finish is a nice addition, and wards off too many fingerprints. The keyboard has almost no flex, and the keys are a decent size that they really don't take much getting used to.

Trackpad- OK- The buttons are integrated, so it's easy to accidentally hit one when you first buy the laptop. You get used to this, however.

Speed- Good to Great- I have the 7200 RPM HDD, rather than the standard 5200 RPM. This makes a major difference. While the 5200 is still pretty fast, the 7200 blows it out of the water. The CPU is very fast for the price class, I'm getting it at 3.1 GHZ and up to 3.3 with some Turbo boosting.

Graphics- Exceptional- In this price range, the graphics capabilities really stand out. Most games can be run on high, and some even on Ultra, such as CS:GO and Skyrim. Sleeping Dogs runs on High, but not Ultra. Just the examples there. So you're question may be why choose this over the Dv6? Well the answer is very simple. It costs less, IMO it has better build quality, better graphics capabilities, it's slightly faster, and it regulates heat much better. If you look on the side you will see just how big and powerful the heat sink is.

To sum it up, yes, I recommend the Lenovo Y580 for the above reasons. Should you choose to go with the Dv6, however, I recommend you purchase a cooling pad like this one: http://www.amazon.com/Cooler-Master-NotePal-Cooling-R9-NBC-4WAK-GP/dp/B002MU1ZRS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1346777799&sr=8-1&keywords=cooling+pad

Good luck with whatever you choose!

The MSI GS60 Ghost Pro would be the most powerful and portable option within your price range. It'll play almost any game on the market on high settings, fits your budget, has the dual storage HDD + SSD configuration that you're looking for, and has a really high quality display.

It can get hot while gaming, so I would definitely suggest keeping a CM Storm SF-19 at home, for when you will be gaming for long periods of time.

If gaming is less of a priority, and you want the most portable machine, with fantastic build quality, great specs, great keyboard, etc. Then go for the Dell XPS 15.

It only has Nvidia GT 750M graphics, but they are well capable of gaming with decent settings. It has a beautiful 15.6" 3200x1800 display, so you'd want to drop it to 1600x900 while gaming. In that resolution the GT 750M shouldn't have any problem with the games you're trying to play.

Otherwise, this thing is pretty loaded. It has a quad-core i7-4702HQ, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD, Nvidia GT 750M graphics, and of course the super high res 15.6" 3200x1800 touch display. It's also only 4.4lbs, only .7" thin, and is capable of ~8+ hours of battery life with a little tweaking.

ALRIGHT! Sorry for just getting back to you I've been trying to reply and mobile and kept accidentally deleting what i typed while trying to format my response. So had to move to the Laptop.

Anyways when I say you should repaste I'm referring to the action of removing the heatsink from the CPU and GPU clearing the provided "thermal paste/grease" (thermal paste or grease depending to who you talk to is a thermally conductive paste that is meant to be between the CPU/GPU and the heatsink to fill the airgap and conduct heat to the sink better.) from both and applying new paste. Here is also a video guide on how to apply thermal paste it doesn't pertain specifically to your laptop but gives you a good idea on how its done.

Now when it comes to your device I took the liberty of looking up the service manual and found a video guide on how to disassemble down the the motherboard here. If you've never done anything like this before it can be a little daunting, but if you have a friend with some experience it shouldn't be more than a few hours project and the outcome should be considerably better than before.

If you are going to go this route there are a few thermal pastes that everyone recommends and everyone has their own opinions but as I stated before any of these will be better than what you originally had so buy whatever fits your budget.

Artic Silver 5

IC-Diamond

Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut

Prolimatech PK-3

There are plenty of others but any of these will do you good, with a major recommendation to the Silver 5 due to bang for the buck.

After all that and you decide that maybe you don't want to do a repaste (and even if you did repaste I'm still recommending this) you are going to want to get a laptop cooling pad. The reason is due to the nature of laptops and how compact they are sometimes depending on the surface they are laid on they do not get enough air to cool properly, dropping your performance into the shitter. I have a similarly spec'd laptop to yours (Lenovo Y50 4700hq and 860m) and I use the Notepal XSlim its not the best but it does the job and for $18 I can't complain. There are others but buy what feels right to you.

Sorry for the long winded post I hope this helps you some, and I hope you can get your laptop performance back as you have a more than capable laptop. Let me know if you need anything else!

I have a razer blade that i use for most of my school work and for some gaming when i get some downtime in the engineering building.

My Razer Blade is a couple years old, but it still runs FO4 on min settings, and can run many other games pretty well. (It's got a GTX 870M, 8 GB ram, and an i7-4702HQ) It definitely cannot keep up with my rig, but my rig is also considerably newer than it. The touch screen is a heck of a lot more useful than i'd expect, since it lets me scroll through, and navigate things quickly without a mouse.

If you do go with a laptop i suggest you get a cooling pad, otherwise you might be burning your legs with the Razer Blade. this is the one i got it works great for its price, and can significantly improve performance. The Blade actually uses the metal casing as a heatsink and as such it can get too hot to touch in some cases.

Personally my freshman year of college i gave up on my desktop, got an Alienware 14, and gamed on that for a year. The next year (last year) i ended up rebuilding my desktop with old parts from my dad's since i had an apartment with enough room to setup my computer. If you're planning on staying at college quite a bit more than coming home (i come home probably around 4 weeks out of a year now due to work/summer classes) it may be worth while to buy a cheaper laptop (light weight, thin, large screen, good battery life) and just play low-spec games for the first year (it may also improve your study habits)

Mid 2011? If you don't have a warranty, I'd go ahead and open it up, take some cotton swabs and compressed air to the internal fans/heatsinks. You won't break anything, so long as you do not force anything but don't be afraid to use SOME force though, some of those plastics will need a little bit of leverage. Follow this guide as far as you need to, to remove the covers.

Then once you've uncovered the fans, just get all that dust and stuff out, and you're good! I would recommend you do this on an open table/working area without synthetic fiber clothing on, preferably in a non-carpeted area. If you have an anti-static wristband, yay for you. Do it on a garage workbench if you've got one, or something of that nature. Just don't build up static electricity. If you can see or hear the arc from built up static electricity, it's far beyond enough to fry things. No pressure!

http://blog.parts-people.com/2012/08/01/dell-xps-15z-l511z-heatsink-removal-and-installation/

You'll definitely need a small screwdriver, but these I'd also recommend on principle:
http://www.amazon.com/Rosewill-Anti-Static-Components-Other-RTK-ASM/dp/B004N96WQ0/
http://www.amazon.com/Rosewill-RTK-002-Anti-Static-Components-Yellow/dp/B004N8ZQKY/

If you're feeling up to the task and want to reseat your CPU heatsink:
http://www.amazon.com/Arctic-Silver-Thermal-Compound-Grams/dp/B000OGX5AM/

Good luck and have fun! :)

Hi Faith!

The Lenovo Y510p i7 version has that i7 + SLI GPU configuration you mentioned. It has a quad core 4700MQ, 8GB ram, 1TB HDD, GT 755M SLI GPU, 1920x1080 15.6" screen and Windows 8.1. It's certainly the best value in gaming laptops around your budget, and should be able to play all your games at high/ultra settings, according to this benchmark.

We highly recommend getting a cooler for this system, since it does tend to run hot. The Cooler Master X3 should work well with it. In terms of SSDs, if you need high capacity on a budget, the Samsung 840 EVO provides an excellent value. If you're looking for the best performance and reliability, the Samsung 840 PRO universally acclaimed as a very stable and fast SSD.

Sounds like you bought a HP Pavilion DV6TQE. I bought that same one back in Februrary (ended up returning it due to not really needing it).

It's a very nice laptop, and the screen is absolutely gorgeous. For SWTOR, you will have to download a hacked version of the AMD drivers from Guru3D. Long story short, AMD doesn't make official drivers for the 7690 yet.

Other than that, the game should run very well at 1920x1080 with most details up. The settings I used were:

1. Textures: High
   
2. Shaders: High
   
3. Antialiasing: Low (off lost FPS)
   
4. Character Detail: Low (high is possible, but increases stutter)
   
5. Anisotropic Filtering: Medium (low lost FPS)
   
6. Shadows: Off
   
   You will perform great in the regular parts of the world, but Warzones/Ilum/Fleet will slow down. It's just how the game is. Try to see past it and enjoy!
   
   Logitech N315 Lap Pad also works AWESOME with this laptop. Keeps your lap cool, it's small but well built, and it has a slide-out mouse tray!
   
   Enjoy the new laptop!

I play OW on a laptop much of the time and I use a "cooling pad" (this one). It lowers my GPU temp by about 10 degrees C, maybe more.

I actually bought it for a previous laptop because the cooling was terrible and it would burn my legs, but I keep using it on my new laptop because it's actually really useful. I definitely recommend it. If you get a good flat one, you can use it as a stable surface that can help airflow, even if you decide to not turn on the fans.

Edit:
I just wanted to add that I know that the cooling pad reduces at least 10 degrees but it could be more. Every time the laptop gets to 70 C I notice it feels warm, which reminds me to plug in the fan. This reduces it to abut 60 C. But I don't know how hot it would have risen to had I not put the fan on.

Also, my current laptop has pretty poor ventilation and the pad still works well. I would imagine if your laptop has more than one vent on the bottom it would be even more effective.

You will want to know that laptops are not the best solution when it comes to gaming, it should be decent enough to play at 60FPS on the lowest graphical settings but it will depend on the laptop and the game you want to play.

Question #1 : IMO the best gaming solution would be to have a wired mechanical keyboard and a good wired mouse with high DPI connected to the laptop for the best experience possible. However if you are a casual gamer, wireless keyboard and mouse combo can be more interesting.

As long as the laptop in on a hard surface and not on rug you shouldn't have problems with heat but a Laptop cooler may be a good idea for extended gaming sessions.

2 : Simply get rig of any unwanted applications/programs, setting can be customized in game for a better experience.

3 : Don't hope for awesome graphics or high FPS and you should get a decent experience out of it.

I'd be especially wary of any add-on fans that pull power from the system. Plugging a third party fan into the usb outlet of your system will make the system work harder and most likely do more harm than good. If you're concerned about your system heating up, don't put it in a place in which the heat will be trapped such as an enclosed cabinet or entertainment center.

I used one of the Nyko Intercoolers on my PS3 Slim for a while. It didn't pull power from the console and it was designed so well that it looked like it was part of the console, but in the end, the same thing happened to it that most of the reviews of all of the third party cooling systems mention. The fans got really loud after a couple of months. Great design. Low quality components. I just ended up buying a mini desktop fan and aiming the airflow across the back of my console. Works great.

I'm considering picking up this laptop fan to provide some extra cooling for my system during the summer months, but I'll definitely be picking up an extended usb cable so that I can power it from a power strip. Good luck OP!

I would advise against buying a new fan. Chances are some compressed air to the cooling system (to get the dust out of there) will be all it needs in order to cool off effectively. Just hold the fan still when blowing it, you don't want to spin it up really fast.

If you're going in that deep anyhow, you may as well pull the heatsync off the CPU and apply new thermal paste. That would be much more effective than replacing the fan. (You should still clean the dust out of the vents though.)

Everything else seems readily replaceable. Just make sure your hands aren't oily, and don't accidentally break any of the connectors or plastic.

Edit: Also I would personally leave the ram at 8 GB. Even if the motherboard supports it, the cost of RAM right now really nullifies the gains you'd get, especially since you are only browsing netflix / youtube / etc. and already have 8 gigs.

Also, if you want the laptop to feel cooler on your lap, consider a cooling pad of some kind. Even if the pad fans are off, the space cushion alone helps the laptop keep itself cool.

I purchased This at my local salvation army for $12 in good condition, but its way too big IMO for a 13.3" ultrabook. I also use a Monitor arm w/ laptop stand for my laptop next to my monitor, which helps with ergonomics. The targus cooling pad is ideal for on-your-lap situations because it provides a neoprene padded surface for your lap, but if you use your laptop on a desk or something with more stability, id recommend something a bit more ergonomic like those with adjustable height/angle. that would be really useful if i didnt have a laptop stand. its a small laptop, so i like to keep it at a height thats more comfortable at home

Sorry for the late reply

A 1080m should be able to handle gaming workload of current games if gaming on 1080p resolution, but can't compare to 20xx series if more games adopt DLSS and/or ray tracing in the future. The only thing you need for eGPU is a USB-c with Thunderbolt 3 support, which should be stated clearly on spec sheet. However, don't get laptop with Intel ultra portable CPUs (there's a 'u' @ the CPU model name), cause the T3 has only half the maximum bandwidth compare to other laptop CPUs

I have had couple different laptops through out the year, and they all get toasty while gaming except for large ones that's more like a portable desktop. There are heat extractor you can buy to help keep things cool, they work pretty good from my experience

> Is a glasses-cleaning cloth type okay?

That'll work fine. I often use a toothpick or a ear swab thing to wrap the cloth around, it'll help you get any stubborn stuff up.

I usually clean with isopropyl alcohol, just get the cloth damp and then clean so you don't get it everywhere and have to wait for it to dry.

If you're worried about static, you can just pick up an anti static strap to ground yourself to the case:

https://www.amazon.com/Rosewill-Anti-Static-Components-RTK-002-Yellow/dp/B004N8ZQKY

Maintaining physical contact with the case will also ground you to it, and it's usually not hard to do so it's just something t o pay attention to.

>my liquid cooler was a huge chore to install/mount so the idea of having to do that again isn't very appealing

Definitely one of the reasons I usually opt for air coolers, the maintenance is easier. That being said, it definitely sounds like you need to re-do the paste. Kaby Lake (7th gen intel) runs hotter than normal but not that hot.

I would probably recommend sticking with the plan to unmount the cooling block and the radiator, that way you can get proper leverage and see what you're doing better.

For thermal paste I usually get Arctic Silver 5 because I'm too lazy to research thermal paste, but there's a few superior options at this point I'm pretty sure.

>I always get super nervous when touching my processor

Well you don't have to unmount the CPU at least, and that's definitely the more scary part. When you're pulling the heatsink off of the CPU, just gradually increase your pulling pressure with a very slow rotation. If it's stuck on there harder than you're comfortable pulling, there are a couple options:

1. Run a stress test like prime 95 for ~10 minutes before you shut down and begin disassembly, that should leave enough heat to keep the paste pliable.
   
   
2. Use floss and gently work it between the CPU and the heatsink to try to cut through any stubborn dry spots.
   
   
3. Carefully use a blow dryer to warm up the heatsink a bit until the cooler comes loose. Be cautious doing this to avoid static: it's best to disconnect yourself from the case entirely, pick up the hair dryer, apply heat while avoiding touching the case, then set the hair dryer down, discharge yourself by touching a ground (metal vents are my go to), and then reconnect your anti-static strap / resume maintaining contact with the case to ground yourself as you work on removing the cooler.
   
   Let me know if you have questions.

I like this version of Acer Predator Helios 300 it has144Hz display refresh rate, newest 8th gen i7 processor, 16GB of Ram, backlit keyboard, 256GB SSD, 6 GB GTX 1060 dedicated graphics card. Its not the coolest laptop, this model has a better cooling system than older one, but if you will using it on heavy load, I would recommend a cooling pad it could help you to solve this problem, another way is to choose a 17.3" version, but its pricier.

Specifications:

• 8th Generation Intel Core i7-8750H 6-Core Processor (Up to 4.1GHz) with Windows 10 Home 64 Bit
  
• NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Overclockable Graphics with 6 GB of dedicated GDDR5 VRAM
  
• 15.6″ Full HD (1920 x 1080) widescreen LED-backlit IPS display (144Hz Refresh Rate, 300nit Brightness & 72% NTSC )
  
• 16GB DDR4 2666MHz DRAM Memory & 256GB PCIe NVMe SSD
  
• Extra empty accessible slot for 2.5 inch hard drive or SSD
  
• Gigabit Wi-Fi |Backlit Keyboard | USB 3.1 (Type C) | Dual All-Metal AeroBlade 3D Fan Cooling | Metal Chassis
  
• PredatorSense gaming control panel, providing customization and control of gaming features, including system temperature, CPU fan speed and system fan speed.
  
• Up to 7-hours of battery life
  
  More Details

Your laptop might not have controllable fans, then... You can check in the BIOS to see if there is an option for fan speed. If not, you might be out of luck, there :/ You can try some other fan programs such as Notebook Fan Control or Asus FanXpert+ (This one probably won't work if you don't have an ASUS, but it doesn't hurt to try).

Cleaning it out will probably be your best bet, and you can also get a cooling pad to help out (More here on Amazon or if NewEgg is your thing check here). I only have a little cushion pad, but I've been looking into a cooling pad for a while, and will be buying one soon. They are a very good value for the price, and can work wonders.

I just got the 15" rMBP for video editing and while it doesn't get too hot for that, I did get a cooling pad and I really like it. The fan is huge and pretty quiet. I've noticed that it does a great job of keeping temps down as I can feel it keep my lap nice and cool while editing. It's a very light and portable cooler and I pretty much use it 100% of the time, either just as something to set it on when I'm watching Netflix in bed without the fan, or to cool my system while editing.

It's pretty damn cheap compared to everything else too.

Cooler Master NotePal X-Slim Ultra-Slim Laptop Cooling Pad with 160mm Fan (R9-NBC-XSLI-GP) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005C31HC0/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_I2qFub0TXY2JT

Hi darmasita! I am sorry but I might have been exaggerating slightly in my comment - 'cool' there means around 60 - 65 C -ish (on Empyrion - never played Witcher).

I have about the same undervolt (don't have the computer available right now) as you but the cooling pad really helps i believe. If I don't use that it gets about 8 - 10 C hotter :/ I've never had a peak in the 90's after downvolting, but the occasional peak into 80's do occur on Rome 2 (usually on big battles).

Also, I usually play on medium settings with only a few settings cranked up (such as textures), which I think helps as well (I've only ever had budget computers in my life, so even medium settings look good for me xD).

EDIT:

In case you're interested, this is the cooling pad I use.

cooling pad

My cooling pad is for 15' screens but since the A15 protrudes at the back, I really wish I had bought a slightly bigger one xD

Of course. Glad to do it. If you follow some basic instructions it can be VERY VERY easy. The big stuff you will need:

1. a set of precision tools to unscrew small screws. this one is great--and cheap at $14--and has gently magnetized heads so that when you unscrew a tiny screw, it will stick on and you won't drop it inside your computer.
   
   
2. static bracelet. Get one here for $5. you will connect this to a suitable ground and it will prevent you from accidentally discharging static electricity to the inside of your machine.
   
   
3. YOUR specific components. For a laptop, you will likely need a 2.5" sized SSD (solid state drive). Here's a good sized one (480GB) on amazon for $50.00.
   
   
4. A guide for taking parts out of YOUR specific computer. If you tell me the make and model of your machine, I'd be happy to find a tutorial that shows the correct process.
   
   most of the time HDD replacement is fairly easy. you usually just open a compartment, unplug some wires, unscrew some screws and then do the same steps in reverse order to complete the upgrade.
   
   The parts AND tools listed above come to about $70 plus tax for a brand new SUPERFAST hard drive. If you wanted to do a RAM upgrade at the same time, I would estimate that to be around a $60 cost, putting your TOTAL ALL IN COST at $130, down from $400 lol.
   
   

   You can do it!!
   

   
   and feel free to ask any questions you like.

I have the m15 RTX 2060 version with the 144hz screen and after returning it for over hearing (over 100 Celsius) and getting a fixed m15 I’ve had no problems.

It does come with a bit of apps like games but you can uninstall, and the quality is top notch for me and I’m usually very picky. I like the track pad and the webcam is good enough for twitch streaming (which I just started doing). Now games run around 75-82 Celsius plus streaming and playing music. I’ve raised the laptop a bit and got this to keep it cooler. Works perfectly

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01NACVLWM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_oM2TCb2RYKMP7

Overall I love this laptop, but I’ve noticed with its competitors you can get more for your money (Lenovo).

https://www.reddit.com/r/Amd/comments/anbl95/ryzen_master_for_mobile_ryzen_modify/

This isn't my area of expertise, but basically the faster the processor runs the more heat it will make, and it will throttle itself to prevent a thermal shutdown (usually around 90c). Depending on how good the cooling is on the laptop (fans, heatsinks) that allows for a certain level of speed before the cooling is maxed out and the heat is still within an acceptable range - which is usually lower for a laptop than a desktop, given the smaller fans and problems with resting your hands on a device that is getting very hot!

Basically, you can tell the computer that it's OK to run a little hotter in order to let it go faster. Placing the laptop on top of a cooling pad (random example: https://www.amazon.ca/Cooler-Master-NotePal-Ultra-Slim-R9-NBC-XSLI-GP/dp/B005C31HC0) will help keep it cooler/faster as well. Depending on how the laptop is built (vent placement, fan hole sizes) a cooling pad can make a pretty big difference alone.

If you want to check out your laptop's performance, you can install MSI Afterburner or another temperature/clock speed monitoring suite and look at the logs after a gaming session. Reaching heat capacity typically shows on a graph as the clock speed of the chip maxing out initially, then dropping down as heat increases.

Well, my Razer Blade 2016 was running quite hot playing Witcher 3, so I got this one from Cooler Master. I kind of looked at quite a few of these, and eventually decided that the best kind of cooling pad is a sturdy mesh that raises the laptop off the surface more than the little rubber feet on the Blade can. Somehow, I think that that accounts for the majority of the cooling. A lot of the other pads are sealed plastic boxes, where you have to hope the fans are efficient.

However, this thing does have three fans you can move freely around on the pad itself, so you can align it nicely with the air vents on the bottom. Also, the fan speed is adjustable, and you can locate the switch anywhere on the pad, since it is a clip on.

I did notice a significant difference in "touch temperature" playing Witcher 3 on the Blade, though I don't have any empirical data to back that up... Just another option to look at...

Hey I had the Helios 300 as well as the other poster. I loved it! I just sold mine on ebay because I wanted to build a new rig and wasn't traveling as much as I thought I would be (which is why I got the laptop) If you need any more info let me know! As stated the screen is dim, but I had mine running off of a different monitor with keyboard/mouse, etc. You can search on amazon for the Haveit laptop coolers, I got this one...

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0713PHFRW/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

My laptop NEVER got even remotely warm with it! I used afterburner to overclock the GPU and got a pretty good clock out of it, can't remember exact settings sorry! Overall I loved it, and if I needed a laptop in the future I would absolutely look into them again

No complaints in build quality. My one and only probably would be the front detail along the edge of the case, just above where the speakers are. It can be a little sharp and I've scraped my hand on it. Easily avoidable and the furthest thing from a deal breaker.

My last laptop was a 1366x768 and pretty crappy, but the GE62's display is beautiful. I've heard it described as as close to an IPS that a non-IPS screen has been, but please don't take this as fact. Frankly I have very little experience on different screens and quality of.

My absolute favorite part about it is the size/weight/cooling. Its not so huge that it is hard to move or bring along, yet is not so thin that it overheats. Still, I'd recommend a laptop cooler like this one, just for the convenience of having it on your lap and also keeping it cool.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B005C31HC0/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?qid=1449451368&sr=8-3&pi=SX200_QL40&keywords=coolermaster+laptop+pad&dpPl=1&dpID=41iwTUhYqWL&ref=plSrch

Then the best thing you can do is make sure it is cooling as well as it can.

Some suggestions.

• Turn down the resolution to the lowest setting. Even if only temporarily. See if that makes a difference.
  
  
• Make sure the fan is clean and the heatsink fins are clear of hair and other debris. You can do some of this just by running a vacuum hose over the air intake. The better way to do it would be to take the laptop apart so you can clean all the debris and dust off the fan and heatsink fins. (Don't use compressed air to spin the fan. You could damage it.)
  
  
• Use a [laptop cooling pad]
  (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00NNMB3KS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_dp_T2_ODOqzb0FC4D43)
  
  
• To take this a step further, you could also reapply the thermal paste between your CPU and heatsink. That requires some new Arctic Silver or other thermal paste and the willingness to take your heatsink off.
  
  
  
  

Can confirm, I got this exact laptop from amazon about 6 months ago. It’s my first “gaming laptop” and preforms incredibly well. I set all graphics on high and haven’t had any problems so far.

Only down sides are it can get pretty hot. I bought a fan stand that amazon recommended and it worked well. And the battery isn’t great.

But all in all I’m very happy with it! Highly recommend it!

Acer Predator Helios 300 Gaming... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06Y4GZS9C?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

HAVIT 5 Fans Laptop Cooling Pad... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0713PHFRW?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

No it's not really difficult.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qczGR4KMnY

I'm not sure Linus mentions this, but make sure power is not plugged in, and hold down power button 5 seconds to drain all power from unit. (*That is really important) I tend to unplug literally everything, as power could be entering a peripheral device via one of their external power sources.

Also, it's a good idea to use a anti-static wrist strap: https://www.amazon.com/Rosewill-Anti-Static-Components-RTK-002-Yellow/dp/B004N8ZQKY/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1510329884&sr=8-1-fkmr0&keywords=anti+static+wrist+strap+ifixit

However, the same goal is accomplished by holding one hand to the metal frame of the chassis, which is grounding yourself so that static is not transferred to the components you are handling.

These are what some might consider, "overkill" precautions, but should make you feel confident that you are not going to damage what you are working on.

If you want to get the best performance you can, I would recommend getting a laptop cooling pad. When a computer had to do a lot of work it generates heat, in order to protect it self from overheating your computer will purposely slow it's self down. Getting a laptop cooling pad will help with heat generation and is the cheapest and easily thing you can do to get a performance boost from your laptop.

Cheapest decent looking one on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01KZALHGK/

Highest rated one on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M715BCV/

The one I used to have (I liked it, it was good): https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002NU5O9C/

The X-slim cooling pad helps significantly. I read somewhere that it cools by 10 degrees. After heavy gaming - see the Tomb Raider example above - with the laptop on the cooling pad, the bottom near the fans (near where the exhaust fans are) is basically not hot at all. The X-slim does a fantastic job at cooling. Also the build quality is nice. I think that at $20 it's a pretty good deal, and even if the pad goes bad at that price it's not like you lost much.

The build quality of the laptop is nice. The lid of the laptop (below where the Gigabyte logo is) gives a bit of flex when you push down while the laptop is closed. Otherwise it feels very nice. I think that the surface around the trackpad and keyboard is made out of a nice metal. I can carry the laptop with one hand easily and not worry about it - the size and weight are really nice, so it should fit nicely in my backpack's laptop sleeve and not be a burden while traveling.

This should be a portable laptop, but you should consider a travel charger as well since this laptop doesn't hold a charge very well.

Gotcha, well hope things go well for you! I'm the same way with triple A titles which is why I bought a GTX 1060 personally for my computer to last me 3-5 years, with at 5 years being able to run triple A titles on low at least. Though if that's the case with having a lot of downtime at work, I would highly agree on buying a laptop in that case! The laptop you stated does seem decent and should be plenty well enough for some casual gaming, and should be good enough for mmo's. I'd also recommend buying a cooling pad(example) as well for if you're to be playing mmo's, especially if raiding is your interested as raiding can be quite impact-ful on your cpu!

I've got the Coolermater X-Slim for a 14" Acer and I find it perfect size and a bargain for the price. While it says it's for 15"-17" laptops it actually just has a slight lip around the corners and works great for smaller form factors. I keep it together w/my laptop and slip it into my backpack and it makes a flush package. I also like the angle that the feet provide (when engaged). Runs silent, and creates a cool breeze between your legs which is nicer during the warmer months when you don't need a lap heater. Performance-wise, it keeps my PG-482 5-6°(C) cooler, which is significant.

I am a current Junior in Civil Engineering, and I recently went and upgraded my senior year of HS/Freshman year of college computer to this:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B015PYZ0J6/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

This was a laptop I chose for a multitude of reasons: high performance, low cost, easy to upgrade (Youtube links on this laptop specifically detailing how to upgrade compliment the manufacturers on how well-thought-out the design was), good battery life (this is on the low/middle gaming laptop spectrum, and because of this has good battery life), and overall nice looking design. For me I needed a laptop that could run the graphic intensive software that Civil Engineering students use in their upper division classes, while also being able to game on it - in college, from my experience, computer gaming is the most popular. All of the links below are upgrades that go with the laptop well. They are not needed but, they are helpful and relatively cheap. If you have any questions feel free to ask by PM.

RAM upgrade:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006YG8X9Y/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

SSD:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00TGIVZTW/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Cooling fan (optional):
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00NNMB3KS/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

On most laptops, both a hard drive and a memory upgrade are very simple. There is usually a cover on the bottom of the laptop for the hard drive, and often the memory as well. Some machines have the memory under the keyboard, although I have not seen that as much in recent years.

RAM is the easier of the two upgrades, because you just plug it in, and go back to work. The HDD upgrade will require you to copy everything to the new hard drive, and that does take more work.

For your model of laptop, I went to Sony's site, and guickly found this guide to replacing a hard drive which shows everything in good detail. It would be easy todo the mechanical part.

This general user guide shows how to upgrade the RAM. Most reputable memory manufacturers will be happy to help you pick the correct RAM.

Changing the fan will be a bit more complex, and I usually farm that out as vendor warranty work, because I just don't want to deal with it. However, if you are overheating, getting a powered cooling pad, such as this, can help quite a bit in some situations. Overheating will cause the CPU to run slower, and one of those could help.

For sure worth getting more RAM, but should be okay to go.

However, I need to make one solid recommendation. The game makes computers run very hot. Especially laptops. I've got a dedicated gaming laptop and it runs most games very well. PUBG runs ever so hot though.

Seriously, if you are going to get PUBG, do your computer a favour and get one of these. It only costs 30 dollars and it made a massive improvement. Once the laptop gets hot enough, which is probably will, it will slow the game down.

https://www.amazon.com/Opolar-Laptop-Temperature-Display-Cooling/dp/B01E3Q7FS6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1509624509&sr=8-1&keywords=opolar+laptop

I've gone through two G7s.

1. The first one I returned because of the thermal throttling and the overheating. I tried underclocking with Throttlestop up to -144 hz but that didn't help. Also the build quality on the first one was lack luster, there was a slight gab between the keyboard chassis and the plastic sides. Lucked out though and got the AUO panel, which I was able to overclock to 90 hz.
   
2. The second G7 I received has been much better. I did a fresh install of Windows on it from the start, getting rid of all the bloatware and whatever Dell uses to throttle the machine. I used Snappy Driver Installer to find drivers direct from manufacturers and I avoided downloading the Dell auto update tool and kept only critical Dell drivers (Ethernet, Wifi, etc). I also overclocked the CPU cache and core to 144 hz. Also lucked out, and got the AUO panel on the new one. And got it in Alpine White too (which is pretty damn good looking)
   
   With the new G7, I'm hitting temps at around mid-70s with occasional highs into the mid-80s, but not often. Where as, the first machine would instantly hit the high 80s and throttle at round the early 90s. I have experienced some slight stuttering but I've come to terms that it's to be expected with gaming laptops.
   
   ​
   
   To help combat even more of the heat, I've recently purchase one of these vacuum fans form Amazon, and I think it's been helping, keeping temps about 6 - 7 degrees lower about an hour into gaming. https://www.amazon.ca/OPOLAR-Laptop-Temperature-Display-Cooling/dp/B01E3Q7FS6
   
   ​
   
   So far, it's a powerful machine for a lower price. It take a LOT of work to get it running the way you want it but so far I'm happy with the results.
   
   ​
   
   ​

Your laptop should be able to run swtor efficiently because it's not a very demanding game at all. Your laptop might get a little hot but that can be easily solved with a laptop cooling pad like this https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B016PMVM7Q/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1504370232&sr=8-1-spons&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=laptop+cooling+pad&psc=1

Please let me know how it works and if you enjoy the game.🙂

That one looks like it would be very effective, but how loud is it? I was looking into coolers today and found a couple:

This one is kindof different but it seems to work and it has a lot of good reviews.
http://www.amazon.com/LC05-Cooling-Auto-Temp-Detection-Compatible/dp/B00XKU47Y2/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1458172921&sr=8-5&keywords=laptop+cooler

Read really good reviews on this one and I like that you can adjust the fan position.
http://www.amazon.com/Cooler-Master-NotePal-PLUS-Performance/dp/B00ED3WMTC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1458180143&sr=8-1&keywords=laptop+cooler+u3

+1 to all the comments about reducing processing load where possible. Beyond that, if you don’t already have one I use a cooling pad. It is basically just a raised platform with fans under the laptop to move air across the bottom.

Don’t expect marvels, but I definitely notice a difference of a couple degrees.

This is what I use:
Cooler Master NotePal U3 PLUS - https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B00ED3WMTC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_-Tu2AbAX92J9X

Although I don’t recommend this particular one; the angle is too sharp and without modification my laptop was sliding off. Something like it could help though.

Consider fan noise from the pad itself, angle, and if the laptop will have a small air gap between the fans for air flow.

Not a problem man I am happy to help.

The mod is pretty easy. You can't mount the OPOLAR cooler without cutting out the little ridge that is basically just there for aesthetic purposes since the battery has the same ridges. I just kept going a little farther to get the fan some extra air flow. I'm considering cutting it out a little more to see if it improves the Temps at all. However it's not really necessary as the Temps are fine & the plastic does obviously provide protection to the fan.

Here is a link to the pics I promised:
http://imgur.com/a/wmaHXTn

I did a piss poor job cutting it. You should be able to do much better with the proper Dremel tool. I used a metal grinding attachment that wasn't at all great for cutting plastic. But heh, work with what you got right?

I should also mention that I do also use this laptop cooling pad:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00NNMB3KS?psc=1&ref=yo_pop_mb_pd_title

Well I'd like to share my results. This is on a Dell Latitude E6440 i7-4610m with a AMD Radeon HD 8690M switchable graphics card with Windows 7.

Spectating gets me 30-40 FPS (with real lows of 25 rarely) 1366x768 with an-isotropic filtering, anti-aliasing and high texture quality active, otherwise minimal settings.

The CPU gets sorta hot running at 85 C and GPU at 65 - 70 C. I'm looking into getting a portable external cooling fan like this.

Initially the game refused to load on the proper graphics card, loading on the default intel hd 4600. After updating the graphics card drivers everything worked beautifully, and I'd also like to note that the new AMD catalyst center is AWESOME and even provides the ability to overclock a bit. Pre-upgrade catalyst control center was garbage.

Also the keyboard and mouse do not function simultaneously unless you disable touchguard under dell trackpad settings.

Overall I'm very happy with this machine and would suggest it to anyone looking for a primary laptop workstation with good battery life with the ability to game on occasion plugged in. Especially noteworthy is the (dell unsupported) msata slot, thus with certainty the ability to use at least 3 disk drives (one msata, one standard 2.5, and a second 2.5 in the disc drive bay). BIOS actually lists a fourth sata interface, though I've yet to attempt to determine if that would enable another msata or whatnot - if so it would be a half size, which do exist but are rarer.

Ignore price and look a quantity and quality of reviews. This pad for example would be great. I have friends that use it and they don't really have any complaints. It's important to keep in mind that cooling pads aren't ever ever perfect, and if you feel like your laptop is getting too hot, close your application and give it a bit of a rest, maybe reduce settings for a while. I don't know what brand or model your laptop is, but some laptops run hotter than others. I hope it works out for you, a nice gaming laptop can be a great thing to have.

35GB Should be enough for you to bootcamp and install steam on, you won't have room for much else though if you decide that you like using Windows for other applications (and increasing a partition size is a huge pain in the ass).

Is CS:GO actually causing your MacBook to overheat (loss in performance or malfunctions) or is the exterior warm / fans kicking on high? Macbooks actually use the frame to help vent heat from the interior components, and that is why it seems like it gets warm to the touch easily.

Either way, I do tend to notice less heat issues running games in bootcamp just because they are better optimized, and also Windows has more features for manual fan control to help with heating issues. (OSX has a couple options but Windows has more that are more robust). If you are still having issues with heat, I'd also highly recommend getting something like this: https://www.amazon.com/Targus-Chill-Laptop-Black-AWE55US/dp/B002NU5O9C

My laptop is a little less powerful than yours, but I ran into the same problem. I'm playing ESO, which isn't that demanding, but I have the settings turned up high. I was even running into the situation where my system's temperature would spike and automatically shut down. I've had to employ a few strategies to overcome this.

1. Make sure the temperature in your room isn't too hot. If the ambient temperature is too warm, then there's almost nothing you can do to get the heat out of the machine fast enough. There were some hot days this summer that I just accepted the fact that I wasn't going to game until well after sunset.
   
2. As others have mentioned, don't run both screens at the same time while gaming. I also work from home, and I find that my system can handle my daily work just fine on both screens, but gaming is a no go.
   
3. When you're not using the laptop's built-in screen, don't close it. I assume you're using a regular keyboard when you're using your ultrawide, but leave the screen open so that the keyboard is exposed. This will allow some more of the heat your laptop is producing to escape from the top. If you don't already know it, you can press the winkey + p to quickly switch between monitor modes.
   
4. I bought this cooling pad: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01469DJLM/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1. The 5 fans are nice, but the biggest plus is that it lifts so high off the table, which lets fresh air circulate down to the fan intakes.
   
5. My laptop and the monitor are also under a hutch, so I also had a problem with the exhaust heat from the devices accumulating in the restricted space. I bought a little 5" clip-on fan that I use to force fresh air into the hutch and blow out the hot air.

My favorite gift was given to me by my parents for Christmas this past year. They are paying for my mom and I to go on a mission trip to Guatemala this year. I've always wanted to go on a mission trip and I can't even explain the feels this gives me :) I started crying so hard when I read the letter.

/u/pokemonmaster999 and /u/eatingdust have you come in to play here?

[Link] (http://smile.amazon.com/dp/B001B077PO/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=26SWLD702LW5B&coliid=I1ODJT88LLKR6Q)

Thanks!!! Happy cake day to you!!!!

If that's 96C then yes, that is far too high. You don't ever want it to go above 60C. High temps over time quickly reduce the lifespan of your hardware. Its possible your thermal paste has worn off over time. It's also possible you still have something running in the background that's causing your CPU to heat up. Either way, the fastest fix for now is to start using a cooling pad.

Firstly, elevate your laptop to improve air circulation underneath. And while you have it up, give it a good blow with compressed air. Focus on the vents and fans. If you can open a back panel without too much trouble, open that up, give it a good blow. But be sure not to touch any of the metal parts. Secondly, purchase a cooling pad - something like this.

And thirdly, explore options for long-term cooling. Depending on your manufacturer and warranty, you should contact them first. If you are out of warranty, you could contact wherever you purchased your laptop from, or research a good computer shop in your area. Depending on the model of your laptop investigating the heating issue, which will probably be mostly dust cleaning, and possibly looking at the thermal paste and fans, may run you between $75 and $200 (also varies by where you live).

Nice, should be reasonably straight forward. I saw that you were worried about the CPU--that part is intimidating but also not as bad as it seems. There is plenty of space around the edge to hold on without touching the pins. Just look the chip and the motherboard over carefully before you pick them up to see how to align the chip--there's a notch in the corner to make sure it fits right.

Do you have any tools and a static strap? You'll probably need a small screwdriver, and the static strap gave me peace of mind, though you don't necessarily need it.

I got a tool set like this, and it was super useful to have everything I needed in one place. The best item was the little part grabber for when you inevitably drop a screw somewhere in the case or on another board. I think one of the tools is also to help you hold the cpu while you install it. The $22 version has a static strap plus some other tools, or you can buy the static strap separately.

Edit: Realized something later--straight forward doesn't mean error or mistake free! Take it slow, and if something isn't working, back up a few steps and figure out what went wrong. Worst case, pull it all apart and start over! Don't want you thinking you're bad at this after everyone said how "easy" it is when you realize at the very end you put something in upside down or missed some screw. Everyone does that!

I use this, but I did make a ticket to gigabyte (before I fixed my issues using undervolting) and they recommended this pad which might help a little more (but I don't like the gamer look). The main thing the pad does it get the bottom away from a flat surface which helps a lot since the intake fan on the bottom need breathing room. Depending on your thermals it should not be loud, I'm not a content creator, but during demanding games I now get about 70C and the fan stays relatively quiet. I would advise you buy from an authorized reseller and have them repaste the CPU/ GPU with Liquid Metal for you, this will help thermals even more (I wish I had it done).

The bracelets are like these, the wallwart i'd recommend looking up since i don't think i'm going to explain it well. But, it's basically a bunch of caps that go between the wall plug, and the device you're plugging in to give some resistance if you do cause a short. You can buy them, or build them im pretty sure. Again i'd do some research of your own, definitely not explaining it right lol

This is how I keep my PS3 nice and cool. Lots of air moving around, plus it sits on top of a laptop cooling pad.
the cooling pad is pretty awesome, one giant fan, very quiet, moves a lot of air. And, you don't even lose a USB port.

I've got a GS60 with 970m. Heat isn't really an issue. I bought a cheap cooling pad that I set it on. I usually don't even power the cooling pad, just have it between my lap and the laptop because the bottom does get warm during usage. Even without it on I've never run into any throttling or problems due to heat, but I use it when playing more demanding games just to help a little. Overall I'm quite happy with it. The cooling is likely a little different with the GS70 but I'd imagine if anything it would cool better.

This could possibly get a little more life out of my laptop and I would cry tears of joy!

/u/girfex could use a gift! He's been an awesome big brother to me (which makes him your bro too!)

I know that you are my sister bc /u/jonesno11 is our mommy and you're the pretty, beautiful, sloth to my piggy!

Did I miss anything? This sucks on mobile lol

Most mobile graphics cards last a while (though this varies on who built your laptop) due to their general lack of heat output (in comparison to a desktop version), while companies generally put a lot of the extra space in a gaming laptop to use cooling the GPU.

I would say it should run solid around 4-5 years depending on how hard you are pushing your computer. If you are playing multiple hours of games like Witcher 3 five+ days a week maybe a little less. I would recommend an external fan for your laptop, as it will help cool the internals, which should give some more stability in the long run. May not make things as quiet as can be, but will save you money down the road.

Here's a link to one I've used that works relatively well, while allowing you to eat dinner on the same date if you are interested.

http://www.amazon.com/Tree-New-Bee-Cooling-15-6/dp/B016PMVM7Q/ref=sr_1_18?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1450332284&sr=1-18&keywords=laptop+fan

EDIT

I may have read this question wrong...

I don't live in a hot environment but I am always concerned about heating. I found a close out on a MasterCooler Cool Master, basically like this one:https://www.amazon.com/Cooler-Master-NotePal-Ultra-Slim-R9-NBC-XSLI-GP/dp/B005C31HC0

My PS4 sits on top of this and the fan can hit the side vents to make sure hot air isn't collecting around the unit or underneath of course.

It may be worth a try, you can use any recent USB-AC adapter to power it off an outlet or off the PS4 directly.

That would be a "Cooler Master NotePal U3 Plus" I bought on Amazon around a year ago. It has 3 fans underneath that you can latch-in below your bottom grille for a little extra airflow, but they don't really push much air. The stand is lightweight aluminium which is easy to carry around, but the handle ended up breaking on me from everyday use, other then that it's been a decent buy, helped lower the temps on my previous Acer laptop by around 5-10 degree's.

Shopping Link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ED3WMTC/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1


EDIT: Just checked the reseller prices on Amazon. I bought mine for 30 dollars with free shipping, it's advertised now for 60+ dollars, I think for 30 bucks it was worth it, but I wouldn't pay over 40 for one, there are better options that would last longer then this pad at that pricerange.

Here is what I play on. I love it.
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=2WC-000N-00068

I play on legendary graphics and get a steady 60 FPS at all times. My only complaint about it is it tends to run a tad bit hot.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0713PHFRW/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I use that cooler and it is great.

I also recommend this as an added purchase
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002WER27Q/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

It's a solid all around system without paying an arm and a leg.

A temporary solution would be to get a Laptop Cooling Pad. This is the highest rated one on Amazon and it's quite cheap for the size of the fan. This will probably extend the life of your laptop/GPU by a few more months.

Unfortunately this is every laptops downfall. There's not much you can do except clean out the dust. I recommend building a custom PC when it comes time for a new one. /r/buildapc would love to help you out with that.

One quick remedy is to elevate the back of your laptop to increase ventilation. This helps it cool better. You may use a laptop cooling pad like this: https://www.amazon.de/Cooler-Master-Notepal-R9-NBC-8PCK-GP-Computers/dp/B003ZMF27G

In my experience, the cooling pad doesn't even need to have its own fans. Just helping air go through your laptop's cooling system helps a lot.

Kootek Laptop Cooling Pad 12"-17" Cooler Pad Chill Mat 5 Quiet Fans LED Lights and 2 USB 2.0 Ports Adjustable Mounts Laptop Stand Height Angle https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01469DJLM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_6jEqDb0NE440F

This is the one I have. I like it a lot because it kind of gives you the best of both worlds. You get a stand that props the laptop up at angle to maximize airflow, as well as fans that can help as well. I find that the angle itself does more than the fans, but the fans certainly don’t hurt. Works great while I’m gaming in bed too it fits nicely on my lap

Dell inspiron 7567 user here. I5, GTX 1050, 8Gb ram, 1920x1080 TN panel. $800 at best buy, great laptop in my opinion. To prevent it from getting hot while gaming though, i just purchased a laptop cooler on amazon and it works great. the only thing about this laptop is I noticed almost all games get capped at 30FPS when on battery right off the bat even when switching to performance mode in power settings.

Your english is perfectly comprehendible, no need to apologize. :) You could either use an ESD wrist strap if you're really worried about it or you could just plug in your PSU (do NOT turn it on) and periodically touch it to get rid of any charge you have. I think most people would agree ESD is really not as big of a deal as you would think and the PSU method is probably fine. Jayztwocents did a good video on this awhile ago. It definitely won't hurt to get an ESD wrist strap though.

Thank you very much for answering jpisini!

Yes I only use my laptop on my desk, using a laptop fan pad (link to the specific one in case it helps any: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00NNMB3KS?psc=1&ref=yo_pop_mb_pd_title).

Hope to hear from you - thank you again!

Yeah they have lost their edge a bit, but not too blinded by fandom to ignore it. I have no problem going against its constitutes, even if it falls at times. All in all it is your choice, whatever you choice; various heat temps by others reported has a lot of factors the temp of the room, what it is on, the dust built up over time. No matter what you end up choosing to go with, I would say get a extra laptop cooler on your machine, every little bit helps overtime.

Personally I have two coolers on my laptop machine, (Coolmaster massive 200mm fan I believe, and havoc vacuum on the vent [CPU focus] on the side./vacuum is an example they don't make my model anymore they cost 15-30 usually on amazon.) and it helps it run much cooler. I will now always keep the combo, because it's just overall healthier for the machine. I have 10 year old machine so it actually needs it now. Thermal past has worn away.

If you are bit paranoid about cooling (for laptops you should always be) a 3rd party seller that can help out is http://www.xoticpc.com/ they offer stronger cooling that's above any manufacturers default; cost more obviously. ( $35ish.) Can customize them too, an they have more than just Alienware (seems the 17x 980m is sold out for the moment sadly.) there too pretty much every gaming laptop brand.

An AW fanboy so I want to bully towards them(pretty colors!), but you have to get what is right for you. If there is another brand that's cheaper that seems to be the better performer go for it! AW is about gaming and doing whatever you want with the power that machine gives, and it's not the only one that can do it. Just don't get a macbook pro...I will not support that at all, and they actually run as hot gaming laptops without the power! But in all I just want to help a fellow gamer out. Giving you the most tools that can use to make a judgement.

Three or four questions, all regarding my laptop (check flair for model/specs).

Is there a program that will let me see exactly what MHz/GHz my CPU is running at while gaming? I'm curious to know if the Turbo is kicking in or not, because at times it feels like it isn't. Also looking for a possible alternative to Afterburner/RivaTuner, since allegedly Riva has issues with some of the games I play.

If the Turbo isn't kicking in (or if it's sporadic), is there a way to force it to whenever I'm gaming, then turn it off when I'm not?

Also, is something like this "extractor" type cooler (https://www.amazon.com/Temperature-Auto-Temp-Detection-Installation-Compatible/dp/B01NACVLWM/ref=lp_11750451011_1_2?srs=11750451011&ie=UTF8&qid=1484053668&sr=8-2) a good choice to help with temperature issues (I'm seeing peaks of 90C at as low as 48% usage), or would I be better off with a traditional cooling pad?

Also, if the linked cooler/extractor is a bad choice, what would PCMR recommend? I don't have much money, so please, keep recommendations around $60 or less.

No offense OP but that cooling pad looks like a cheap POS. I ordered this one instead. A lot thinner and I trust Cooler Master has quiet fans. One large 160mm fan is more than adequate as well. https://www.amazon.com/Cooler-Master-NotePal-Ultra-Slim-R9-NBC-XSLI-GP/dp/B005C31HC0/ref=pd_sbs_147_1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=FN2Q2NEVQ5XGZ5QXRY9W

Try shadows set to low.

Set framerate to 60 or unlock.

Vsync off

​

Since you play on a laptop, I would suggest purchasing a cooling pad (more like a stand) with fans in it. Even though gaming laptops exist, the heat tends to wear down your computer in the long run - especially by shortening your battery cell's life.

The following is a MUST have: https://www.amazon.com/LC05-Cooling-Auto-Temp-Detection-Compatible/dp/B00XKU47Y2 If you don't want the cooling pad, that's cool. But definitely get that fan attachment, it legit pulls out hot air from your laptop so it can cycle in cool air. Works tremendously well

If you end up wanting to buy something, i purchased link a year ago because the bottom of my laptop would get so hot it would burn my legs and it works perfectly; my laptop is now just slightly warm or room temp. You can position the fans wherever you like and it an adjustable fan speed wheel and it comes with an elastic band to help secure the laptop to the device.

Welcome to the master race brother! I've built a plethora of computers in my day here are some tips I have. Sorry for formatting I'm on mobile.

1. Ground yourself. Get one of these bad boys and connect it to your case when you build.
   
   https://www.amazon.com/Rosewill-Grounding-Alligator-RTK-002-Detachable/dp/B004N8ZQKY
   
   
   
2. Build on a table with your shoes on.
   
   
3. Get a bios post speaker. It will beep out an error code if anything goes wrong so you know what to fix.
   
   https://www.amazon.com/PC-Internal-Mini-Onboard-Speaker/dp/B002W4M0DW
   
   
4. For the tools all you need is a Phillips screwdriver and a pair of needlenose plyers.
   
   
5. When you are all built and ready make sure you keep a bootable USB (Linux preferred but windows will do) as a failsafe in case you brick the OS. Make sure it's labeled accordingly.
   
   
6. If you buy your storage brand new (SSD, hard drive, etc) it might not have a partitioning table setup so the OS installer might not detect it. If you need help setting this up just reply and I'll help you.
   
   
7. Have fun!

/r/MSILaptops/

LEDs supposedly last 10+ years but that's not always the case in the real world.

https://www.amazon.com/TeckNet-Cooling-Portable-Ultra-Slim-Notebook/dp/B014F4SBMK works well, the fans are where the intake is for the GS65 but honestly, any flat surface will do if you can get something to slightly prop up the rear. Air also gets pulled in from the top keyboard side, so it doesn't struggle much for air.

Undervolting is the best way to drop temps though.

Look for something that is going to work well with the positions of the vents on the laptop. If your intake vents are on the bottom of the laptop, I'd suggest something like the Cooler Master Notepad U2/U3. Especially because you can move the fans to line up with the intake vents. I have the U2 and it works very nicely. Although, I think the fact that the laptop is raised off a surface is more important than the actually fans. I saw temperatures drop about 6-8° C under load on my XPS 15 9550 just using the cooling stand, while turning the fans on only brought the temps down about 1-3° C.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B002SGATH8?fp=1&pc_redir=T1

If your exhaust fans are on the side of the laptop, maybe try on of those vacuum suction type coolers that pulls air out of the machine. Like this one:
https://www.amazon.com/LC05-Cooling-Auto-Temp-Detection-Compatible/dp/B00XKU47Y2

After doing a bunch of research, I came to the conclusion that there isn't a perfect cooler out there, you have to find what gives your specific laptop the best airflow. Hope this helps!

those are some of the best components and you got a great deal, i think youre having heat problems

i recommend you buy a cooling pad, my preferred is this https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00NNMB3KS

if you tell me wich laptop you use i can better recommend a cooling pad

A post I considered regarding temps:

With turbo disabled (2.6 GHz) and the Cool fan profile, my SC NUC is 50C at idle, 65 watching movies, 83 under full CPU load, and 92 playing 3D games. 80C is the recommended long term temp (Tcontrol)

90+ is concerning and I wonder about the health of other components at that temp. Below is a couple tips for reducing temp and I welcome any others

Undervolt the CPU and GPU. This reduces voltage and heat. To do this, go to BIOS (press F2), Advanced, and slide the voltage down on core and uncore (slice and unslice for GPU). Do one at a time, either CPU or GPU. Then run a benchmark like Cinebench for CPU or Heaven for GPU. If it passes, reduce voltage. If it crashes, increase and run again. There's more tuning you can do, but I'm not an expert

Buy a laptop cooler. I've had luck with Opolar. It stays on without adhesive, albeit must be attached upside down, but is loud and the auto-temp makes it overly noisy at low work loads. At the minimum fan speed it's not too bad. Temps while gaming have been reduced by 9C

How else can users reduce temps and what's the effect of 80+ on lifespan?

Yup. Laptops can only fit itty bitty fans, which need to spin very fast to move a useful amount of air, which makes lots of noise. Bigger fans can spin slower, making less noise, while moving more air.

This is why desktops have moved to larger fans over the years. 15 years ago, 80mm was the norm. Now 120mm is basically universal and 140mm and larger aren't unusual.

As for a solution, look into a fan pad, preferably with a single very big fan. It will keep the internal fans from spinning up too much while keeping the temperatures down. I personally have this one, which works nicely for my 17" clevo.

There are vents underneath, but also at the vertical-top part of the keyboard which blow the hot air up in front of your screen. For my previous laptop I had already purchased this cooler, which I still use. Don't know if it actively cools alot, but the aluminium bottom doesn't heat up as much which is a good thing I guess.

Besides the cooling I really like the position the cooler gives for writing and the adjustable fan speed though.

I wouldn’t recommend that one. What I recommend is the same one I bought from amazon. #1 on the list of coolers, quiet, cools the laptop quite well, and inexpensive. I wish it had red leds since that is the led theme I have on but for the performance, great reviews and cost. I can’t complain. Also fits the 17” too. I am using it on my 13R3 and it has tons of space so should be able to fit just fine.

Check it out

This is what I use and it works great. Keeps my laptop cool even running Witcher 3. I have a 15.6in though, but this does say it's made for up to 17in. I had $10 credit on amazon so I got it really cheap, but it has never failed me, runs quiet, and can be used either in tilt or flat positions. I'd say check reviews from people with 17in laptops but it's definitely a recommendation from me.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B016PMVM7Q/ref=ya_aw_od_pi?ie=UTF8&psc=1#nav-search-keywords

I bought this one a couple of years ago. I love it, works great, super light, very quiet, and the USB plug it is powered by has an extension so it's not taking up a USB port.

A cooling pad will definitely help, ive heard just raising the laptops back off the table a inch has helped thermals. I would look into a cooler like this though: https://www.amazon.com/Cooler-Master-NotePal-PLUS-Performance/dp/B00ED3WMTC

The u3 is meant for 17 inch laptops, but you can grab the U2 which is the 15inch version but you will loose a fan. Ive used the cooler for years and its one of the best because you can move the fan exactly where you need it.

clean out ur fan u probly dont need another pc.

pc too loud -> fan spinning too fast - > fan most probably clogged with dust

if it's a laptop I've had good success with this shit gave my shitty overheating laptop 2 more years:

like this (not this brand but something like it)

and a cooling pad like that

if its a desktop u only need a can of air

pheeew! That CPU is HOT my friend.


You need get the dust out of there or have someone clean it out and re-seat the heat sink. Also to make sure all the fans are working!

There is noooo way it should be that hot. You can get laptop fans that can help cool it. In particular, I saw this and thought it was pretty neat. It isn't terribly expensive either.

It seems like your GPU is not being held back by your CPU, so that is good, it isn't being bottle necked. The CPU running so hot, that it is absolutely causing it to throttle down to lower speeds.

The lower clock speeds mean higher frame times and for you that means lag spikes.

Your CPU should rarely be above 85C for normal every day operation. Somewhere in the 70C - 80C range for pretty heavy stuff. Maybe 90C for something like prime95 using AVX instructions--i.e. not normal everyday use.

If you are seeing 96C, man that is close to causing thermal damage to your CPU. You're seeing lag spikes because the processor is desperately trying to protect itself from damage. Once it hits 100C for any appreciable amount of time, your computer will just hard crash--just shut off. I wouldn't be surprised if you've had some crashes here and there due to this!

I have used a cooling pad with a fan before (this is it) and it worked pretty well for my laptop, so I am thinking that a pad with a fan in it would be best. Also, I would prefer that it would be able to run via a USB port.

Yes, a cooling pad definitely helps. I recommended my friend this specific one and it works well.

Sounds like you were hitting the thermal throttle limit of the CPU. That CPU throttles itself back in high temperature situations to prevent damage. The CPU will slow itself down when too hot so that's most likely what you noticed and it's a feature not a problem. You might have shaved some time off the CPU's life but nothing significant (mobile CPU's run hot due to the limited cooling)

First and foremost don't overclock your CPU (that is exceeding the hardware limitations it's designed for), it can really damage the CPU.

Second try and increase the cooling for your laptop. Don't place it on your lap at all (generally ever LOL) and make sure it's a clean hard surface. Also possibly try and get one of those laptop cooling pads as they tend to help a lot. http://www.amazon.com/Tree-New-Bee-Cooling-15-6/dp/B016PMVM7Q/

Good luck and keep on gaming!

http://www.amazon.com/LC05-Cooling-Auto-Temp-Detection-Compatible/dp/B00XKU47Y2

I bought this and both gpu and cpu temp's were lowered by 10C each (without any cleaning or thermal paste)

Changing the battery plan from balanced to high performance may have had some effect, but it is hard to quantify. It does feel like i am getting better performance, but it might be placebo.

I have i7-4720HQ 2.6GHz + GTX950M + 12GB RAM and I run 1680x1050 (75% rendering, low preset except for 4x anisotropic filtering, FXAA, high texture, medium model) at 70FPS basically stable. Sometimes when Mei freezes me it might be going down (perhaps 50?) due to some effect BS

I really thing the opolar fan is much much much better than laptop stand style coolers. You put it on, and temperatures fall by 10C right off the bat.

Dont build it on carpet, and if youre super worried buy one of these. Super cheap and easy peace of mind.

It won't, because the casing of your laptop itself determines its own ambient temp, which will increase as your SoC's will increase as you play Warframe. Getting a laptop cooling pad isn't a huge financial investment, they cost like ~$20 on Amazon.

Edit: Plus, if you're going to college (which it sounds like you are), you can sign up for Amazon's 6 month Prime Student Membership which will give you 6 months of free 2-day shipping on Prime eligible items, which the link I gave you above is.

For a cooling pad:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Cooler-Master-Notepal-X2-Notebook/dp/B002MU1ZRS/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1369859024&sr=8-3-fkmr0&keywords=Cooler+Master+NotePal+X2+Laptop+Cooling+Pad+with+140mm+Blue+LED+Fan+%28R9-NBC-4WAK-GP%29.

I live in the US and this pad has about 1,200 reviews and it's overall rating is at 4.75 stars.

As for your cleaning question, compressed air is the best way to go. Blow the air both ways into the intake and exhaust in order to assure you got as much dust as you can out. If you know the ins and outs of your laptop, an even better way is to take it apart and clean the fans that way (using compressed air again).

Hope this helps.

1. Item. Wine stains your teeth, so you need a toothbrush to help fight that!
   
2. Item. Without regular brushing, shedding pets leave hair on the floor that has to be swept up!
   
3. Item. Kenny Powers is a baseball player, he has to wear a hat for his uniform!
   
4. Item. I use my Kindle to read books, and my Kindle deserves protection!
   
5. Item. Cars have very useful trunks, but in order for them to be useful you have to be able to see where you're driving and when it's raining that calls for windshield wipers!
   
6. Item. In order for capes to look effectively dashing, you need wind, which fans make!

Cooling pads can definitely help, as long as they're good quality fans. I use them on all my laptops and you can feel the temperature difference just by touching them, especially if they run hot. Cooler Master makes some good ones. I use the CM NotePal X2 and NotePal X3 on my 2 gaming laptops and have a few more of the cheaper ones for my regular/home use laptops. Check Amazon though as they're usually cheaper versus buying straight from CM.

I use laptop cooling stands for all of my consoles and they work great. I have mine horizontal, though. But they do a good job of keeping the consoles a little bit cooler, plus they turn on and off when the console does. Some of them even have extra USB ports. You might want to consider something like that.

This Cooler Master pad is the one I'm using currently.

Edit: This one

and

this one

look even better than the one I have. In fact, one of the reviews on that second one talks specifically about using it for a PS4.

As for the temps issue try a cooling pad like this one https://www.amazon.com/Cooler-Master-NotePal-PLUS-Performance/dp/B00ED3WMTC/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1501045732&sr=8-3&keywords=cooler+master+cooling+pad. In terms of windows not starting up, try going into bios on startup and manually selecting the drive you want to boot from. If that doesnt work Reinstalling Windows at this point would be best for starters. Your going to need to create windows installation media, by following this guide https://mspoweruser.com/how-to-create-a-bootable-usb-drive-for-windows-10/ Bear in mind all your files will be wiped off the drive.If you need to recover the product key your going to need a separate usb drive to turn into Hirens bootable drive using this guide. https://www.hiren.info/pages/bootcd-on-usb-disk Once you boot into Hirens your looking for Produkey/windows key viewer. Finally to save any files while your booted into Hirens, use a separate third blank usb key and move all the files you want onto it.

Do you want it to be a different thickness? Do you want to turn it into a desktop? Are you willing to have external part that weren't there before? Do you want it to not look stock?

​

If the answer to all these questions are no, than probably pretty difficult... Can you be a little more specific as to what you are trying to accomplish with better cooling?

​

You could also just by one of those usb fans that sit under the laptop for an easy solution. https://www.amazon.com/TeckNet-Cooling-Portable-Ultra-Slim-Notebook/dp/B014F4SBMK

\^ this ones 20 bucks and requires no work at all.

It was pretty helpful yes, I have a 5 fan cooling pad and it was less than $15 or so. I would just look for a highly rated one and go for it.

It's this one: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0713PHFRW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_7460CbMQW2N0D

Looks like I got it on sale

The Coolermaster Notepal U3 is a good alternative as well. Try posting to /r/suggestalaptop if you want some more opinions.

Also just out of interest, when was the last time you cleaned the fans on your laptop? Surely it wouldn't just overheat under normal loads (gaming)? Are you by any chance blocking the fan inlet?

I've also used a RF wireless keyboard and mouse to play my PC games on my big screen one room away.

I have both Logitech keyboard and mouse. Having to extend the receivers with USB cables (because anything more than 6 feet away will cause signal drops) and still having significant input lag makes it feel pretty different than playing at the desk. Also, I'm sure the TV itself introduces latency that the monitor on the desk does not.

I'm curious if others have a similar set up going on when they feel like playing on the big screen TV, and what solutions they've come up with.

Edit: for mouse surface, I'm using a lap desk with a slide-out mouse tray. Here's the link: http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-939-000181-Portable-Lapdesk-N315/dp/B002NTADVW/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1347302895&sr=1-1&keywords=Logitech+Portable+Lapdesk+N315

Try razercortex and close all programs in your background. I play this game on both laptop and desktop and get better fps on laptop :'D.

(1)
don't play on a carpet like surface you laptop might need fresh/cool air. Clean the laptop parts so that it might pull enough air.
buying a laptoop cooler stand (I have one and I also always check/monitor temperatures with MSI afterburner on my laptop which warks fine) might help:

https://www.amazon.com/HAVIT-HV-F2056-Laptop-Cooler-Cooling/dp/B00NNMB3KS/ref=sr_1_3?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1519582198&sr=1-3&keywords=laptop+cooler&dpID=51cBGis%252BOdL&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

(2)
buy and add more ram to your system or use ccleaner (free version is enough to clean your RAM) for more free ram.

(3)
Play with your settings but at least turn down shadows.

(4)
Buy better hardware which I don't recommend because its costly right now due to high GPU prices and ram prices (save money by using unactivated windows 10 and everything thats > or = i5 or ryzen 3 paired with gtx 1050/gtx 750ti/ rx 460/560 + 8 gb ram will work just fine)

I own a 2016 Acer predator so i can't answer the 1st question but since 2 and 3 are general i will help you avoid some of the mistakes I made.
2. Check and monitor your temps. After about a year of usage suddenly my FPS for gaming tanked. I used Speccy and realised the motherboard was overheating. I opened up the laptop chassis and found that one of the fan connectors for the mobo was loose. Then the same thing happened but for the CPU and GPU. I changed the horrible gunk Acer calls thermal paste and voila-temperatures in high 60's to low 70's with a gaming load. My only regret is I over-tightened the screws and stripped some of them. Also clean the exhaust fans from time to time to avoid build up of dust which will increase your temperatures.
Get a good waterproof backpack to carry it with extra padding. If you use it for work and home(gaming) invest in an extra power adapter(don't need it to be the original one). That way all you have to do is plug it in and won't risk damaging the power adapter like I did. Plus its a real hassle to cable manage and carry the extra brick and cord.
3.I do recommend getting a good laptop cooler. I ordered this one but it hasn't been delivered yet.https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01469DJLM/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Again a mistake not to use one from the start as it actually will boost performance since the CPU and GPU boost frequencies will be maintained if thermal throttling doesn't occur.

Let me know if you have any other doubts and congrats on your new laptop.

This is the best seller on Amazon and it seems to have pretty good reviews.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005C31HC0/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=2BRWNBL4GUCVY&coliid=I32AKPJ1ZYPH67&psc=1&tag=donations09-20

I bought this back in 2015. It's great, has a nice pad on the bottom, and has a UBS powered fan in it to help with cooling: https://www.amazon.com/Cooler-Master-NotePal-LapAir-R9-NBC-LPAR-GP/dp/B0051GK6RA/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1524969788&sr=1-1&keywords=R9-NBC-LPAR-GP

The advice given isn't 100% accurate. Your GPU may just be overheating, which is common for laptops. Before doing anything drastic like buying a new laptop or shipping it off to get it tested you should just try to clean it out as best as you can (compressed air into any and all air vents should do the trick) and/or get a laptop cooling pad like this.

a better way to get better temps is to change the thermal pastes on your cpu and gpu(and at the same time, clean out the fans, and thermal fins). In terms of cooling pads, you're better off buying usb exhaust fans that you place behind the vents to suck out air. its loud though

also, im not sure if replacing thermal pads would help, it probably would, but very little gains, its up to you since thermal pads are pretty cheap too

edit: this is what i got for my laptop a while ago: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B01NACVLWM/ref=s9_acsd_hps_bw_c_x_2_w

edit 2: Something to consider would be just increasing your cooling solutions. Instead of trying to overclock, try to control your temps so that your cpu/gpu won't throttle.

Another really expensive option would be is to email your laptop manufacturer if they would be willing to sell you a gpu upgrade. This is a really expensive option.
A cheaper alternative is to use external GPUs. I'm not really sure if you buy the housing and gpu separately or if its 1 whole package. If you can buy the housing separately, you'll have an option to choose a gpu that's not too powerful that your CPU will bottleneck

Late reply.

Its still on its way here. Chose free shipping which I will likely never do again. Anyway its this cooler but not this brand ( this coolers just a rebranded chinese item with various names). I assume the top 2 smaller fans will be right under the mesh vents.

https://www.amazon.com/Kootek-Laptop-Cooling-Cooler-Adjustable/dp/B01469DJLM/ref=lp_2243862011_1_11?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1500176565&sr=1-11

I mainly bought it for the height adjustment for better posture but if the fans help out that's a plus. May also do a repaste(grizzly kryo on hand) and add a heat sink to the PCH down the road.

What might help is being mindful of the surface you keep it on while playing. A flat table/desk with good ventilation on the sides where the vents are will be helpful. I’ve also seen various platform things that have fans that blow from underneath that I’ve used on older MBPs in the past that had a habit of overheating before throttling was a thing.

Edit: something like this

I have one laptop that runs pretty hot up to 205°F , has anyone tried a laptop vacuum. The reviews on this one are pretty good.


https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00XKU47Y2/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1467933539&sr=8-1&pi=SY200_QL40&keywords=laptop+vacuum&dpPl=1&dpID=4110DLzrigL&ref=plSrch

Just curious if anyone has tried something like this, connects right on the side of the heat vent and sucks all the hot air out of the laptop.

Update: it works, I now am at 160°f with everything running. With just browsing I'm at about 130-140°f

Issue with the mats is you might have to be bare foot on it/depends on foot wear. I wouldnt count on it, often just your chair would be in contact with it depending on how you sit and use your chair. You could also consider wearing an anti static wrist strap, pain in the ass I guess but would save your gear.

The wrist strap like the mat would be grounded to a plug (or other mat). The straps unplug or unsnap so you can take it off and on fairly easy. Something like this

https://www.amazon.ca/Rosewill-Anti-Static-Components-RTK-002-Yellow/dp/B004N8ZQKY

I own a Lenovo Y510P with dual graphics cards that overheats like no other. I sprung for a laptop cooling board that also had a fan on it. It solved the overheating issues. This is the one I ordered:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005C31HC0/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

The great part is that it's light weight and fits in my laptop bag snug with the laptop. Also the USB port is a pass through, meaning you don't lose your USB port to the cooling fan.

Looks like this one can be retrofitted with 120mm fans.

What you want is directed airflow to the main CPU fan. I'm not sure how you would do that, but a small piece of square cardboard between the laptop's underside and a fan would probably work well. If that doesn't work, you can try to take off the underside of the laptop completely and expose all of the components.

However, if you laptop is that new and overheating, it might be because of other issues. Might be worth a call to tech support and see if they can do anything about it.

I’ve been using this cooler master pad for like 3 years I think? I got it for like $5 after a rebate. I know people don’t like these but this one has worked for many laptops without issue. I’ve seen a few degrees drop, and living in Arizona anything helps with cooling! I recommend this.

Cooler Master NotePal X-Slim Ultra-Slim Laptop Cooling Pad with 160mm Fan (R9-NBC-XSLI-GP) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005C31HC0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_qUgtDb2XWCV11

Do you know if your CPU and GPU use the same heatsink/fan? I know my laptop does so I got one of these.
http://www.amazon.com/LC05-Cooling-Auto-Temp-Detection-Compatible/dp/B00XKU47Y2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00
I don't know if you would want something like that. It does help a lot if you turn it on max fan speed. If you mount it correctly it supports itself without issue. It does make a fair amount of noise, but the performance increase is worth it. Prior to getting this some games were unplayable on my laptop. Now I can even crank up the settings a bit.

Honestly I think the game is not quite optimized yet and I totally accept the fact that if I run larger ships I get about 20-30 fps.

If cleaning out the vents is still not working perhaps look into trying out a laptop cooling pad, like this one. I personally don't own one but seems like a good choice especially if your laptop runs hot.

Not sure, but [this one] (https://www.amazon.com/Tree-New-Bee-Cooling-15-6/dp/B016PMVM7Q) seems quite popular? Maybe there are better options as well.

Your laptop isn't extremely accessible: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NNjoRpVDEiI

The big thing is you really don't want to blow the dust back into the laptop - you want to blow it out. So if you used compressed air on the intake on what looks to be the bottom, be careful and use short busts so as to not make the fans spin too fast.

Other things to check - make sure you are using a flat surface with airflow underneath. If there's no dust, you want to make sure the fans are spinning and you can look at spending a relatively small amount of money to get a cooler like this: http://www.amazon.com/Targus-Chill-Laptop-Black-AWE55US/dp/B002NU5O9C/ref=sr_1_1_m?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1464116228&sr=1-1&keywords=targus+laptop+cooler

There's a usb cord that plugs in and turns the fans on with it. I used one for my Dell laptop and it worked great.

This is the exact one I used before and last I knew it is still being used at the shop I used to work at. There are name brand ones which would most likely be better such as Cooler Master and Thermltake, also Targus which is primary an accessory company which I have had quite good luck with.

Pretty much they should all work about the same, the best thing to look at would be the warranty just in case something breaks. The first one I linked is cheap enough that it wouldn't matter too much, and you can also replace the fans on it with a little bit of wiring work.

This is another option which I have no experience with so I can't say how well it works if it does at all, but it seems like a cool little device. If somebody here has any experience with them then it may be a viable option for on the go cooling. But I can't personally recommend it as I have no experience.


Edited to include links.

Nope. Just don't. Laptop hardware is proprietary and tailored specifically for all the parts to play together. Taking it apart is generally no good idea.

> DIY case

If you want something better than a shoe box, it's quite some work to pull it off. Not worth for something that follows no standards and will still be replaced in 1-2 years.

> big passive coolers

> waterloop

Doesn't fit. Cooler mounting is proprietary. You would have to make them yourself, for which the point i already made for the case applies too.

Buy a laptop cooler. That should help with the temps a bit, and if you want to change something hardware wise, get a PC.

I will never buy HP again because of this. My last laptop was an hp and started to get really hot. I bought a decent cooling pad with 3 usb fans. Something like this only two of the fans were towards the back. It worked for a while but if I was watching a movie I'd have to also have a small desk fan pointing at it and have it propped up to increase the airflow. Further down the road it would overheat and shut down with all of these measures. I later learned that this was a known issue and that hp was not doing anything about it.

tldr: something like this worked for me (for a while). Never buy HP.

If you have a laptop with a side exhaust, this external vacuum fan will keep it nice and cool.

Laptop Fan Cooler with Temperature Display, Rapid Cooling, Auto-Temp Detection, 13 Wind Speed(2600-5000RPM), Perfect for Gaming Laptop, Nintendo Switch https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01NACVLWM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_Vfs5Ab96YFNM7

Haha! Awesome! So glad I could help you!

For accessories. A mouse is always handy. And you said you need portablility, so I would get a wireless one like this.

Cooling pads are also cool, but Im not sure your laptop would get that hot with what your going to be using it for. But if you want to look at them. Here

Three quick questions. I have all the parts ordered for my newest build except the GPU. I read new Super cards were releasing tomorrow and decided to wait since that could drive the prices down. I know it's not tomorrow yet, but....

1. Any ideas on the best GPU I can get for $400-$500. Preferably on the lesser side cost wise?
   
   
2. For the new Ryzen 3900x I'm getting, I'm using the stock cooler. Would you recommend using the factory thermal paste square on the cooler, or scraping it off and using something else (I have some Arctic Silver on order, just in case).
   
   
3. I have built PCs before, but wondering if I should get an anti static mat or wrist strap this time around. I don't really have any tiled/ hard surface spaces in by building area as it's all carpeted. I've built all my rigs on carpet before, but maybe that was just dumb luck or it's not a big deal.
   
   I do have some old ply wood sheets I could pull into the office and build on them. I just wouldn't be able to sit on them, if that matters.
   
   Thanks!

I'd guess heat buildup. Maybe get a cooling pad for when watching movies. Like this.

Your fan/heatsink might be clogged too so perhaps blow some air backwards through it or disassemble until you can clean. That's a pretty old laptop so there is a good chance this is happening too.

Here you go! :)

Laptop: Asus Zephyrus S GX531GM Signature Edition

• i7-8750
  
• GTX 1060
  
• 16 gig ram
  
• Intel SSD 660p ~512 Gigs
  
  External Hard Drive: My Passport Ultra ~ 2 terabytes
  
  Monitor: Philips 278E9QJAB 27"
  
  Keyboard: Razer Cynosa Chroma
  
  Mouse: Redragon M711 Cobra
  
  Cooling Pad: Cooler Master NotePal
  
  Speakers: JBL Flip 4
  
  Headset: Corsair HS60 Pro
  
  I sort of want to get a better mouse, but this cheapo 20 dollar mouse has served me well for the last 2 years, haha

Both. I've repaired HP laptops, gaming models and regular consumer models and the HP brand far out numbers all the other brands I fix. And it's always from overheating, resulting usually in ordering another motherboard and replacing it. I would seriously avoid them at all costs.

Since you've gotten one already, make sure to get a can of air, and blow out the vents at least once a month. Don't ever put it on your lap or bed, or any other soft surface, keep it on a hard surface if possible. Look into the Opolar series of laptop coolers, they really displace a lot of air and will help to keep it cool. https://www.amazon.com/Opolar-Laptop-Temperature-Display-Cooling/dp/B01E3Q7FS6/ref=sr_1_3?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1480278659&sr=1-3&keywords=opolar

Cooling pads that sit on the bottom don't do jack.

You might need to replace the thermal paste in a year or two, look up a youtube disassembly video for your laptop and familiarize yourself with proper repasting techniques.

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=hp+15-ay195nr+disassembly

I'm assuming from those specs you are worried if it will overheat based on casual use, because you won't be gaming too hard on those specs. Best of luck!

OPLOLA LC06 does a pretty good job.On my toshiba if I remember correctly it cooled 8-10 degrees Celsius down but it will be noisy.I don't think it will fit with T430 so search to find something that will fit.It will definitely help in gaming and if you wear headphones or have the sound on will be no problem I think the sound of the fan.
https://www.amazon.com/Opolar-Laptop-Temperature-Display-Cooling/dp/B01E3Q7FS6

I have gs60 ghost pro-44 with the 970m and it runs everything so far at 60fps. Battery sucks, but who really game on just battery? Fan noise is not too loud, atleast it doesn't bother me. Fans are good but it still heats up, draws air in from the top (near the screen) and blows out the sides and back. I sit the laptop on top a cooling pad, the cooler master.
Skip the 4k, makes everything small and reduces FPS.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00T6FZ398/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1427601045&sr=8-1&keywords=msi+gs60+ghost+pro-44


http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0079T2KHG/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?qid=1427601252&sr=8-2&keywords=cooler+master+cooling+pad&pi=AC_SX200_QL40

http://www.amazon.com/Cooler-Master-NotePal-Configurable-R9-NBC-8PCK-GP/dp/B003ZMF27G

Buy that! I recently bought it and it's great. Fans are very quiet even when at max speed. Also you can move them around to whichever spots are hot. The design is simple and works very well. Highly recommend.

I did that for a while, until I realized that I could buy a USB powered cooling pad (that works 1,000x better) from Amazon for like $25 (similar to this one). It was well worth it, I strongly recommend it.

Zip tips are a big help with cable management so I'd definitely get some. Unless you live in a pretty hot/humid environment the case fans will be plenty. You can get a magnetic screw driver/magnetic screw tray to make sure those pesky screw don't get lost, but those are those are very optional of course. Can also get an anti-static wrist strap if you are paranoid about static discharges potentially damaging parts but those happen super rarely and are an inconvenience not worth it to many. Other than that seems like you've got everything you need. You really only need zip ties, everything else is optional. Good luck with the build!

for sure, You tried the stupid cooling/fan pads? I never liked them, did make good for travel, but i did find these, https://www.amazon.com/Temperature-Display-Cooling-Auto-Temp-Detection/dp/B01NACVLWM/ref=sr_1_6?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1500673388&sr=1-6&keywords=laptop+cooler and they worked pretty good along with the 99% throttle

Get a laptop cooling pad like this one

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01469DJLM?tag=laptop-magazine-20

Rated as the best laptop cooler by laptopmag https://www.laptopmag.com/articles/best-laptop-coolers

Hope this helps :)

Unless you're on a carpet, you can probably just periodically touch a grounded metal to discharged yourself.

Otherwise, get an anti static wrist strap, like this:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004N8ZQKY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_L07ADb7BB8XYX

Connect your PSU to the wall socket, make sure the PSU is turned OFF (if you can also turn off the wall socket, even better), put the strap on your wrist and connect the other end to the PSU fan grill. This will ground you properly so that you can safely build your computer.

Again, make sure the PSU is OFF when you do this. You don't want to risk electrocuting yourself.

I used a Cooler Master NotePal. I have the U2 which was usurped by the U3. Solid metal design with 3 fans that you can move and place where you want/need cooling. It was referred to me from the notebook check forums 5 or 6 years back. Worked great.

edit. Don't know if it is cheap, but is a great cooler.

Thank YOU SO MUCH for the info and thoughts!

\>> the burning W520-W530

You are talking my machine:-) A cooling fan can be very helpful. I am using this one: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00NNMB3KS/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

\>> So far the main issue with the P53 is that it does not always sit flat.

I didn't notice this. I cannot examine it now because I already returned it.

\>> I bought my W520 in 2011 from the outlet for under $1000 and it is still eeking along (battery is shot

A few years ago, I bought a number of batteries from eBay in anticipation of using W530 for a long time. Tired of upgrading a laptop without getting real values. I have about 7 thinkpads sitting at home. You may be able find batteries at eBay too.

\>> I think we may be searching for something that doesn't exist. We will have to replace our giant dinosaurs with something modern. I feel like an octogenarian complaining about new technology:(

You are talking about me:-) Based on your input, I will look at p53 with T2000 card and 1920x1080 screen.

One question: You didn't or never heard the pitching or jet takeoff fan noise on your P53?

Edit: have you ever thought about x1 extreme? I am afraid that it has the same noise issue as p1 does.

Not sure if there are some that are really more efficient than others, I didn't find any that seemed really outstanding when I got mine so I went with this one which had good reviews and was still affordable, but I think any pad in that price range should be good.

Thanks for your response. No idea why I'm getting downvoted..

I recently ordered this:

https://www.amazon.com/Opolar-Laptop-Temperature-Display-Cooling/dp/B01E3Q7FS6

It seems like a pretty great product and I'm guessing it can get me around 15 degree centigrade drop in temperatures.

Would you advice against overclocking even this on?

As long as you keep the air flowing it shouldn't be a problem to game on a laptop, even your room temperature is close to 100F.

Your budget is quite tight, so you could take a look at refurbished laptop if you want something with a dedicated GPU. Something like these two:

HP Pavilion dv4t-5200:

• 14 inch, 720p screen
  
• Intel i3-3120M
  
• 4 GB of RAM
  
• 500 GB HDD
  
• Nvidia GT630M
  
• 90 days warranty
  
• Price: $440
  
  Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E535:
  
  
• 15.6 inch, 720p display
  
• AMD A8-4500M
  
• 4 GB of RAM
  
• 500 GB HDD
  
• AMD Radeon HD 7640G
  
• 1 year warranty
  
• Price: $435
  
  On both laptops you could run WoW on high settings, but only with about 30-40 fps.
  
  What I would recommend as a utility is a laptop cooler. You can get one for 20 bucks off Amazon.

It was not hard to build the mobo into the case, just keep on top of your cable management. If you can, remove the HD sled first (unless of course you need it). All the screws come with the products that I purchased, yes. Be careful about stripping screws, just use the proper driver (no power!). I believe I have 8 standoffs mounted + 1 nub that comes pre-attached to the case. I probably watched ALL the youtube videos, lol. https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=fractal+meshify+c+build

Things I made sure I had for my build before all my parts showed up.

1. Anti Static wristband
   
   
2. Computer screw set I did end up stripping a screw or two and had to replace them from here.
   
   
3. Nice microfiber cloth for the tempered glass leave the plastic on the glass during the build, it will get loaded with finger prints.
   
   
4. Screwdriver set you probably already have this, I just wanted magnetic ones.
   
   
5. Fine screwdriver I used this A LOT.
   
   
6. Magnetic screw tray
   
   I got most of these items as a tip from a youtube video but I can not find it at the moment. Yeah, definitely let me know if you need help with anything or just want me to show you "how I did it". The manual for the mother board has the header LEDs defined on there, there is one dead spot (no pin) in the top right, obviously dont use that one but also don't use the one below it even though its labeled ground for the reset button (thats the only issue I had).

A fan blowing on it will be about the best thing you could do, but it should be stable under standard conditions (Not sitting on a blanket insulating it, in an acceptable ambient temperature).

From my experience a fan will reduce temperatures a little, but it's just going to end up turboboosting more because of the increased cooling capacity which should give you more performance, but it won't be too noticable.

I've seen a lot of USB fan based stands die, or just suck at doing anything meaningful so I use this: http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-939-000181-Portable-Lapdesk-N315/dp/B002NTADVW

Are we talking about a 13" MacBook Pro, or a 15" version? The 13" version only has a slightly improved version of Intel integrated graphics (no standalone GPU), and so yeah, it doesn't run great.

First off, because you said this is a new behavior, try resetting your System Management Controller (SMC). The SMC can be reset by turning the laptop off (shut down), connecting it to its power adapter, holding Shift+Control+Option, and pressing the power button. Usually you can tell if you did it correctly because the charging LED will briefly go green, and then back to orange again. This effectively turns hardware settings back to their factory defaults, such as the fan controller and any thermal throttling safeguards (which may have gone bad on you). Play like that and see if it's better.

Barring that, you could reduce the draw distance for the game, but that gets a bit hacky. Open the developer console (tilde/"~" key by default) and type "farplane [#]". If the console isn't active you have to press F3, then F8 (to get a cursor), enable the console, and then cancel the bug report. 1000 is the default distance, so something smaller might help. I've heard some people say the game doesn't support this very well, though.

Last, you could invest in a cheap laptop cooling pad. Sometimes, though, these only offer marginally better temperatures, especially during a hot summer.

Yes, I finally get to show off my specs! I've been travelling a lot for work this past year, and previous setups included trying to play on netcafe machines (have not found the game installed on pcs outside of Japan), and lugging around a ps4 pro + peripherals (since slims were absolutely unavailable when I was looking).

clevo P950 HR

15.6 4K QFHD LG IPS Anitglare Matte Display

Intel Core i7-7700HQ quad core, 2.8ghz with 6mb smart cache

Nvidia 1070 Max-Q 8GB GPU

Killer Wireless-AC N1550 card

Corsair Vengeance 32GB DDR4-2400

Samsung 970 Pro 1TB NVMe and a 2TB Seagate Firecuda

Weighs about 5 pounds. Runs almost everything with no problems (ffxiv will run at 100+ frames on ultra), although I manually set fans to high when gaming. It stays pretty cool, but I also run a laptop cooler as well:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01NACVLWM/ref=oh_aui_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Here's one that's basically a re-brand:
https://www.eluktronics.com/P950ER

Hope this helps!

It's also very good practice that whenever you touch any computer components with your bare hands to have an ESD on your wrist at all times. Static buildup from you can discharge onto the very tiny electronic components and fuse the nano circuits of a computer. You would never feel or see it either as it takes fractions of what it would take for you to feel. It may not destroy your computer, but it'll rob you of a lot of performance that you just paid top dollar for. That's just my $.02. I work in IT and have A+ certification.

ESD mat for your work top

ESD wrist strap to be clipped to the case to ground you

edit- I forgot to say how fucking cool your setup looks btw. I love the ingenuity.

I have afterburner running as well and my highest temperatures during gaming are from 70 - 72 degrees Celsius. I also have a coolermaster laptop cooling pad underneath it for peace of mind - link if you're interested


Edit: You should be fine! (Don't forget regular maintenance - cpu fan cleaning and dust clearing)

I've bought like 5 of these:
http://www.amazon.com/SANOXY%C2%AE-Laptop-Notebook-Cool-Fans/dp/B001B077PO/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1396907546&sr=8-5&keywords=laptop+cooler

I use them for pretty much everything. I even use them for my gaming consoles. They're so freaking cheap. They're flimsy as hell, but the three fans do a pretty good job.

I just received this one and to be honest with you it helped with my temps about 2-3 C. I have a dell g5 15 and the heating is so bad I get 94 C when I play anything and with the cooling bad I get about 91 C. So don’t expect a miracle unless your laptop has better intakes than mine.