Do laptop coolers work at all?

[scitron]

I've used one and didn't notice much difference.

This laptop cooler was blowing air up into the machine, I think that cools it better but it could be blowing lots of dust up into the machine so I reversed the fan and now it pulls air down away from the machine.

The laptops own fan is on the side and I wonder if now that fan is pulling air in one direction and the laptop cooler in the opposite direction which won't be very helpful.

Also the fact that the laptop cooler is drawing electricity from the usb port could make the machine hotter, negating any cooling from the laptop cooler.

Either way I didn't notice much difference in the cpu temperature. So I wonder if they're even worth using.

[PapaGary]

Do laptop coolers work at all?

No...........

[3rdalbum]

Some better ones might make a difference, depending on how they are designed and where the computer's fan and inlet is placed.

But the best thing I did for cooling my netbook was to buy a big 9-cell battery for it. The battery pokes out the back, tilting the keyboard upwards and both making it easier to type, AND allowing airflow underneath the machine (where the heat from the CPU seems to go).

[Spr0k3t]

A good laptop cooler will blow air up... but specifically directly into the intake vents. No more dust than usual build up, and the difference in temps will never really be seen. However, some people set laptops on soft surfaces (couch, bed, clothing/lap) which basically negate the airflow coming in from the bottom. The solution to that is as simple as a flat hard surface wide enough to allow ample airflow in from the bottom. So yes and no, they work, but no better than what a simple TV tray could solve.