05.20.06
Cooling Pad for MacBook and MacBook Pro
I have been using a cooling pad for all my notebook computers for quite some times. The cooling pad really helps when it comes to the MacBook Pro. I have a 15″ MacBook Pro 2.0GHz with 2GB RAM. It gets really hot when I’m working on it, especially when I’m using iMovie, iDVD, etc. It also runs super hot while playing DVD. To counter this heat issue, I use a Targus Chil Pad. The cooling pad helps a lot.
In my previous posts regarding MacBook Pro Battery Benchmark, I ran two separate tests. I played South Park Season 7 DVD on my MacBook Pro. The first test yielded a great battery life. On the second test, the battery lasted a lot shorter. On the first test I used Targus Chil Pad and it was powered externally. The MacBook Pro runs a lot cooler, and didn’t need to turn on the built-in fans. On the second test, I didn’t use any cooling pad, and the internal fans were on most of the time and cut the battery life by almost 50 percent. The fan was on all the time because the MacBook Pro was running hot. Imagine all the work from the Core Duo, the Radeon X 1600, and the DVD ROM.
Cooling pad helps dissipating heat of the MacBook Pro and any notebooks in general. There are two kinds of cooling pads: active and passive. Active cooling pad has its own fans and requires a power source. Some of them are powered through USB, and some are powered to a AC/DC power adapter. I have not seen a cooling pad that’s powered by batteries. Passive cooling pad doesn’t have any fans. It dissipates heats by providing air cushion between the notebook and the surface.
Targus PA248U Tornado Notebook Chil Pad @ Amazon.com
MacBook & MacBook Pro @ Amazon.com ($100 rebate for MacBook & $150 rebate for MacBook Pro)
