So, you’re looking for the best laptop cooler for your Chromebook.
By default, Chromebooks are already pretty cool. They don’t have any internal fans since they’re pretty efficient in terms of heat generation and airflow.
But for those who really do want to keep their Chromebook cool, you’re in the right place.
I’ve gone ahead and scoured the web for some of the most trusted names in laptop cooling, and compiled a list of the absolute best Chromebook cooling pads.
Ready to buy the best cooling pad to keep your Chromebook running ice cold? Read on.
Let’s roll!
(And keep your cool!)
Last updated: 2/14/23. This list has been updated for accuracy. Updated a few specs for the products on this buyer’s guide.
Best Chromebook cooling pads reviewed (at a glance)
Here’s a pretty little table to summarize this entire buyer’s guide (for those who are short on time).
Keeping your device cool can help boost performance, extend your battery, and also keep your lap from becoming uncomfortable from all the exhaust heat! No one wants that!
| MODEL | PRICE | FEATURES | VIEW ON AMAZON | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Havit HV-F2056 | $$ | Triple fan cooling Blue LEDs Adjustable height USB port Quiet design | View |
 | Cooler Master NotePal X3 | $$$ | 200mm fan Adjustable fan speed USB ports Adjustable height Quiet design Blue LEDs Hand cooler vents | View |
 | AmazonBasics Adjustable Laptop Cooler | $ | Super adjustable tilt Cable management No power needed | View |
How they were rated
Being the Chromebook nerd that I am, I already have some buddies that own the cooling pads on the list.
I borrowed each of them and also bought a few to make my own personal impressions about them. Others were cheap enough that I just ordered a few and then messed around with them to do the trials.
The cooling pads on this list are all compatible with Chromebooks and are the best of the best (based on my experience), and all 3 are fully compatible with Chromebooks from my testing.
Since it’s nearly impossible to test every cooling model with every Chromebook, I tested each one using 3 different models and made sure they work on all 3 as a random sample size.
If you come across one that doesn’t work, let me know. Please leave a comment with your Chromebook model and I’ll do some research.
Choosing only 3 from the dozen or so that I tested was indeed a tough choice. Some I could knock off the list right away because they were too bulky, too inefficient, or simply didn’t work with Chromebooks for some odd reason.
The remaining 3 coolers on this list are the best in terms of cooling effectiveness, size, and performance.
Modern devices really don’t run hot unless you stress it. But if you’re playing games, watching streams, or running lots of things at once, you can really heat it up!
I wanted something that didn’t weigh a ton so it could be portable, and I wanted something that would effectively keep the Chromebook cool- you know, kind of like what the cooling pad is supposed to do, right?
So without further ado, here’s my list of the best cooling pads for Chromebooks.
Why keep your Chromebook cool?
There are many benefits to keeping your laptop cold, let alone electronic devices in general.
For those who didn’t know, heat is the number one killer in electronics. Heat will warp metal, slow down performance, and even reduce your Chromebook’s life which could eventually make it malfunction.
That’s why it’s imperative to keep your laptop as cool as possible at all times.
Again, Chromebooks don’t have any internal cooling, such as fans. While having no fans built-in will keep the laptop lighter, more power efficient, and less noisy, this means heat transfer and dissipation is lackluster.
Most Chromebooks do have passive cooling, such as some vents here and there to drain the heat when it does heat up.
But a lot of times, especially when I’m using the laptop on my actual lap (when I’m laughing in bed), the thing does get pretty hot.
Keeping your Chromebook cool will offer a few benefits, such as:
- Extend the battery life
- Extend the overall life
- Reduce wear and tear
- Boost performance and efficiency
- Faster CPU and GPU speeds
- Lower the ambient temperature in your room or surroundings
- Save your lap from scorching heat?
Enter the cooling pad (yes, Chromebooks need them, too)
Out of all the benefits offered on this list, I think keeping the battery cool would be the most beneficial.
Heat will kill your Chromebook’s battery and reduce the overall efficiency of the battery also.
This means by running your laptop hot, you’re effectively making your battery wear down faster, which means it’ll hold less of a charge, drain faster, and basically not last as long as when it was new.
This is also why I suggest to never keep your Chromebook plugged into the charger while you’re using it. This just kills the battery life and is terrible for the Chromebook overall.
1. Havit HV-F2056 Laptop Cooling Pad
First up, we have the all-around laptop cooling pad by Havit.
This cooling pad works with Chromebooks and is fully compatible without any problems.
I actually picked this one up just for this review, as it was a highly-rated laptop cooler with thousands of reviews. The others on this list I’ve had experience with already or borrowed from a friend.
But this one was a highly-rated cooler, so I thought I’d give it a shot and review it- definitely don’t regret the purchase.
Update: In 2022, this cooler has basically become a permanent piece on my desk. I don’t bring it anywhere. I just plop the laptop on it for home usage.
One size fits all (Chromebooks) – up to 17″
The pad is super lightweight.
It works for any laptop up to 17”, which should be no problem for any Chromebook owner, as most of them are just around 11.6”.
Even if you have a Chromebook with a giant screen, that’s not a problem for this cooling pad as it supports a huge size.
Given that this cooler will support pretty much any sized Chromebook on the market, the overall weight and profile is super slim. It weighs just about 1.5 pounds (yes, it’s that light) and measures 14.9” x 11” x 1.2”.
The profile is just over an a tiny inch in height and you can definitely carry this thing anywhere you go.
The lightweight design and slim profile makes this an extremely portal laptop cooler for your Chromebook.
Next up is the actual cooling performance. The HV-F2056 has a triple fan design. Once you plug it into your Chromebook’s USB port, the fans will power up with blue lighting and start spinning.
This thing keeps your Chromebook cool as if you weren’t even using it. No joke.
Keeps your Chromebook cool under heavy load
When I first testing this, I was about 20 minutes in and I lifted the laptop from the cooler and felt the underside. It was tepid, but I was thinking that’s because I wasn’t’ really stressing the laptop yet.
So I opened up a more tabs playing some videos while watching some Twitch streams. I also had an instance of Subway Surfers running in the background. I let it stress for about 20 more minutes, lifted it up, and it was still just as cool (maybe a few degrees higher).
I could feel the heat coming through the laptop’s keyboard, but the underside was cool as ice. No complaints for the performance of this thing- it works.
Hands down.
Study build that doesn’t feel like cheap plastic
The material feels sturdy.
It’s mainly plastic with a coated grip texture mesh material to keep your laptop from slipping. It advertises to keep it stable and resists basic wear and tear and fading.
You can tell that the coated plastic is durable and will resist constant scratching from you placing and removing your laptop over and over. It feels thick and solid without that cheap glossy plastic that scratches from your fingernails.
Triple fan cooling with shiny, bright, blue LEDs
Other than performance, the cooling pad has three blue LED lights that are cool to look at form the top when they spin. The lights can’t be toggled to my knowledge, so for those that hate LED lighting, skip this one.
They’re not distracting at all since you’ll be using your laptop on top of the cooler, so no need to be worried about having bright LEDs in your eyes. None of that here.
The LED lights are located near the on/off switch to let you know if the system is running so you don’t have to lift your laptop off the pad to check.
The three fans have a light blue/turquoise light output that’s pretty awesome to look at. It almost feels like you’re using a cheap gaming Chromebook, if those exist.
Height adjustable, tilt-friendly, possibly ergonomic?
The last, and probably the best feature, is the adjustable height. Yup, you can adjust the height
This particular model offers 2 different height adjustment levels so you can raise or lower the laptop. This makes sense, since Chromebooks are meant to be portable and you may use your laptop across a variety of desks and surfaces, thus, having the ability to adjust the height comes in handy.
The adjustment is done by shield holders, which are located behind the back of the pad.
This lets you “avoid back and neck pain” as it adjusts your laptop’s height and tils it toward you for ergonomic comfort- for those who believe this kind of thing.
No comment on that. I’m not buying this laptop cooler for ergonomics- just keeping my device cool.
USB passthrough included, super quiet performance
There’s also an extra USB port that allows you to connect additional USB devices.
This means you could connect additional USB-powered peripherals to your Chromebook directly through the cooling pad. Given that this is connected to your Chromebook, only supported USB peripherals will connect to your Chromebook properly- so don’t expect to use the USB passthrough without issue.
But that’s not why you’re buying a cooling pad- you want it to keep your laptop cool, not to connect more devices, right?
The fans are also super silent.
You can’t hear them unless you put your ear next to them and really try. Noise free and distraction free for projects, studying, homework, or even just watching funny cat videos online without distractions.
Small, portable, and does the job
For those who don’t need the portability, then just the performance of this thing does wonders. Most laptop coolers are double or triple the profile of this particular brand.
But then again, they’re made to keep your laptop running at cooler temperatures, not exactly for travel.
But the Havit does both- a slim profile with triple fans that dissipate heat. Most coolers have dual or triple fan designs.
Does it keep your Chromebook cool? Yes.
For those who do travel, you’ll appreciate the lightweight and small footprint. And you’ll dig the adjustable height of the pad.
Overall, the Havit is an excellent laptop cooler for the price. It’s affordable, cheap, and does an awesome job at keeping your Chromebook cool.
You can check out the triple fan design of the Havit on Amazon here.
2. Cooler Master NotePal X3
Next up we have the Cooler Master NotePal X3.
This thing is pretty much overpowered for Chromebooks, and I doubt there’s any current model on the market that this thing can’t handle.
Name brand = better performance?
Cooler Master has been in the gaming industry for quite some time.
Although they’re not the leader by any means, they’re definitely one up on the list. I’ve had some excellent experiences with their products back in my Windows laptop gaming days.
They’re probably best known for their giant LED fans, CPU coolers, and peripherals.
The NotePal X3 is a giant oversized laptop cooler that fits up to 17” laptops.
No Chromebook that currently exists at the time of this writing that this thing won’t support. The cooling pad works by one giant 200mm fan powered by USB.
Rather than having multiple smaller fans, this thing just has a huge single fan doing all the cooling.
A huge, 200mm fan does all the cooling
One thing I noticed right away is that there definitely is some noise from the fan.
Since it is a high-performance laptop cooler, you should expect that.
The product page lists the noise level as just 16-23 dBA, which is basically like a loud whisper. It’s really not all that loud, and the fan is adjustable so you can turn up the revolutions per minute if needed.
Fan speed controller onboard
There’s a nifty dial wheel to control the fan speed and a basic USB plug to plug into your Chromebook. It works without any necessary software drivers or fancy programs. Just plug and play.
Even if it did, I doubt Chrome OS would support it.
The NotePal was compatible with 3 different Chromebook models I tried:
- Acer 11 (CB3-131)
- Acer 14 (CB3-431-C5EX)
- ASUS Flip (C302A)
And I assume it works with all models since they’re all running Chrome OS. I also did a search online and didn’t see any compatibility issues with Chrome OS reported.
There are two USB ports that allow you to connect more devices to your Chromebook. Again, testing this with an external mouse seemed to work just fine.
However, I did plug in a USB desktop fan just for fun, and for some reason it didn’t work. It seems like the additional USB port is hit or miss, so you may want to do some research before buying if that’s important to you.
Cools your hands and your laptop
One thing I did really like about the NotePal X3 that I just had to add to this review is the fan blows air away from the laptop by blowing in the cool air and pushing out the hot air (how most laptop cooling pads work).
But it also blows air sideways around a bypass vent to cool your hands as you play.
This kind of gets rid of the sweaty palms and fingers, which is pretty cool.
Again, this is probably overkill for a Chromebook.
But if you really want to keep your Chromebook cool, you may want to check this one out. Like the Havit, this pad also allows you to tilt your Chromebook towards yourself for ergonomics.
The thing looks awesome with glossy UV coating and fancy mesh. Totally aimed for gamers.
There are a bunch of models you can choose from depending on the size of your Chromebook, and there are standard and gaming variants.
If you really want to keep your Chromebook cool, this is it
You could probably go for something not as hardcore if you want- I don’t see the need to go overboard.
But if you have other laptops that you actually do some gaming on, you may want to opt for the gaming versions.
The NotePal X3 measures 15.7 x 12.2 x 2.8” so it’s definitely thicker than the Habit. It also weighs 1.98 pounds so it’s heavier and bulkier also. But it definitely looks a lot cooler in my opinion.
Overall, this does an excellent job for my Acer Chromebook CB3-131. I can use it on my laptop without getting burned.
Check out the reviews for the Cooler Master NotePal X3 on Amazon.
3. AmazonBasics Ventilated Adjustable Laptop Stand
(That’s a mouthful of words.)
For those who want a guaranteed simple solution to keep their Chromebook cool (with elegance), this laptop holder may be the perfect companion.
To clarify, this is a passive laptop cooler, meaning there are absolutely no fans or moving parts. This is literally a mesh adjustable stand that keeps your laptop “in the air” so the heat can dissipate from the bottom more efficiently. It’s as “basic” as you want to get. 100% passive cooling, but doesn’t require any power source.
This also means you don’t have to deal with the heat directly on your legs or thighs when you’re using the machine.
Super basic
The stand is very basic- it’s really just a rectangular mesh platform with an adjustable hinge that allows you to tilt your laptop towards you at progressive angles.
The height is completely adjustable for increasing or decreasing the airflow (I guess you could think of that as an adjustable “fan” speed) from 12 to 35 degrees.
This allows you adjust the tilt as needed for when you’re sitting down or lying back for whatever you’re doing- reading, working, or just enjoying some memes (for days).
Lots of height adjustment positions
The height adjustment works by propping up the mesh that holds your Chromebook. It looks cheap, but it’s not flimsy in the slightest. It holds itself up well and firmly sits in place. No wobble while typing or anything.
So you put your Chromebook on the mesh platform and then tilt the platform towards you by raising it up.
There’s a bar that goes alongside the bottom of the platform and fits into teeth, which lets you adjust it to pretty much every angle you’ll possibly need.
It’s a very basic design and you could probably replicate it by putting your Chromebook on a huge textbook cover, tilting the cover by opening the book, and stacking up LEGO pieces to keep it open.
But that’s not as elegant, right?
Just a bare-bones laptop cooling pad for Chromebooks
Basic, but it works.
The mesh platform has two holders at the bottom to keep your Chromebook in place and from sliding down towards you as you adjust the height
There’s also a nice little power cord organizer with 6 holders to keep your workspace clean. You can basically “snap” power cords, USB cords, or other audio/mic cables.
Nothing fancy, but it’s nice to keep your wires straight and organized. Cable management at its finest? Probably not. But it works.
The material is mesh, plastic, and metal. The metal contacts for your laptop keep the base cool and offers better heat dissipation. It feels sturdy, sleek, and ergonomic.
The tilted position and the default position both work well together so you don’t have to remove this stand every time you work on a desk.
You can literally leave this on your desk with your device on top and work like that. No adjustments necessary.
Not exactly portable
The stand measures 13 x 11 x 7.2”, so it’s definitely a larger stand. It weighs about 2.43 pounds.
You could still carry the stand around, but it’s not as slim in profile as the others on this list.
But then again, this thing doesn’t require any USB nor power. You just put your Chromebook on it and it works automatically. The huge benefit from this is that it wont drain your Chromebook’s battery by drawing power for fans.
Without the necessary draw to power fans, this lessens the stress on your battery and keeps it running longer, while generating less heat. Other active coolers will drain battery, which generates heat, which kind of defeats the purpose of keeping it cool.
Of course, the cooling pads need to compensate for the additional load they add. But this one works without USB and doesn’t need a power source, and keeps the Chromebook cool.
How does it compare to traditional USB-powered coolers?
It’s definitely on the warmer side.
Since there are no fans to dissipate heat, the heat leaves the laptop by itself passively.
This stand simply keeps it up in the air and offers metal contacts to help. Having fans definitely helps speed up the process, as I could tell by my laptop getting warmer and staying warm when I start to stress it.
Compared to traditional fan-powered laptop coolers, this doesn’t work as effectively. But it’s still better than having none. Since Chromebooks don’t generate a lot of heat overall, this may be a suitable solution for someone who wants to keep their Chromebook cool, but doesn’t want to go overboard with the solution.
Overall, the AmazonBasics laptop cooling stand works with all Chromebooks and does the job. If you want something basic, cheap, and helps keep your laptop cool, check it out. This device works with Chromebooks up to 17”.
See the design of the AmazonBasics laptop cooler on Amazon.
Did you find the best laptop cooler for your Chromebook?
Well, that’s about all I have for you today (but feel free to check out my other articles if you’re a Chromebook owner).
This list should be a good jumping point for you to narrow down your search for the best cooling pad and make it that much simpler. I hope this list proves to be helpful and saves you some time.
If you have any other cooling pads you came across that you can vouch for, leave a comment and let me know. I’ll check it out.
Or if you’ve found this buyer’s guide to be helpful on your quest to find the perfect laptop pad, let me know also. Consider telling another Chromebook owner =]!
Thanks for reading!
Wow. That’s good suggestion for me. Still, I can’t decide.
Can you suggest to me which option will be best for the Asus x407ua laptop?