Best Notebook Coolers for 18" Alienware Laptops

Cooling is a common discussion topic for gaming and benchmark enthusiasts, and owners of the M18x are no exception. Alienware systems have a reputation for having outstanding cooling systems, but even the best needs a little help when systems are pushed beyond their normal operating conditions.

If you are looking to buy a cooler, offer advice on what your favorite cooler is, or looking to build your own custom cooler, this is the right thread for discussion.

Feel free to post photos showing your setup... the more the better. Remember forum rules and keep images 500x500 pixels or less, use thumbnails or spoilers.

 

Im thinking of making a custom cooler for the m18x that will be arriving in about 10 days. But want to know how the bottom vents of the m18x work. Do all bottom vents push air into the components or are there vents that push air out as well under.

 

All the vents on the underside have fans that suck air in and blow it out the back except for the vent on the left, nearest the power jack and its corresponding section under the notebook. There is no fan there, just a vent & some mesh to keep a rough design symmetry across the rear and underside.

 

There are 3 fans. All 3 suck in from the bottom and blow out at the back.

All Alienware laptops has the air intake at the bottom and exhaust at the back.

The optimum home made cooler would be 3x 80mm high airflow fans blowing air into the vents that have fans. Its also good to include dustfilters.

 

Thx, appreciate the info. Regarding the 4th vent that doesn't have a fan, should I place one in there as well? Or would it be no benefit?

 

There's no heatsink there so it'll be pointless IMO

 

Might be worth upping the size of the fans to 120mm.......

 

A 4th fan would help cool the motherboard as that's basically what it vents even though it isn't fan assisted.

 

You could also manufacture it out of aluminium....good to keep the base cool.

 

120mm fans are usually slower than 80mm fans. A fast 80mm fan will push more air into the vents than a fast (but still slower) 120mm fan. A lot of the air the 120mm fan push will hit the area around the vent holes witthout entering the vent.

 

Ahhhhh - gotcha.

 

Ok so 4 80mm fans, I have a friend that works in sheet metal fabrication. Just have to check if they work with aluminum.

 

Also if I may from what i have learned here: the more fan blades, the more silent the fans will be. Also take in consideration some degrees of inclination from back to front. Helps in typing...

 

Oh have another question. Are there any power supplies that just powers 4 pin power connectors for the fans? I don't want a big atx power supply.

 

That is correct!

 

You can take juice from your motherboard
Involves soldering and loss of warranty though. Or a clean soldering job on some USB ports

 

He, he: I learned that from you my friend...

 

Maybe you can drawn some ideas from this model?: NotePal U3 - Cooler Master - Leading Provider of Computer Case | Cooler | Power Supply

 

I don't want to draw the power from a USB connection as it only powers about 5v, which means not so powerful fans, I want a wall plug that can power 12v fans.

 

Coolerguys Deluxe External 120V to 12V Power Supply with Programmable Thermal Control & LED Display
Do u think this will work?

 

There was in this forum a wise guy called "JoeBarchuck"... (found: http://forum.notebookreview.com/alienware/486526-custom-made-laptop-cooler-joebarchuck.html) He have very good ideas. I think that he even design and produce a desk with a cooler buil in... Maybe you can find him... Another one with very cool ideas is SpeedyGonzales... and two with a lot of experience to learn from are Aikimox and Joker... Maybe you can PM them?

 

Thats the cooler I have and I find it very good....I also saw Joe's home made cooler which was absolutely awesome - more of a cooling desk. When I get some time to do it, I think I will bust out the chop saw, table saw etc etc and knock something together too. Nothing can match something thats built to order by yourself for yourself.

 

two USB = ~10V

 

The reason for this cooler is because I use my laptop on my lap, while in sofa or in bed. And most gaming coolers don't have a stopper at the front, stopping it from sliding forward.

 

The NZXT Cryo LX has rubber on the surface which makes it impossible to slide, i just grabbed the edges of the laptop and tried to make it slide and they won't separate from eachother.
True this cooler has sharp edges but they can be rounded

 

Even if the laptop and NZXT Cryo LX are at a 45 degree. Example, I lay in bed, with my legs holding the laptop at a 45 degree while I lay down in bed.

 

This one is very well built and has two 140" movable fans... ( CM Storm Strike Force SF-19 Laptop Cooler ) You can have in your lap, or in a desk a bed table, etc. and it has also USB 3.0... and nothing will slide from it. SF-19 Strike Force (USB 3.0) - Cooler Master

...or you can "take" same ideas for the one you want to make...

 

Thx for the help guys. I'll check now what would be more cost efficient. Lol.

 

Any suggestions..what's everyone using

 

I bought the targus chill mat. Works ok. Pretty comfortable.

 

I really want to buy a CM Storm SF-19 for my M18x. But at this point don't really see a need to. My temps are fantastic at idle and at full load. And since the M18x has 5 USB ports, I don't really need a hub.
I still want one though because of the customizable lighting to match my Razer Naga EPIC, Logi G13, M18x's AlienFX & Alienware Tactx keyboard on order. Maybe someone who owns a CM Storm SF-19 and a M18x can post a few pictures.

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CM Storm SF-19

 

I have the Notepal U3, and I cannot think of a way it could be better. It has three fans you can move where ever you like, so they can be lined right up to the intakes, it is a perfect fit size wise and it is cheap. Fan speed can easily be adjusted too, which I like as it minimises dust injection when it's not needed.

Personally I don't see the attraction of any USB ports on the cooler. Mine sits slightly away from me on my own desk, so accessing USB ports around the thing would just be a pain. And if I'm travelling, then obviously I'm not taking a large cooler. On top of that I now have a G19, which puts two USB ports right there on the keyboard.

 

yeah ive got the notepal as well, very good versatile cooler

 

Another vote for the NotePal U3 here.....good cooling and a nice price!

 

Thats the one i'm interested too but it seems to me that the fans are a little bit too low for the m18x. By low I mean the fans are closer to the user and since the intake is near the edge of the laptop then this pad wont directly feed the intake.

 

Etowns, if you are after lowering your temps, put a book under the rear edge of your m18x. If you want to be sophisticated about it, buy a pair of 'notebook feet', eg. what bluelounge offers. Doing so will improve air circulation under your laptop, so the fans will be able to suck in more. You can expect some 5*C less by doing so.

 

Look here! I bet there are 9000 threads already covering this issue. Buuuuuuuut...............

 

You are right about there placement, but for how big the fans are I know it provides effective cooling.

 

I am sure its effective and it looks kewl as hell but for 100 bucks I would rather buy something that had better placement. I do not mind spending lots of money as long as its something that will provide better cooling than a 50 dollar equivalent cooler.

 

In October we Alaska residents are offered the yearly Permenant Fund Dividend(Free money for living here). With a portion of that money I will buy a SF-19, PS Vita & upgrade my M18x's ram from HyperX1600 to 1866. I can't pass it up for 79.99....and the reviews are really good.

Amazon.com: Cooler Master Storm SF 19 17" Laptop Cooler with USB 3.0 (SGA-6000-KKYF1): Electronics

 

I dont mind paying 200 dollars as long as the cooler base is ideal for the m18x laptop.

Now most likely I will end up buying this myself but I still don't like it. I am hoping something else would pop up that's a better solution.

PS: Dude I live in South Florida so I need the cooler, all you need to do is open a window and you can OC your GPU to 999/9999/99999

 

I'm actually from Tampa Fl....lol. But live here. lately it's been up in the low 70's here. Most homes do not have AC because summer is so short here.

Those fans are so big that the M18x's bottom intake fans will defenitely pull air from the SF-19's setup. I don't really need a dust filter because I service my unit once a week for dust. Most coolers don't have dust filters. I really like the quality/customizable colour LED's/functionality.

 

I'm trying to delay buying one myself in hopes that a better solution will be made available. But if I was buying today then I would buy this.

I just hope something better comes out soon because I am not sold on this unit regarding my m18x.

 

Point taken. I would also like to see smaller fans that are re-positional and the ability to use usb as a source of power .

 

Send it my way!!

 

I have the CM Storm SF-19, honestly, it does not cool down my M18X at all.... I have been really suprised cause the fans are powerful. I have tried moving it around, placing the vents right over the fans....nothing. All the thing is good for is looking cool and keeping my legs from burning up if I have it on my lap.

 

Anyone have or seen a comparison between the U3 and SF-19 on the m18x, with numbers?

 

Thanks for all the reviews, i went ahead and purchased the U3. By the way, would it be safe to carry the m18x in the holder on the U3? Thanks

 

Richard Russell I would not carry the m18x in that. Its like parking your ferrari in the ghetto! Either buy the orion back pack or something similar.

As for the coolpad I would imagine it cools down the m18x better than the other solutions just because you can position your fans closer to the intake.

 

Yeah, the only thing that concerns me is that i bought this backpack Amazon.com: Toshiba PA1453U-1BG8 18.4 inches Gaming Backpack: Electronics ,but If it's safe to put it in the fan compartment in the U3, and then put it in the backpack, then i'll probably do so. I need all the room i can get in that backpack for the job I perform.