Gaming laptops are designed to have a powerful gaming performance and the best in class display. However, it can get really hot when you play games on your laptop for long hours. This is because the processor and graphics card are working really hard to render the game.
The CPU generates heat while it processes data, and a laptop’s cooling fan blows that hot air out of the computer.
This causes your laptop to overheat and shut down if it doesn’t get enough airflow.
Cooling pads solve this problem by blowing cool air onto your laptop’s surface so that heat can be dissipated more effectively.
How To Cool Laptop While Gaming?
The best way to get the best performance while gaming is to keep your laptop cool. This also prevents premature hardware failure caused by overheating.
That’s why gaming laptops manufacturers such as Asus, Razer, Alienware, and MSI are constantly trying to come up with new and innovative ways to keep laptops cool.
For example, Acer’s Predator Helios 700 has a keyboard that can be lowered to increase airflow. On the other hand, when the ROG Zephyrus GX501 is opened, its bottom flexes, causing air to circulate and creating an open space.
Another method includes using vapor chamber cooling rather than traditional heat pipes and installing multiple high-speed fans. Overheating causes all sorts of problems in laptops including:
- #1: Thermal throttling leads to performance drops in gaming
- #2: Your computer gets shut down suddenly
- #3: Feeling hot to the touch when typing on the keyboard
- #4: A hardware failure before its time
- #5: The sound of the fan will get louder as it gets hotter.
This article looks at 12 ways to keep your laptop cool while gaming and ensure it doesn’t overheat and lag again.
12 Ways To Keep Your Laptop Cooler While Gaming
- #1: Close Applications Running In Background
- #2: Disable Startup Programs
- #3: Disable Antivirus Software
- #4: Get A Laptop Cooler
- #5: Avoid using Screen Recording Software
- #6: Avoid Using Fps Calculating Software
- #7: Update Graphic Card
- #8: Update or add a new RAM
- #9: Install an SSD (Solid State Drive)
- #10: Use Laptop on AC power
- #11: Change CPU Power Settings In Windows 10
- #12: Clean Temporary Files With CCleaner
#1. Close Applications Running In Background
Not every application on your laptop is closed just because your Windows taskbar does not show any running or opened apps. Several applications run in the background on your laptop without you realizing it.
To close them, click the CTRL+SHIFT+ESC(Fn) key combinations together. Following that, you will be able to see multiple open programs in the background.
The names of each program are displayed on hovering over the icon. By right-clicking on every icon and choosing “Quit”, “Disable” all of the programs that you are not using.
#2. Disable Startup Programs
Typically, your laptop slows down over time because of the applications or software that load up immediately after you start your laptop.
Different software is installed for specific uses, and some of these applications are scheduled to start automatically during system startup.
These apps slow down your laptop by hogging crucial system resources, and in turn affect gaming performance while playing games.
Make sure to keep your multi-touch or multi-display programs like the Nvidia, AMD Radeon, or Intel HD up and running.
#3. Disable Antivirus Software
Assume, for example, that your laptop is safe from the threats I mentioned above due to having antivirus software on it.
It is thus my recommendation to disable and stop the Antivirus software from your computer.
Due to the fact that Antivirus software also runs in the background and checks your computer for threats on a regular basis, this again hogs your system resources, slowing the performance of the game down.
Therefore, you should make sure to shut down the software during the time you’re going to play.
#4. Buy A Laptop Cooler Pad
This cooling pad for laptops lowers temperatures with four incredible cooling fans.
Furthermore, it features an easy-to-use design and a strong work surface that can prevent laptops from falling off a cooling pad.
It is also an excellent addition for you in terms of your setup due to its LED lights. It will improve the performance of your laptop while you play Overwatch.
A very good gaming laptop has a cooling system that is superior to the cooling system in an average laptop or everyday laptop.
Although your laptop will not get hot if you make the changes mentioned previously, this does not guarantee that it will not get hot and thus result in poor gaming performance.
There are numerous laptop cooler pads on Amazon.com, and some are more effective than others. Likewise, some don’t provide real performance and are only meant to make money for the manufacturer.
A laptop cooler is capable of reducing heat generated by your laptop by a degree or more.
Although it might seem like a small amount, reducing heat by a degree or more will mean a lot for it.
#5. Avoid Using Screen Recording Software
Using Gameplay Recording Software is just as detrimental to gaming performance as FPS Calculating Software.
Avoid using Game Play or Screen Recording Software unless you aren’t playing games for experimental purposes.
#6. Avoid Using FPS Calculating Software
Using FPS calculating software like Fraps, you can see how many frames per second you’re getting.
FPS Calculating software itself consumes at least 15-20% of a system’s resources, which can make gaming performance worse by as much as 10%.
The additional smooth gameplay can only be experienced with FPS Calculating software.
There are usually FPS display options in most games; however, my recommendation would be to disable them too and use them only for experimental purposes.
#7. Update Graphic Card
Ensure that the graphics card drivers on your laptop are up to date if they came with one. Typically, your laptop will include a graphics card from NVidia or AMD Radeon, as well as an “Intel HD/UHD”.
You can find out about the Graphics Card included in your system by looking at the laptop’s product specifications or by searching for “Device Management” in the Windows 10 search bar, and then by expanding the “Display Adapters”.
You can update your graphics drivers easily by clicking on this link if your laptop comes with Intel HD/UHD Graphics.
However, if your laptop is equipped with graphics from Nvidia or AMD Radeon, you will need to refer to their respective websites to download the necessary drivers.
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When you still cannot locate the drivers for your laptop, check its official product page online at its manufacturer’s website and go to the “Drivers” or “Downloads” section and download the latest drivers.
If not, you can download the “Driver Update Tool” for free that scans your laptop and suggests updated drivers.
However, use the Driver Update Tool only as a last resort if all other options have failed.
NOTE: It is important to pay attention that all software used for Driver Update Tools should be uninstalled once they are completed in order to avoid unintentional install of adware.
#8. Update Or Add A New RAM
Surely you’ll see a decrease in loading time, performance, and battery life if your laptop is too old.
Your laptop’s RAM may be old, causing it to perform badly and cause it to lag when playing games.
Please make sure that the RAM you order is compatible with your existing RAM in your laptop before ordering.
Moreover, make sure that you ordered RAM for the laptop, not a computer or a PC.
It is better to buy DDR4 if your laptop does not support DDR3, rather than buying DDR3.
With more RAM, your game will load faster, and you will be able to play more quickly.
#9. Install An SSD (Solid State Drive)
If your laptop has a hard drive, you should read this section, and if it has an SSD, you should skip this section.
Indeed, if your laptop has only one SATA slot, then the only solution would be to replace the HDD (Hard Disk Drive) with SSD (Solid State Drive).
In case your laptop has an M.2 SSD slot, you’ll find both internal and external versions; an internal SATA M.2 SSD and an external NVMe M.2 SSD.
10. Use Laptop On AC power
Most laptops are configured to have reduced performance when charging from their batteries but perform optimally as soon as their AC adapter is connected.
The manufacturer has done this to ensure that your laptop’s battery does not run down faster and that you never blame them as a result of poor battery performance.
Therefore, it is advisable to plug your charging cord in while playing games on your laptop or computer.
#11. Change CPU Power Settings In Windows 10
For those who hate playing games with the power on, this tip will help.
Click on “Power Options” in Windows 10 and click on “Advanced Settings” and scroll down to “Processor Power Management”.
Two options are available there: “Minimum Processor State” and “Maximum Processor State.”
All yo have to do now is, open up both the drop-down menus and set
- On Battery: 90%
- Plugged In: 90%
Make sure this is set to Minimum Processor State and Maximum Processor State.
Using this setting, your CPU will always be at 90% load even when you are playing the best games.
However, most people might question whether 90% is too low, why not 100%? Let me tell you that when your CPU reaches 100% load, it will generate more heat, and the extra heat will make your processor throttle and slow down.
Its cooling system is probably not sophisticated if your laptop is a low-end Gaming Laptop. Having these options enabled will keep your CPU from maxing out and generating excessive heat.
#12. Clean Temporary Files With CCleaner
The first important step here is to clear all of your temporary and redundant files from your laptop.
These files consume unnecessary space on your hard drive and consume valuable space that could be easily freed. Although it may have a minimal effect on Gaming Performance, it is still the most fundamental and primary thing to do.
It is possible to remove the temporary files of your laptop with many free applications. Although I have various software in my toolkit, CCleaner is the only program I consistently use.
Conclusion
I shared 12 methods to cool your laptop while playing games. I am using cooling pad to cool my laptop. Let me know in the comment section which method you are using to cool your laptop while gaming.
