Because the compact design of laptops restricts huge amount of air flow, it is more prone to overheating than desktops. This is also due to small casing of the laptop that provides less room for heat to dissipate. So, how to keep your notebook computer running cool? Aside from the embedded exhaust fans, there are other ways to maintain your mobile system at the most desirable temperature.

1. Clean the air vents of your notebook using an air compressed can or clean cloth. Dust and dirt can block the air vents and obstruct the hot air from going out.

2. Get a notebook cooling pad. It is one of the most effective ways to keep your laptop cool as possible. Cooling pads come in different designs, colors, sizes and configurations, making it easier for you to choose the one that meets your laptop’s requirements and your personal preferences as well.

3.  Using a laptop stand is another way to help your mobile computer breathe easier. It is usually a flat board with short legs that support and separate your laptop from the surface, thus creating a space for heat to dissipate easily.

4. If you are going to use your machine outside, one great solution is to use special laptop mat, which is actually filled with crystal gel that help absorbs heat.

5. If you don’t have a cooling pad, always put your laptop on a smooth, solid surface. Placing your computer on your bed or on a cushion, you’re just keeping the temperature to rise.

6. Reducing the brightness of the screen will significantly lessen the power consumes by the system; thus heat output will decrease also.

7. Pointing an electric fan at your notebook can also help disperse the warm air inside it.

Before MacBook Air, now there is the latest Dell Adamo XPS notebook which can be considered the world’s thinnest laptop on the market today. Having a thickness of 9.9mm only, this Dell notebook is an ultra mobile machine in terms of portability and lightness. This Dell’s second Adamo range boasts itself for having ergonomic design, plus great hi-tech features that will surely suffice the needs of end users.

Instead of having a traditional clamshell design, the keyboard flips down from the display. This kind of setup lets it to claim the overall thinness and allowing consumers to turn heads and impress their colleagues. Depending upon the model of Adamo XPS laptop, its starting weight is just over 1.3kg.

In order to achieve the maximum thinness, there are few things that need to be sacrificed. This slim Dell notebook doesn’t come with Ethernet socket and optical drive. However, there is an optional drive which can be bought separately.

Below is the technical specification of Dell Adamo XPS:

• Dimension: 0.38-0.41” x 13.39” x 10.78”
• Intel Core 2 Duo (1.4Ghz) ultra-low voltage processor
• 64-bit Windows 7 pre-installed
• 4GB DDR3 memory (800MHz)
• Thin 128GB solid state drive
• 13.4” LED display with 720p output capability
• Built-in 802.11n wireless
• 20 WHr Li-Ion battery
• Full size keyboard with aluminum keycaps; touchpad with gestures
• Connectivity: display port, 2xUSB 2.0, audio, Ethernet (via included dongle)
• Built-in location awareness to provide real time local maps to show people where they are

Now, this notebook offers head-turning design along with decent capabilities for everyday computing tasks. For techie and regular users who want to impress their friends, this thin laptop will definitely do the trick!

I read somewhere that someone was having problem with her laptop computer. Her laptop suddenly shuts down after using it for 10 to 20 minutes without warning. This kind of problem is usually caused by overheating problem. Like what we said on our previous post “Computer Problem: Computer Overheating”, laptops are more susceptible to this kind of problem than desktop computers.

For laptop owners out there here are some signs that your laptop might have overheating problem:

1.    Laptop keyboard and the laptop bottom feel very hot when you use your laptop.
2.    Loud noise coming from the CPU fans and working all the time at maximum rotation speed.
3.    All of the sudden your laptop shuts down without any warning. When this kind of problem is just starting, your laptop shuts down after 1-2 hours and for serious cases it shuts down after 5-10 minutes of operation.
4.    Even if the laptop works perfectly when you are not using it or in idle mode it shuts down as soon as you use any hard application that requires a lot of memory such as playing DVD player, image and video editing software and the like.

Solution:

1.    For mild problem you can use any shop vacuum to suck the dust out from your laptop. You don’t need to take your laptop apart immediately.
2.    Check if the CPU and heat sink of your laptop if clogged with dust and lint. If it is mildly clogged with dust you can try to use canned air to blow the dust away from the CPU and heat sink. This is a nice precaution measure when your CPU and heat sink are starting to get clogged by dust and lint but might not work for serious cases. When your laptop is already completely clogged with dust you can use a heavy duty shop vacuum to clean out the fan and heat sinks. Instead of a vacuum cleaner you can also try powerful air compressor instead.
3.    You can clean the CPU fan and heat sink when you open your laptop case. Pls. check your manual how to open your laptop case because different manufacturer varies how to do this task. Remember that there are companies that will void your warranty if you open your laptop.
4.    Carefully clean the heat sink and the fan. After cleaning it test the fan if it will make any grinding sound when you use it. If it does then maybe its time to have it changed.
5.    If your laptop is still under warranty, you can take it to service provider and let them fix the problem at no charge to you.