Gateway laptops are on to something.

[Steveo989]

I just found out my fan kicks in before the cpu reaches a high temp keeping it really cool even after an hour of folding.

 

[seadave77]

Steve,

I hate to burst your bubble, but all laptops do that. Good thing it's folding though.

 

[dicecca112]

my roommate laptop sounds like a friggin jet engine when it folds

 

[threeme2189]

lol....small fan big sound

 

[Steveo989]

Every minute or so for 5 seconds it sounds like a jet engine. Well it's my first laptop and I didn't know they all do that

 

[gt24]

This is manufacturer specific... I finally have solid evidence too to prove that Dell laptops like being the same temperature as a nuclear reactor! (well, that is an exaggeration... but...)

http://www.diefer.de/i8kfan/faq.html

2. My machine gets damn hot. Why do the fans refuse to turn on ?
The System BIOS sets a temperature value when the fan(s) kick in, and when they kick off. This 'kick in' temperature is quite high with current BIOS revisions (usually at 75°C-85°C). But this temperature will hardly ever be reached under normal use (at least on my I8k). And so the system heats up constantly. The temperature thresholds for certain BIOS versions are these:

Inspiron 8000:
BIOS A17: Inner fan slow speed at 85°C, turned off at 70°C (slow: ~7000RPM, high:~10500RPM)
BIOS A18: Inner fan slow speed at 80°C, turned off at 65°C (slow: ~7000RPM, high:~10500RPM)

Inspiron 8100:
BIOS A03: Inner fan slow speed at 80°C, turned off at 68°C (slow: ~6800RPM, high:~10800RPM)
BIOS A08 & A10: Inner fan slow speed at 80°C, turned off at 68°C (slow: ~7200RPM, high:~11000RPM)

So, be glad you have a latop with a fan that turns on at good times.

(now... if only I could get a laptop... )