Interesting cooling challenge...

[Kaysee]

Here's a fun one for you...

My laptop runs extremely warm when it's working hard (P4 3.0, GeForce FX) - up in the 80 degree C range...

I've just modified my desk so that below the fan intake is a hole, with a 92mm fan blowing a lot more air through.

Has anyone got any ideas how I can cool this air stream to below ambient? I could mount a 120mm radiator and fan below the hole, and run cold water through the radiator, but will this cool the air sufficiently?

Any mods are to be to the desk, not the laptop, and it must be a fairly cheap solution.

There's the challenge - any takers?

 

[veryhumid]

cheap way: grab 4 20oz bottle caps and put them under each corner. the added airflow under the computer can make a big difference.

look at laptop coolers, some are passive, some have fans built in. they work well too and are usually around $20.

but in the end it's a lappy and you shouldn't go to any trouble for it

 

[Kaysee]

As I said, there is now a 95mm hole below the air intake that suck ambient air from the large area under my desk, which is a legged, open design, so there is free airflow from the entire room.

Cutting this hole has decreased temps by 5 degrees, and I'm now rewiring the 92mm fan so I've got more control over it - this knocks a few more degrees off.

Airflow isn't the problem - I would just like the air that is flowing to be cooler.