Back in 2019, I bought my very first gaming laptop, and I’ve been sold on the idea of a portable writing and gaming computer ever since. As much as I love my gaming laptops, both of my models, an Eluktronics and an MSI, both feel like they’re about to catch fire whenever I’m playing a heavy-hitting game like Division or Destiny 2. A couple gaming sessions later, and I realized I needed a laptop cooling pad. After taking a look at various models, I decided to try out the HAVIT 5 Gaming Laptop Cooling Pad. It boasts five fans and an adjustable rollout switch to customize my cooling experience. And it offers anti-slip baffles so my curious cat can’t knock it off my laptop. After over a year of use, I still use this almost every day for my gaming needs. Read on for our final verdict, as well as thoughts on its specs.
Design: Looks like a gamer’s cooling pad
HAVIT offers this laptop cooling pad in two different colors: red and blue. I personally felt that the red would be too bright and opted for the blue; when I pulled it out of the box, I was surprised at how heavy its 1.8 pounds felt in my hand. To me, the design seems a little clunky. It has smooth edges, but it’s clearly designed as a gamer’s edgy laptop cooling pad with seemingly unnecessary grooves that serve only to hold dust. If you’re looking for a simple design, this is not your cooling pad. That being said, the metal mesh pad for air circulation can accommodate laptops ranging from 14 to 17 inches thanks to its 15.87 x 11.81 x 1.34 inches (LWH) in dimension.
Fans: Wasn’t blown away
I set up the cooling pad and flipped on the roller switch. HAVIT promises five quiet fans—one 110-millimeter fan, and four other strategically placed 85-millimeter fans. HAVIT holds true to its promise: This cooling pad emits a fairly faint sound I can’t hear through my Samsung Buds headphones, even with their noise cancelling features. The fans are so quiet that if I was gaming, I wasn’t able to hear them. Better yet, I could adjust the fans to customize how much air I wanted to circulate due to the roller switch HAVIT put as the on/off switch. If I wasn’t sure about how much power I was putting into the fans, I could simply lift my laptop up from the pad; as I turned up the power, the blue LED lights in the cooling pad grew brighter. Before getting this cooling pad, my Eluktronics laptop sounded like an airplane was taking off and landing at my desk space. I wish I could say that this changed after implementing the pad into my gaming rig, or even with my MSI laptop. Unfortunately, my laptops’ fans still sound like I’m on the tarmac instead of being at home. That’s not to say that this laptop cooling pad doesn’t help cool it down. Since my Eluktronics is getting some much-needed TLC in the shop, I tested the MSI’s internal temps while running Tropico Six on my laptop. Without the laptop cooling pad, I was running around 187 degrees Fahrenheit. With the cooling pad, it adjusted to around 169 degrees. It’s not much, but it’s enough to make a difference.
Baffles: Adjustable for gaming and typing
If you feel the laptop needs more circulation, the good news is that HAVIT also anticipated these needs, too. Anti-slip baffles offer a sturdy position on any desk, even if you push up the height to a more angled position. There is a sturdy flap should you prefer the angled laptop pad, or if you prefer, a sturdier laptop placement while flat. I tested out the height adjustment for a little while, but ultimately decided against using them for personal preference instead of durability reasons. And, if you’re on-the-go and travelling, the HAVIT 5 also packs quite nicely into a suitcase. Be sure to play it safe like I did and pack it around clothes. But if you need to go across country and want to take your gaming laptop with you, this is a good one that will hold up well in luggage.
Price: Ouch
HAVIT 5 vs. Kootak Laptop Cooling Pad
It makes sense to compare the Kootak Laptop Cooling Pad to the HAVIT. Both have five cooling fans, both fit laptops up to 17 inches, and both offer anti-slip baffles to ensure your laptop is safe if you want to adjust the height for more air circulation or wrist angle preferences. The key differences are design and adjustability. While the HAVIT is clearly a gaming laptop cooling pad, the Kootak features smooth edges and has a more universal aesthetic to its design. The Kootak is also cheaper, at around $37. If you prefer a true gaming cooling pad, go with the HAVIT. If you don’t care about aesthetics and prefer to be cost conscious, the Kootak will be better suited to your needs.
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It’s not the best out there, but so long as it cools the internal laptop core temperatures by about 20 degrees, it’s a worthy investment. Props go to HAVIT for giving it a roller switch for ultimate adjustability and an LED light that will show how high the fans are blowing. The fans could be stronger, but quieter fans over more power is preferable.
