I have an antec based tower system that I built a year or two back based on SPCR. Its very quiet

I also have a hp 17" laptop that has a fairly noisy fan . I believe its the GPU fan, which is working harder now that I'm using it most of the time with two monitors. as a simple upgrade to cut down the noise I'd like to put one of those external fan coolers underneath my laptop.

Can anyone recommend which ones are any good? Big is better - it will sit only on a desk when being used, and I use a docking station so something with room for that at the back would be good.

thanks,
Ian

Personally, I'd skip the fan-powered versions of those laptop coolers. I've never heard one who's built-in fans weren't as loud, or louder than a notebook's fans.

I'd undervolt the laptop* so that it runs cooler, and prop up the rear of the laptop to get more airflow underneath it.






*using rmclock or notebookhardwarecontrol.

or CrystalCPUID.

Building your own laptop cooler is also an option.
I build one from cardboard, a Scythe Slipstream (1200) and a USB-cable.
Powering the slipstream from the USB-port effectively undervolts the fan enough to be VERY quiet while still providing plenty of aitflow.

Making your own USB powered fan is really easy.
Just cut open a USB cable. Connect red(usb) wire to red(fan) wire and black(usb) wire to black(fan) wire.



The last wire in the USB cable is not needed. Neither is the last wire from the fan (used for RPM monitoring).

thanks for the suggestions. the rear is already lifted up as it sits on a dock station so that does raise the back some, so there is already some air allowed underneath. Pushing some more through that space with a diy "cooling case" from cardboard and a usb fan seems like its worth a try. And I'll try the s/w undervolt options as well.

cheers
Ian