looking for notebook that doesn't overheat

Hey everyone, ok I have this problem with my dell.
It just overheats and shuts down all the time. I use my notebook ALL THE TIME. it's usually always on because of all the work I'm doing with it. Mostly music production related. I have gotten a cooler which has helped out alot however when I'm on the go and working somewhere else, I don't want to have to worry about lugging around a cooler just because my dell has a problem.

I am looking for a high end machine that doesn't have an overheating problem. Can anyone recomend anything?

It is GREATLY apreciated!
thank you!

Frederic.

 

Could you take a look at the FAQ for what ot buy posts and provide us with more details? There are too many options to just start tossing names out.

 

Hi, thanks for replying
unfortunately that faq doesn't cover anything about notebook cooling and/or overheating problems. actually I couldn't find any reviews that talk about this topic which is why I'm posting.

- Are there brands that generally overheat more than others?
- Are there brands that are more efficient at distributing heat?
- Is there a notebook specification that directly relates to the amount of energy/heat it produces?
These are my general questions. I can figure out the details of hardware specifics afterwards but cooling is my primary concern because my computer is always active and I can't afford it shutting down all the time because of it.

Perhaps there are none that are good at distributing heat properly for a notebook that is on and running constantly. perhaps they all need a cooling unit under them. I don't know, that's why I'm asking. I'm just hoping there is a notebook that doesn't need a little unit under it to help it cool down.

Specifically I'm looking for a notebook with optimum cooling, 2.5Ghz or above processor (doesn't matter which brand), large storage HDD space (at least 100gig) and 512-1gig of ram (I can always upgrade that). Anything else is just details.

thanks again for your input, I value it

Frederic

 

what dell laptop do you have that's overheating?

the ones w/ desktop pentiums in them can get very hot.

Pentium-Ms are the coolest running chips out there. you wont find one @ 2.5GHz. but raw megahertz is overrated nowadays. athlon 64s outperform P4s running at much higher clocks, and pentium-Ms slightly outperform those.

best bet would be to buy a gaming notebook. a notebook specifically designed to be pushed hard all the time should have a good cooling solution.

2 that come to mind, acer ferrari & dell xps gen 2.

 

Well, i don't know any specific brands that are known for their cooling abilities. However I have some pointers I read somewhere:

The more compact (slim, small), the harder the cooling system will have to work, to cool the machine.
A dedicated graphics card will produce more heat, than a system with integrated graphics.

I know this is sort of an indirect way of looking at the problem. And the methods, are not desireable for most notebook buyers. But it depends on what one prioritises the highest. I'll be watching this thread closely to see if there's any manufacturers that are "cooling experts"...

 

fantastic!
this is great information, thank you very much!

Specifically, this notebook is used for music production. Used in three types of environments. First is my home studio, Second being able to be in other music studios and third within the humid and hot Tokyo Nighclubs.

Thank you for mentioning that a gaming unit could handle such stress however The_R you are right, a graphic card would add alot of heat to the unit and I don't really need all that power for music.

thanks alot!
I love the input, it's very valuable!
much apreciated

Frederic

 

well i know ibm has a pretty elaborate cooling system, heat pipes and all. they're even working on a liquid to gas cooling system for future notebooks

 

when was the last time you sprayed down your dell? sounds like a case of a clogged heatsink to me (extremely common with the inspiron 5100 /5150's)

 

can you get at the HSF from the outside w/o totally disassembling the notebook? using compressed air isnt good for cleaning out sticky dust. it's best to remove the fan from the heatsink and using something like pipe cleaner to remove it by sweeping it away in an upward motion from between the fins to above & over the HS. the dust can get stuck between the fins and clog the airflow while insulating the HS.

edited for spelling, coffee still kicking in

 

a quick spray with some compressed air through the back vent will remove the majority of the stuck dust in the heatsink. You're right though, for caked layers, you do have to take off the keyboard and heatshield to get to the fan and do some deep cleaning on the heatsink.