There are a variety of laptop cooling pads on the market all meant to target specific needs.

And some pads can be especially handy for keeping your legs comfortable, as they act as a buffer between your warm laptop and your skin. That extra cooling helps keep your device more comfortable to the touch. Most even include fans to blow additional air through your laptop, which can aid in cooling the internals and chassis. Throwing your laptop onto a pillow or blanket can smother its air intakes and cause it to overheat quickly, but a laptop cooling pad prevents this. Microsoft's new Surface Laptop earns a spot, but the latest version of the Surface Pro tablet does not.In general, laptop cooling pads help ensure your device gets better airflow. Not included are Android or iOS tablets.Ī revamped 2017 version of Samsung's 15-inch Notebook 9 laptop was the highest new entry since our last roundup, while Apple's recently updated 12-inch MacBook and 15-inch MacBook Pro also join the list. This list includes Windows and MacOS laptops, Windows 2-in-1 hybrids and tablets, and Chromebooks running Google's Chrome OS.

Improvements to Intel's Core i-series CPUs, as well as power-management improvements in both Windows 10 and MacOS get much of the credit, although systems running Google's simpler Chrome OS also perform well, largely on account of their limited features.Īn updated version of Samsung's Notebook 9 is a new addition to the list.īased on the extensive battery testing conducted in the CNET Labs, these are the 25 PCs with the longest battery life scores over the previous 12 months. Fortunately, battery life for laptops, tablets and hybrids continues to show steady improvement, with systems regularly hitting the 10-hour mark and beyond. There's nothing worse than having your laptop shut down in the middle of a big meeting, while writing an important email or halfway through streaming the latest binge-worthy Netflix series.

Best budget laptops 2017 cnet