Best cooling pads for Mac mini in 2022

After a few years without any updates, the Mac mini has finally received some much-needed love. Apple's tiniest Mac has become somewhat of a niche product for users who like a lot of power in a little package. If you tend to push your Mac mini to the edge regularly, especially if working from home, then you might be thinking of taking some extra precautions to prevent it from overheating, such as a cooling pad. If that's you, we've compiled some of the best Mac mini cooling pads we could find for you to check out.
Sense the cool
If you need a cooling pad that can do all the things, this is one you should take a look at. For starters, it has a temperature gauge on it that can tell you exactly how hot your Mac Mini is running to let you know if you need to cool it down. If you're in the middle of some heavy processing and need a burst of cool, there's a turbo boost that can provide some extra cooling in a pinch, and it looks kinda cool to boot. It's a little pricey, but it's not too bad.
Master of cool
Cooler Master has a long history of making quality computer accessories at generally affordable prices. I type most of my articles on one of their keyboards, so I have full faith in this cooling pad. It's thin, so it doesn't take up much room on your desk, and it has some good cable management build in. Plus, it's powered by a pass-through USB cable, so you don't lose any ports. Best of all, it's affordable.
Keep it slim
Havit does a great job of keeping this guy pretty low profile, so it should blend nicely with your desk. It can even double as a hub for your Mac Mini if you need some extra ports. If you are running two mini's in your workstation, this pad is big enough that you should be able to fit both of them on there for double duty.
The alternative
Since these cooling pads are designed mostly for laptops, you may not quite have room on your desk to accommodate one of them. If so, a viable alternative to a cooling pad might be a vertical stand like this one. This will allow for greater airflow to your Mac Mini, keeping it cool under pressure.
Cool your jets
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The Mac mini is probably the most underrated computer around and the most underrated Mac. It's a workhorse, and most recently, folks have been using them to handle larger and larger workloads, so it makes sense that you would want to find ways to keep it cool with one of the best Mac mini cooling pads. The Thermaltake Massive TM will let you keep track of the heat in your machine, so you always know precisely how hard to work your Mac, but there's a lot of other great options on this list.
For a slim option from a company with a record of quality, there is the Cooler Master NotePal X-Slim. This is a great option whether you are gaming for hours or working on your computer for hours. The most important thing is that it will allow you to operate your computer completely worry-free for as much time as you need. All of these products are our top picks and will cover a wide range of different needs. Choose whichever suits you best and stay cool.
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Jaclyn Kilani is a content writer at iMore. She's a longtime Apple addict with a flair for creating (written works, design, photos; you name it!) on her devices. Jaclyn has also worked in the marketing sector for over 16 years, dabbling in a bit of everything from writing to graphic design and digital marketing. In her heart of hearts, however, she is a born writer and an avid reader who adores everything about the written word. Someday she may even churn out a book or two.
Throughout her career, Jaclyn has also developed something of an addiction to all things Apple. Her professional and personal life is enhanced by an ever-growing collection of iPhones, iPads, MacBooks, Apple Watches, and even AirTags. Luckily, this expensive habit is of great use to her work at iMore, where she writes with authority on Apple products and the accessories that go with them.