The best cooling pads for your MacBook Pro can ensure there's enough standard ventilation around your machine to prevent your laptop from overheating. As tech bloggers, we travel everywhere with our laptops and know how hot they can get, especially when running programs with heavy processing use. Whether you're using the MacBook Pro 16-inch or one of the smaller models, the MacBook Pro is one of the best MacBooks you can buy, and you want to keep it running smoothly for years to come. Our all-around favorite is the Thermaltake Massive TM, but there are other entries to suit every style and budget in our list of the best below.
Check out the best cooling pads for MacBook Pro
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Best overall
The Massive TM has lots of fantastic features, like a temperature gauge, adjustable feet, and a turbo boost so you can cool things down when you're working extra hard. It's also adjustable for better positioning while you type.
Compact and colorful
The Havit's minimalist design makes it ideal for travel with your MacBook Pro. It's ultra-slim but can still handle laptops up to 17 inches. It also comes equipped with additional USB ports, so you can use it as a portable hub.
Take it anywhere
The Targus Chill Lap Mat is a super lightweight cooling pad for 17" laptops powered simply by using a USB connection to your laptop. The slim design is easy to carry around wherever you happen to be working.
Adjustable option
For a cooling pad that adapts to the situation at hand, the Lamicall Cooling Pad doubles as an adjustable riser stand as well as a simple pad, with both "modes" keeping your laptop cool. Raise the cooling platform to a comfortable viewing position and plug it into your MacBook to power up the fans.
Multfunctional
Here's a smart cooling pad that comes with spinning LED lights, five fans, and extra USB ports for charging additional devices. It is also adjustable to six viewing heights and includes built-in cable storage. Right now it's cheaper than most of the entries on this list.
Bells and whistles
Now here's the cooling pad that has it all: six fans, an LED screen, an adjustable riser, 7 RGB lighting modes, and a built-in phone stand so it can sit beside your laptop. This one also offers a quiet setting if the whirring of the fans grinds on your nerves. However, it's one to leave at home, as it's not as portable as some of the other pads.
Which of the best cooling pads for MacBook Pros should I get?
The Thermaltake Massive TM is easily the best cooling pad for MacBook Pro with all of its convenient features. If you're in the market for one, the Massive TM should be your first consideration since it's effective, ergonomic, quiet, and does its job well. It's not the cheapest, but it is the best of the bunch.
The Targus Portable Chill Lap Mat is slim and easy to take along for those who need a lighter, more portable option. It's also widely available in several big retail stores. Pay attention to the size formats of each of these cooling pads, so you get the one that perfectly fits your MacBook.
If you're not a laptop user and you favor a Mac mini, there are specialist cooling pads for Mac minis available too.
Why should I get a cooling pad?
You don't need a cooling pad to run your laptop's basic functions, but if you're using programs that take a lot of processing power, or using your laptop for a very long period of time, the machine can heat up. Not only is that bad for your legs if it's resting on your lap, but it can also be bad for the machine, as it's not designed to withstand excessive heat.
The best cooling pads for your MacBook Pro with M2, M2 Pro, M2 Max, or any older model can help you keep your expensive laptop's processor cool using multiple fans. This allows the processor to continue working without the stresses of overheating, increasing the laptop's performance.
