Hello everyone!
I already read some reviews, which said having a laptop cooler is stupid, if you have a ThinkPad.
However, I have a discrete ATI GPU in my T500, and it generates a LOT OF HEAT. By LOT, I mean A LOT.
My desk is almost burning for a few hours of gaming. Okay, even one hour can heat things up.

Replacing the mainboard if the GPU would fry, is not a cheap thing.
So I went on to find an appropriate cooler, and found TWO candidates:

- Enermax Aeolus Premium (2yr warranty here)

- Cooler Master NotePal X3 (3yr warranty here)

Does any of you own such a cooler? How well does it work?

I don't have any feedback as to the specific ones you've listed in your post, but I've used a rather cheap $12 one I bought at Radio Shack to pretty decent effect on my T500. I don't know who would scoff at the idea of using a notebook cooler, but even that one seems to have helped immensely whenever I game on this system. I don't think you'll see that one cooler is significantly better than the other, but having one was a significant help to me.

Oh okay, thank you very much. It's settled then.
I'll write a review about it, or even make a movie with the ThinkPad on it, so people get an idea how much effect does it have, etc.

To be honest, even without games, the ATI card is pretty hot. The machine have been cleaned recently, and the thermal paste got replaced.

Just how hot does it get anyway, i.e., what does the temperature gauge show?

Just because the desk feels burning does not mean necessarily the chip will fry.

With that said, even though I generally don't believe in the effectiveness of laptop coolers and don't recommend them, they can be an OK option for a laptop that is mostly stationary on the desk.

I've seen my GPU in the mid-high 90C range(according to TPFC) when really pushing it before. I've also had the underside of an inch-thick oak coffee table get nearly uncomfortably warm after my T500 was sitting flat against it for a few hours. The notebook seems to handle the stress pretty well, but giving it a little extra help during that specific usage scenario can't hurt at all. In my case it was pretty cheap insurance. I only really use my cooler while I'm gaming; it doesn't get that hot under regular use.

Really, really hot. When I get my cooler, I'll try running DIRT for a while and post the values. But trust me, IT'S HOT.

I found the docking station actually helps, quite a lot. Im using a W500, so they are quite similar.
But no numbers or other data..


Does anyone know a way to clean the fan BTW?

Which one?
The one inside?
Check the maintenance manual, (you only need to take out the keyboard and the upper plastic part) and use compressed air (a spray is cheap).

The dock? I'm sure there is a manual for that too.

I know you've made your choice, but I'd love to know why you limited it to just these two.

To me, they are a little on the gamer "bling" side with the blue accents. Personally, since I sometimes like to take one with me on the go, I'd rather it not be so noticeable. That said, if these are really the two best out there, then bring on the neon! (I have a sharpie)

I agree with you that a cooler is wise. I have used an Antec (two blade version that Staples often has) for several years. Although the blades are smaller that the single larger ones on the two you listed, I feel more secure that if one burned out, the other could handle some of the duty until replaced.

If I did have to choose between the two you list, I'd go with that Cooler Master by the build of the base. The Enermax model is similar to the rack-like passive coolers that provide air circulation clearance at an incline. Those aren't as surefooted as ones with a level base, and could topple off a desk more easily. It was one of the reasons I went with my Antec.

Good luck!

It's a known fact, that the blue led is cool, so it cools better.
That's why red is not really advised, since that means heat.
Green is neutral, as far as I know.

(Right?... Right?)

So guys, I bought the cooler.
It's _AWESOME_.

The laptop is literally freezing when it goes idle, or if I switch to the Intel GPU.
With the ATI GPU, I can play or code for hours. 100% CPU and GPU load? Not a problem. It's cool.

Seriously, if you stress your laptop frequently, you should consider getting a cooler.