laptop cooling...not a total disappointment

I have a Dell Inspiron 9300 notebook that I use as a desktop replacement. I run relatively modern games so I think that the strain on the components is on the higher side. Anyway the reason I am writing a review is because, about 3 months ago, I purchased a "Zalman Notebook Cooler ZM-NC1000. I know heat is a major issue for laptop users and I actually made a hobby out of finding bizarre ways to keep my laptop cool. Although I was skeptical at first, I was very pleased with my purchase.

Before having the notebook cooler, my operating temperatures would be 68C while idling and as high as 78C while running games/movies. Since sliding the cooler under my laptop, temperature levels stay at about 63C while idling/browsing and hold at about 72C during heavy gaming. I know this is still considered high, but I understand that notebook components are designed to handle higher levels of heat on average. The computer I admire the most is the one that is stable and long-lasting...I'm going on year 5 with my notebook with very few issues, all of which were easily solved with a google search. I think any computer expert will recognize the significance of thermal control on any machine.

The cooler was about 50 bucks....but that is cheaper than a burnt out hard drive or GPU etc. Also, the fans make a little bit of noise but I am more than used to it by now; I am a baby about those things too. It's not an eye sore at all and has had no issues so far (3 months). I'm certain a lot of the laptop cooling pads do the same thing...if heat is a problem for you then you may want to check it out....I've recently started building my own cooling pad...when I'm done I'll be sure to make a post. Thanks.