LIANGSTAR Laptop Cooling Pad Review UK (2026) – Tested

Look, laptop cooling pads are one of those categories where the Amazon listings promise the world but half of them sound identical. Six fans! RGB lighting! Metal mesh! But here’s what actually matters: does it actually drop your temps enough to notice, is it built well enough to last more than three months, and does it do all this without sounding like a jet engine? I’ve spent two weeks with the LIANGSTAR Laptop Cooling Pad to find out what it’s really like beyond the marketing photos.

But here’s what the specs don’t tell you: the plastic frame flexes a bit under heavier laptops, and the RGB lighting (whilst having 10 modes) is more “functional” than “premium”. If you’re comparing spec sheets, this looks competitive. In reality, it performs better than it feels in your hands.

The seven height adjustments deserve a mention too. They click into place with decent resistance (though the mechanism feels a bit plasticky), and the range goes from “barely raised” to “proper ergonomic angle”. I found position five to be the sweet spot for desk work – it raised my screen enough to reduce neck strain without feeling unstable.

What about that phone stand? Honestly, I expected it to be gimmicky, but I ended up using it constantly. It’s just a simple plastic cradle, but it holds your phone at the perfect angle for glancing at notifications or keeping Discord visible whilst gaming. Small touch, but it works.

Right, so the big question: does this thing actually work or is it just blowing air around for show?

I tested it properly with HWMonitor running during gaming sessions. With the LIANGSTAR Laptop Cooling Pad running all six fans at maximum, my CPU temps during an extended Cyberpunk 2077 session dropped from 87°C (without the pad) to 76°C. That’s an 11-degree drop, which is genuinely significant. GPU temps fell by about 8°C. These aren’t marginal improvements – this is the difference between thermal throttling and maintaining boost clocks.

For lighter workloads, running just three fans at half speed still gave me a 5-6 degree reduction whilst being quiet enough that I could take video calls without the fans being picked up by my microphone. That’s the real value of the dual fan control – you’re not stuck with all-or-nothing.

Noise levels are acceptable. At maximum speed, all six fans produce about 48dB measured from 30cm away (roughly where your ears are when you’re using the laptop). That’s noticeable, sure, but it’s actually quieter than my laptop’s own fans when they’re screaming under load. At half speed, it drops to around 38dB, which is barely audible over ambient room noise.

One thing I noticed: the fans aren’t perfectly balanced. There’s a slight vibration at maximum speed that you can feel through the desk. Not a dealbreaker, but it’s there. And the airflow isn’t completely even across all six fans – the centre ones seem to push slightly more air than the outer ones. Still, the overall cooling effect is solid.

The plastic is that glossy, slightly hollow-feeling type that scratches if you look at it wrong. After two weeks, my review unit already has a few surface scratches from normal use. It’s not going to fall apart, but it won’t age gracefully either. There’s also noticeable flex in the frame when you’re carrying it with a heavy laptop on top – I wouldn’t trust it to support a 17″ gaming laptop long-term without the frame warping.

The height adjustment mechanism works, but you can feel it’s not built for thousands of cycles. The plastic hinges that lock the angles feel a bit loose even when new. They hold position fine right now, but I’d be surprised if they’re still clicking positively after a year of daily adjustments. If you find your preferred angle and leave it there, you’ll be fine. If you’re constantly adjusting, expect wear.

The USB pass-through port is basic but functional. One port powers the pad, the other lets you connect a device (mouse, keyboard, whatever). The ports are USB 2.0, so don’t expect high-speed data transfer, but they’re fine for peripherals.

Bottom line on build quality: it’s adequate for the price. You’re not getting premium materials or precision engineering, but nothing feels like it’ll break immediately. Just don’t expect it to still look pristine after six months of use.

The switches are simple sliders with three positions: off, low speed, high speed. They’re a bit stiff (which is probably good – they won’t accidentally move), but they’re clearly labelled. The RGB button cycles through the 10 lighting modes and has an off position. Honestly, I left the RGB off most of the time because the lighting is pretty subtle anyway.

One minor annoyance: the USB cable is attached to the pad (not removable), and it’s only about 70cm long. That’s fine if your laptop’s USB ports are on the sides, but if they’re at the back, you might find the cable a bit short depending on your setup. Not a dealbreaker, but worth knowing.

The manual is pretty rubbish – poorly translated English with vague diagrams. But the pad is simple enough that you won’t need it. Everything is self-explanatory.

Against the KLIM Wind: The KLIM is built better (all-metal construction, no flex), but it only has four fans and just two height positions. The KLIM is also quieter and will probably last longer. But the LIANGSTAR gives you more adjustability and better cooling for less money. If you’re on a tight budget and need maximum cooling, the LIANGSTAR wins. If you want something that’ll last five years, spend the extra on the KLIM.

Against the TopMate C12: The TopMate is the premium option in this comparison. It has individual fan control (you can turn each fan on/off separately), brighter RGB lighting, and noticeably better plastic quality. But it’s also about 65% more expensive than the LIANGSTAR. The cooling performance is similar between them. You’re paying extra for refinement and durability with the TopMate.

Where does that leave the LIANGSTAR? It’s the value pick. You get six fans, decent cooling, and plenty of features for the lowest price. You’re compromising on build quality and longevity, but if you need a cooling pad now and don’t want to spend much, this delivers.

Interestingly, quite a few buyers mention using this with MacBooks, and the general consensus is that it works well (despite MacBooks having different cooling designs). The metal mesh surface seems to help with heat dissipation even on laptops with bottom-mounted vents.

The most common praise is for the value proposition – people consistently mention getting more features than they expected for the price. That’s probably the best summary of this cooling pad: it over-delivers on features but under-delivers on premium feel.

Let’s be honest about what you’re getting here. At £24.99, this is firmly in budget territory. Most cooling pads at this price give you four fans (maybe), two height positions (if you’re lucky), and basic on/off control. The LIANGSTAR gives you six fans, seven heights, dual zone control, RGB lighting, and a phone stand.

That’s a lot of features for not much money. But (and this is important) you’re paying for it with build quality compromises. The plastic frame, the slight fan imbalance, the scratchy finish – these are the trade-offs that let LIANGSTAR pack in those features at this price.

Is it worth it? Depends what you value. If you want something that looks and feels premium, you need to spend another £15-20 on something like the TopMate C12 or KLIM Wind. But if you primarily care about cooling performance and features, and you’re okay with budget-tier materials, the LIANGSTAR delivers excellent value.

For students, casual gamers, or anyone on a tight budget who needs to cool their laptop, this is one of the best value options available right now. You’re getting mid-range features at entry-level pricing.

But you need to go in with realistic expectations. This isn’t a premium product masquerading as budget – it’s genuinely budget-tier with smart feature prioritisation. The plastic frame will scratch, the height mechanism might get loose over time, and it won’t win any design awards. If those compromises bother you, save up for the TopMate C12 or KLIM Wind.

For me, the LIANGSTAR represents what budget products should be: functional, feature-rich, and honest about what corners have been cut. It does the important stuff (cooling your laptop) really well, and it throws in useful extras (phone stand, adjustable height, fan control) that make daily use more pleasant. The build quality won’t impress anyone, but it’s adequate for the price.

If you’re a student gaming on a budget laptop, someone working from home who needs better airflow, or just anyone who wants to keep their laptop cooler without spending much, this is a solid choice. Just treat it gently and don’t expect it to last forever.