Laptop Watercooling (MacBook Pro)

[PAPO1990]

So lately I've been pondering a non destructive, and leave-behind-able watercooling solution for my 15" 2019 MBP. I've seen the LTT video but those amazon blocks being Aluminium means I'd need to get Al rads and stuff as well. However I started thinking about what other more normal custom loop block I could use when I remembered RAM cooling blocks are often just big flat cold plates.

 

Like this one https://www.performance-pcs.com/water-cooling/water-blocks/water-blocks-ram/alphacool-d-ram-cooler-x6-for-corsair-dominator-ram-acetal-version-ac-17157-d.html

 

Before I start spending money I thought I'd get some opinions on my idea though, particularly as RAM blocks like these don't seem to have any internal fins. Though I think I could pretty easily fit 2, so it should still be a decent help in cooling with a simple 240 mm rad or something.

 

Obviously I'd open the laptop, re-apply thermal paste and add some thermal pads to help get more heat to the underside of the laptop, then probably thermal pads or something between the chassis and the cold plates, and some sort of mount/ stand to help hold the laptop in place.

[Letgomyleghoe]

if your mac runs hot why not just take the few hundred your gonna spend on a water cooler and save it for a pc?

your gonna loose the functionality of a laptop anyway.

 

you could also just get a cooling pad and call it a day, I dont think this is a very good idea at all

[PAPO1990]

I have a PC as well, and I run fan control software to keep it from getting as hot as it normally would, but when I am home I want to be able to add some extra cooling. The idea is at home, at my desk it sits on the watercooling cold plate(s) but I can pull it off and take it with me and just have the fans get louder when I'm on the go.

[DoctorNick]

7 minutes ago, PAPO1990 said:

I have a PC as well, and I run fan control software to keep it from getting as hot as it normally would, but when I am home I want to be able to add some extra cooling. The idea is at home, at my desk it sits on the watercooling cold plate(s) but I can pull it off and take it with me and just have the fans get louder when I'm on the go.

Good luck! But as the psychedelic parrot said, your better of just building a PC..

[PAPO1990]

1 minute ago, DoctorNick said:

Good luck! But as the psychedelic parrot said, your better of just building a PC..

Like I said, I already have a PC, it's beefy, excessively watercooled, and games great on my 1440P ultrawide, but when I'm not taking the laptop anywhere I'd like to improve the cooling. It likes to get a bit warm, and kind of noisy every time it wants to automatically backup.

 

I'm less interested in if I SHOULD, and more interested in if/ how this is going to work, any pitfalls I should avoid that aren't as much of a consideration for normal watercooling,

[DoctorNick]

Just now, PAPO1990 said:

Like I said, I already have a PC, it's beefy, excessively watercooled, and games great on my 1440P ultrawide, but when I'm not taking the laptop anywhere I'd like to improve the cooling. It likes to get a bit warm, and kind of noisy every time it wants to automatically backup.

 

I'm less interested in if I SHOULD, and more interested in if/ how this is going to work, any pitfalls I should avoid that aren't as much of a consideration for normal watercooling,

Ok. Then maybe just sell the Apple thingy and buy a gaming laptop with proper cooling instead.

[PAPO1990]

1 minute ago, DoctorNick said:

Ok. Then maybe just sell the Apple thingy and buy a gaming laptop with proper cooling instead.

I've had Mac laptops for well over a decade now... heck my last one lasted me almost a decade alone, as long as it doesn't force me to upgrade to catalina and abandon 32bit apps, I'm quite happy to stay in the eco system, I'm looking to improve the cooling of what I HAVE, not buy a whole new thing. It's generally not a machine I use for gaming anyway, but hey, maybe if I'm going somewhere I REALLY want to, then I could figure out a way to pack the cooling as well, easier than lugging my massive PC.

[Moonzy]

24 minutes ago, PAPO1990 said:

but I can pull it off and take it with me and just have the fans get louder when I'm on the go.

most adequate cooling require some sort of thermal interface to go between the coldplate and your laptop, as metal on metal conduction isnt that great

so it'll be messy when you de-couple

i dont think this is a good idea too, unless you can solve this issue

[PAPO1990]

1 minute ago, Moonzy said:

most adequate cooling require some sort of thermal interface to go between the coldplate and your laptop, as metal on metal conduction isnt that great

so it'll be messy whe you de-couple

i dont think this is a good idea too, unless you can solve this issue

I was thinking thermal pads, but I'm aware they can be a little messy/ inconvenient to remove.... WAIT! what about those re-usable graphene thermal pads?

 

(thank you for an actual response/ problem, I forgot about the graphene thermal pads until just now  )

[Moonzy]

2 minutes ago, PAPO1990 said:

I was thinking thermal pads, but I'm aware they can be a little messy/ inconvenient to remove....

and greasy

and dusts may make them become ineffective

 

2 minutes ago, PAPO1990 said:

what about those re-usable graphene thermal pads?

same issue with dusts

 

and i cant imagine the cost to cover the bottom of a laptop with these, they're not that cheap

[PAPO1990]

Yeah, I have considered dust, will need to accept there will be effort in keeping them clean/ replacing them. Shame these don't come in a bigger size https://www.pccasegear.com/products/49639/thermal-grizzly-carbonaut-thermal-pad-38x38x0-2mm 

 

Edit: also it wouldn't be the WHOLE underside of the laptop, but the rear portion near the hot components and heat syncs

[Moonzy]

3 minutes ago, PAPO1990 said:

Yeah, I have considered dust, will need to accept there will be effort in keeping them clean/ replacing them. Shame these don't come in a bigger size https://www.pccasegear.com/products/49639/thermal-grizzly-carbonaut-thermal-pad-38x38x0-2mm 

 

Edit: also it wouldn't be the WHOLE underside of the laptop, but the rear portion near the hot components and heat syncs

i cant access the site due to IP location

but i can imagine what it is

 

u can try it, it may work, but as others have said, it's not a very cost effective way to get more performance

[PAPO1990]

Yeah, not worried about cost effectiveness, or performance really, just improving temps for the sake of longevity without having to blast the fans at annoying levels, oh and comfort, the laptop gets kind of warm to the touch in summer, things get hot here in the land down under.