8 easy steps to keep your Dell Studio XPS cool ?

Complaining about hot temperatures and stuff? Well the laptop is relatively small (thin) for its power, since it can go up to an i7-840QM and an ATI 5730 with a single fan. Here's how to keep it from being a stove on your desk.

• Is it really that hot? Download HWMonitor (pro or free) and check the temperatures. Normal for the SXPS 1640 is 40 C for CPU/GPU and lower for the other parts. Normal for the SXPS 1645 is 50 C for CPU/GPU and lower for the other parts. I've never owned a 1647 so I cannot say.

• Make sure nothing is blocking the vents on the bottom (there are more than 1) and the vent on the back (blowing at the screen). This means stop using it on the bed without a book underneath, or on your leg so that your leg covers the fan vent.

• Make sure there are no dust in the vents. Take off the backplate and wipe it down. You can remove the heatsink/fan easily (noobs don't be scared). Just remove the screws on the GPU/CPU (at the ends of the copper bars) and northbridge if you have a 1640. The screws won't come completely off. Take the entire thing out, and then fan comes out too. Wipe the fan, and wipe any dust on the heatsink in front of the fan (it looks like metal sheets).

• Apply thermal paste. See above to remove the heatsink, then before putting it on, get some Arctic Silver 5 or similar and put a bit on the CPU, GPU, northbridge (1640) and southbridge (1645/1647). A pea-sized amount, then use a card (credit card, etc.) to spread it. Make sure the paste touches only the silvery parts, don't let it touch anything else. Replace the heatsink and backplate.

• Prop the laptop up. Use a book or a 9-cell battery. This dramatically increases airflow.

• Get a cooler. They range from a few bucks to $70 for my NC2000. They make a world of difference. Try to get 1 whose vents line up with the vents on your laptop so you're not just cooling the backplate. The Zalman NC2000 is a very good cooler in my opinion, albeit a bit pricey.

• Get some AC for your room.

• If you're really rich and have a 1640, then get a P-series processor instead of a T-series processor. You may lose out on some performance, but you lose out on some heat also.

Benefits of doing the above steps include longer laptop life (battery and hardware-wise) and less throttling. Also it won't burn you.