In today’s tech-driven world, smartphones have become powerful enough to replace many handheld consoles, though the Nintendo Switch remains a notable exception. However, due to varying capacities and hardware quality among phones, gamers often need to employ additional cooling solutions.
One of these solutions is external cooling fans, which work to prevent your device from overheating during intense gaming sessions. But are these fans really effective? Here, we’ll cover the pros and cons to help you decide if an external fan is worth it.
Why Do Phones Heat Up During Use?
To understand the usefulness of external fans, let’s first look at why phones overheat:
- Integrated Circuits: These chips handle all processing tasks, from running the operating system to managing apps and games. As phones process more demanding applications, like high-end games, they consume more power and generate more heat.
- Electrical Resistance: Running these processes requires electricity, which generates resistance in the circuits, translating into heat. The more demanding the task, the more heat is generated.
- Phone Specifications: The amount of heat also depends on the phone’s hardware. High-end models, like the Redmi K50, can handle complex games like Genshin Impact on high settings without excessive heating.
In response, many phone manufacturers have implemented advanced cooling systems, such as Xiaomi’s Loop LiquidCool technology, expected to be included in new models soon. Although an external cooling fan won’t increase a phone’s power, it can offer some advantages. Let’s break down the pros and cons.
Pros of External Cooling Fans
- Improved Performance: By keeping the processor and other components cooler, the phone can perform more smoothly. This can help prevent slowdowns and may enhance screen responsiveness during gaming.
- Extended Device Life: Excessive heat can damage internal components, so cooling can potentially extend your phone’s lifespan.
- Comfort: When running demanding games, screens can easily exceed 60°C (140°F), making them uncomfortable to touch. Cooling fans make the device more comfortable to handle during intense gaming.
Cons of External Cooling Fans
- Battery Drain: Fans without an integrated battery rely on your phone’s battery, which can drain it faster.
- Noise: Some fans can be quite loud, which may be distracting for users.
Final Thoughts
Understanding the role of cooling fans and how overheating affects devices, it’s clear that external phone fans can be a practical and useful accessory, especially for those who use their phones for gaming.
