April 14, 2025

How to Protect Your Refurbished Laptop from Overheating During Gaming  

Gaming pushes laptops to their limits, especially when using high-performance software on a compact machine. Refurbished laptops can deliver excellent value and performance, but like all laptops, they need proper care—especially when managing heat.  

Overheating can slow down your system, reduce the lifespan of internal components, and lead to sudden shutdowns. But with a few innovative strategies, you can game comfortably and keep your refurbished laptop running efficiently.  

Let’s explore the strategies one by one.  

1. Place It on a Hard, Flat Surface  

Soft surfaces trap heat. Avoid using your laptop on beds, sofas, or laps during gaming sessions. These surfaces block airflow and restrict ventilation, especially around the bottom vents, causing the system to heat up faster.  

Use a desk or table instead. This allows the laptop’s cooling system to pull in air and push out hot air effectively. If your computer has bottom-facing vents—and most do—keeping them unobstructed is essential.  

2. Use a Cooling Pad  

Cooling pads are one of the simplest and most effective solutions. They sit under your laptop and use built-in fans to increase airflow around the base. This extra ventilation helps control temperature during extended gaming sessions.  

Cooling pads are handy for refurbished laptops that might not have the latest or most advanced internal cooling systems. They’re affordable, plug-and-play, and can reduce surface temperature by several degrees.  

3. Clean the Fans and Vents  

Dust buildup inside your laptop is a major cause of overheating. It clogs air vents, coats fans, and insulates components—blocking the natural cooling process. Refurbished laptops often arrive cleaned and tested, but they collect dust over time like any other machine.  

If you’re comfortable doing it yourself, open the back panel and use compressed air to clear dust from fans, vents, and heat sinks. If not, take it to a technician for a basic cleaning. This minor maintenance step can make a big difference in heat control.  

4. Keep Your Room Cool  

Your environment affects your laptop’s temperature. Gaming in a room that’s already warm—especially during summer—adds to the heat your laptop must handle.  

Try to game in a well-ventilated or air-conditioned space. If needed, use a table fan to circulate air around the device. Keeping the ambient temperature down helps the internal cooling system do its job more effectively.  

5. Adjust In-Game Settings  

High graphics settings demand more from your GPU and CPU, generating more heat. Running every game on ultra settings isn’t always necessary, especially if your refurbished laptop has mid-range specs.  

Lower the resolution slightly, reduce anti-aliasing, or cap the frame rate. The performance drop is often barely noticeable, but the impact on temperature can be significant. Optimizing game settings is a practical way to balance visuals and hardware health.  

6. Update BIOS and Drivers  

Manufacturers often release BIOS updates to improve thermal performance. The same goes for GPU and system drivers—especially for gaming. Updated drivers ensure your hardware runs efficiently without unnecessary power draw or heat spikes.  

Visit the official site of the laptop brand or GPU manufacturer to download the latest versions. Ensure you’re using drivers compatible with your system specs, especially on refurbished models where hardware may differ slightly from stock versions.  

7. Monitor Temperatures While Gaming  

Install a reliable hardware monitoring tool. These apps give real-time readings of your CPU and GPU temperatures. Knowing when your system is running hot lets you take timely action, such as reducing game load, turning on a cooling pad, or pausing for a break.  

Ideally, your CPU and GPU should stay below 85°C under load.  

8. Limit Background Applications  

Gaming demands maximum performance. Running unnecessary apps in the background increases CPU load and heat. Close browser tabs, streaming apps, and system processes you don’t need while gaming.  

This lightens the workload, allows more resources for the game, and keeps temperatures in check.  

9. Consider Repasting the CPU/GPU  

Thermal paste is the compound between your processor and heat sink that helps conduct heat. Over time, it dries out and becomes less effective. If you notice consistent overheating despite all other measures, repasting might help.   

It’s a more advanced step, but a professional technician can do it quickly and safely. A fresh layer of quality thermal paste can restore proper thermal transfer and improve cooling performance.  

10. Avoid Charging While Gaming—If Possible  

While plugged in, gaming is often necessary to unlock full GPU power. But if your laptop gets too hot, try gaming on battery power occasionally, especially for lighter titles.  

Charging generates additional heat. If your laptop heats up too much when gaming on a charge, unplugging can help reduce the overall load. Remember that some games may not perform as well on battery, so find a balance based on your needs.  

vrSAT —Your Reliable IT Partner  

At VRSAT, we provide top-notch refurbished laptops that undergo rigorous testing and quality checks. Our services include comprehensive IT asset disposition, professional data sanitization, and flexible customization to match your business needs.    

With competitive pricing, excellent warranty options, and a commitment to sustainability, VRSAT guarantees a seamless and secure buying experience. When you choose us, you can be confident and focus on growing your business without worry.