Windows 7: HP Envy 17 1050ea - Recommendations for lowering temp/cooling pad

It's been over a year since I've got this laptop, and I have been pretty ignorant of its main problem; the temperature. Even worse, the temperatures that this laptop goes through is probably the culprit of my screen flickering. So, I need a recommendation of what to use for a cooling pad. It needs to be one for a 17.3" laptop.

If there are any suggestions of lowering the temperature, then please post them.

This is apparently a chronic problem with the model which has upset quite a few users: Re: HP ENVY 17 (1050ea) overheats and shuts down. - HP Support Forum

There is a reference here to the Manual for checking the condition of the processor heat sink thermal paste and GPU thermal pads. This is a maintenance item that is rarely affordable to have done on any model however is an intense learning experience if you want to attempt it yourself.

Other than that a large enough cooling pad with dual fans can be effective and affordable. I just saw one at Best Buy here for $14us.

Well, is there any specific one I should buy? Or will a decent one work?

I'd research them online, google any you're considering buying to read the reviews.

I'd also make sure the laptop is clear of dust using the illustrated guide in Manual I linked.

Unfortunately I'm not going to take any risks on opening up the case of the laptop, as I am afraid that I'll break it. I did manage to get a can of compressed air from the local IT store, as a recommendation to clear the dust, but made little difference. Not forgetting, I have also removed the battery, and left the laptop on charge. It looks like cooling pads are the next step.

You really need to access the inside enough to blow the dust out instead of in. That's why they put an illustration in the Manual how to do it.

Let's hope a good cooling pad is enough. Do the research online for that size pads, read the reviews before ordering.

Well, it's just a fan in a fancy casing. I'll just say what is true of all fans. The bigger the fan is, the less noise it does for the same quantity of air moved.

that's because noise rises as RPM rise, and a bigger vent moves much more air per rotation so its RPM is far less.

I had tons of fun DIY a cooling pad for a gaming laptop (It ran HOT and its tiny fans were always at max doing aircraft-like noise) with a huge 17'' computer fan I scavenged from somewhere. There was near-silence afterward.

But not everyone can DIY stuff or has fun doing it. So here is a quick quick example with two products out of a random Best Laptop Cooling Pads of 2012 you can find with google:

This is bad

This is good

Noise-wise anyway. I'm in no position to talk about component quality.

I've got myself a Zalman NC2000.

What'd u pay for it there?

Let us know how it works for you.

I paid about >£30 (Plus P+P - £5), and the Zalman's managed to keep it about 10 degrees lower.