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01What a phone cooler actually fixes
Do phone coolers work? They do, but only on heat. When a phone's chip and battery get hot, the phone deliberately slows itself down to protect them. That's thermal throttling, and it's why a game that runs smoothly for the first ten minutes can start stuttering after half an hour.
A cooler pulls heat out of the back of the phone so it takes longer to hit that limit, or never hits it at all. You keep the frame rate you started with. What a cooler can't do is make a phone faster than its normal top speed, fix a game that's badly optimized, or help with lag that comes from your Wi-Fi.
| What you notice | Heat-related? | Will a cooler help? |
|---|---|---|
| Smooth at first, choppy after 15–30 minutes | Very likely | Yes, this is the main use |
| Screen dims on its own while gaming | Often | Usually |
| Phone too hot to hold comfortably | Yes | Yes |
| Charging pauses while you play | Often | Yes |
| Lag spikes and rubber-banding online | No, that's network | No |
| Choppy from the first second | Unlikely | No. Lower the graphics settings |
02Fan vs semiconductor (Peltier) coolers
There are two main designs, plus cooling cases as a passive third option.
Fan cooler
- Blows room-temperature air across the back
- Lighter, usually cheaper
- Effect is modest; it can't get the phone below room temperature
Semiconductor (Peltier) cooler
- A chip makes one side cold, a fan cools the hot side
- Biggest temperature drop
- Needs USB power; condensation risk
Cooling case
- Vents or metal back help heat escape
- No power, no noise
- Much smaller effect than an active cooler
A semiconductor cooler uses a thermoelectric (Peltier) module. Run current through it and one face gets cold while the other gets hot. The cold face sits on your phone; a fan dumps heat from the hot face. That's why they cool harder than a plain fan, and why they need a decent power supply.
03The catches: condensation, power and noise
+Peltier cooler upsides
- Strongest cooling you can clip on
- Can keep a phone cool while it charges and games
- Some show temperature or settings on a display
–Downsides
- Can create condensation if the plate gets colder than the air's dew point
- Usually needs to be plugged into USB power
- Fan noise is audible in a quiet room
- Adds weight to the phone
If the cold plate gets cold enough, moisture from the air can form on it, the same way a cold drink sweats. In humid rooms, run a Peltier cooler on a lower setting, and if you see droplets on the plate or phone, turn it down or off and dry the phone. Don't use one in a steamy bathroom or straight after coming in from the cold.
Battery: heat is one of the main things that ages a lithium-ion battery, so keeping the phone cooler during long, hot sessions is kind to it. Coolers that plug into a USB power source don't drain the phone. Coolers powered from the phone itself do, so check how yours is powered.
Noise: every active cooler has a fan, and you'll hear it in a quiet room. With game audio or headphones on, most people stop noticing. If you stream with a mic close to the phone, test whether the fan comes through.
04How to set up a clip-on cooler
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Find the hot spot
Play for ten minutes, then feel the back. The warmest area is usually near the cameras, where the chip sits. That's where the cooler's plate or fan should go.
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Take the case off, or go thin
A cooler pressing against a thick case is cooling the case. Bare or a thin case works best. Magnetic coolers need a magnetic case or a MagSafe iPhone.
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Power it properly
Plug semiconductor coolers into a wall charger or power bank that can supply what the cooler asks for. A weak laptop USB port can leave it underpowered.
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Start on a middle setting
Turn it up only if the phone still throttles. Lower settings are quieter and reduce condensation risk.
05Try the free fixes first
Before you buy anything, these cost nothing and often solve mild throttling on their own.
If the phone still throttles after all that, a cooler is worth it. If it's hot even when you're not gaming, read phone overheating while charging, since that points to a different cause.
06Which phone cooler for which gamer
- Competitive or long-session players: a semiconductor cooler, like the TL25 with magnetic and clip mounting and a digital display ($29.99).
- Shooter fans who want controls too: the cooling fan with gaming triggers ($31.99).
- Casual players who just want it less hot: the 9-blade snap-on cooler ($24.99) or the compact plug-in or rechargeable fan ($24.99).
- No gadgets, please: a slimmer heat-dissipation case. We cover what ours can and can't do in does a heat dissipation case stop overheating, or browse thin heat-dissipation cases.
Semiconductor and fan coolers that clip or snap onto the back of the phone.
Rounding out a setup? Our mobile gaming accessories guide covers controllers, grips and right-angle cables that keep charging out of your hands.
Questions people ask
Do phone coolers really make a difference?
For long gaming sessions where the phone heats up and throttles, yes. They help it hold its performance. For short sessions or light games, the difference is small, and free fixes like removing the case may be enough.
Are phone coolers bad for your phone?
Fan coolers are low risk. Semiconductor coolers can cause condensation if the cold plate gets colder than the surrounding air's dew point, so use a moderate setting in humid rooms and stop if you see moisture.
Does a phone cooler drain the battery?
Most active coolers run from their own USB power or a built-in battery, not the phone. A cooler powered from the phone's port will use some of the phone's battery. Check how yours is powered.
Can I use a phone cooler while charging?
Yes, and it's one of the best uses, since charging and gaming together produce the most heat. Make sure the cooler doesn't block the charging port or cable.
Fan or Peltier phone cooler: which is better?
A Peltier (semiconductor) cooler cools harder and suits long, demanding sessions. A fan cooler is simpler, cheaper and has no condensation risk. Casual players are usually fine with a fan.