YPlasma plans CES 2026 demo plasma-cooled laptop prototype
YPlasma says it will show a laptop prototype cooled with dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma actuators at CES 2026. The company says its goal is to replace mechanical fans with a solid-state airflow device that has no moving parts.
The press release shared by TechPowerUP describes a thin-film actuator that can be as little as 200 microns thick, designed to mount on heat sinks, chassis walls, or internal components. YPlasma says the actuator uses cold plasma to generate “ionic wind,” and claims the same device can provide both cooling and heating. For acoustics, the company lists 17 dBA and calls the system “virtually inaudible.” It also argues DBD is safer than corona discharge designs, claiming ozone-free operation and better longevity by avoiding tip erosion.
Source: YPlasma
Fanless and solid-state cooling is not new, and adoption has been uneven. Frore Systems’ AirJet is one example that has shown up in a shipping product, ZOTAC’s ZBOX pico PI430AJ, which ZOTAC says uses two AirJet Mini modules and targets a small, fanless form factor. Frore’s own AirJet Mini page lists figures like 5.25 W of heat removal at 21 dBA and up to 1 W power draw, which is the kind of efficiency data laptop buyers will look for in plasma cooling too.
One thing that remains a big question is power draw, plus concerns about high voltage, dust and static, and whether “ozone-free” holds up in practice. Until YPlasma shares power and performance numbers, and until an OEM commits to a shipping design.
YPlasma has scheduled a live demo for Wednesday, January 7, 2026 at CES 2026. Judging from the picture, it will use an Acer laptop, but I’m not sure about the model.
Source: TechPowerUP
