Antec USB-Powered Notebook Cooler
by Antec
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List Price: Our Price: $16.99 You Save: $27.00 (61%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $15.00 (click here) Category: CE See more product details |
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Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Antec USB-Powered Notebook Cooler
Customer Review: Antec Notebook Cooler Review
Summary: 5 Stars
Okay, here's my review on the Antec Notebook cooler.
I received it in a very timely manner, I bought expedited shipping also, and I love receiving things quickly. So shipping is definitely not an issue. Now, down to the actual cooler. I have a brand new 15.4" Dell Inspiron 1501, it doesn't overheat, but I wanted to have a cooler just to prolong its lifespan. It took my quite awhile to decide which cooler I wanted, I've been on tigerdirect and newegg also, among a few other sites, but I think I made the right choice when I bought this cooler.
When I buy things I pay close attention to the reviews, pretty much the same reason I'm typing this for you people who do the same. Reviews make up 20% of my final decision before buying the item. I wanted something at an average prices, that was quiet, and would not break after 3 months. I looked at many other chill pads, but from the looks of the reviews they weren't that good. They were either loud, or they broke shortly after being purchased.
In my opinion, this one had decent reviews and not many people disliked it. It has a good price, and I really like the design of it. It's not just the standard design with two easily visible fans, I also like the way the air flows through it. I received it in a sealed box and it was sitting right outside my front door when I arrived home from school. I opened it up and it was nicely packed and wrapped up, it also smelled new. (I have a tendacy to smell new items :P the new laptop smell is also interesting)
Anyway, it was extremely easy to setup all I had to do was plug the power cable into the cooler, then the usb cable into the pc. It started up instantly with a blue light indicating its activity. It has a high and low feature with I really like. Even with the high feature on, I can barely hear it! Which basically means it sounds great with low. I used speedfan to view my systems temperature and it had a pretty dramatic drop, which I was very happy about. If I were to feel the bottom of my laptop right now, it almost has no heat at all.
It isn't a hub so you don't get any extra usb ports, but you don't lose one either as the usb cord for the cooler has another slot on the back which you can use to plug something into. This cooler has a great unique design and really works nice with my Dell laptop. I would recommend this to anyone else, and would consider purchasing another in the future.
5/5 stars.Customer Review: It works
Summary: 4 Stars
I have an HP Pavilion ze5375us notebook computer. This is a full powered, desktop replacement machine and it runs hot. It has three fans to keep it cool. The fans can get very noisey and the computer still occasionally over heats and shutdown down. I've been propping up the backup of the machine in an effort to increase airflow. While this helps, it hasn't completely solved the over heating problem.
I finally decided to get one of the "powered" colling devices. I looked at the Targus Notebook Chill Pad and the Antec Notebook Cooler. The Targus devices looked cheaply constructed (all plastic) while the Antec device appeared to be of higher quality. I was confused by the Amazon user reviews, because they indicate that the Targus device has a higher satisfaction rating than the Antec. I was concerned at some of the reviews indicating that the Target device didn't provide much air circulation (but it was quiet). On the other hand, the Antec device was critizised for being louder than a wisper.
I finally made my decision based upon size. My machine is fairly large and it dwarfed the Targus device. However it fits well on the Antec (even with a docking station attached).
So what do I think of my decision? I've been using the Antect Notebook Cooler for three days now. The fans are definitely audible. They make about as much noise as you would expect from a small fan (2 actually). Since my computer has three noisey fans in it already, overall, it isn't any more noisey than what I was already accustomed to. I actually took the fan noise as a positive feature, after all I wanted the cooler to actually work and cool down the notebook.
The power connector will definitely cause you problems if you move the notebook/cooler combination around a lot. I'll keep the cooler on the desk most of the time and I'll be careful otherwise.
The computer seems to be running cooler than before. Areas of the computer that get very hot before the cooler, are now warm to the touch. So all-in-all, I'm satisfied with the purchase.
For those of you who are overly concerned about the fan noise, I would suggest looking at the Targus Podium Coolpad or simply propping up the computer with something (I received complements for using a box of staples). Good luck with your choice.
Customer Review: This LUNACY about air direction...THINK "DUST"!
Summary: 4 Stars
I've had this a few days for my laptop (HP 17" widescreen that is overpowered and undercooled- two fans on left hand side). It actually fits well under my large laptop and is quiet- it is so quiet I keep thinking it is off- though on high I can hear it a bit- think someone whispering in the next room- OH, GOD THE NOISE!!
I don't doubt some people may get duds, but overall the design seems workable. My lil' guy used to get very hot when playing games like Civ and it still gets warm, but definitely less so when this is on. The internal fans rarely go into crazy overdrive mode. (You may need to update your BIOS, too)
A friend has a targus and this seems MUCH sturdier. As for the reliability of the electronics...well, I've heard stories of them both failing.
As for whether the fan should be BLOWING air onto your laptop or SUCKING it away:
1) It is a non-issue created by some paranoia! No little fan is creating some vacuum-like area- this isn't outer space! There is plenty of air to go around, people! But, sure perhaps you shouldn't exactly line up the fans. There should always be plenty of a gap between the computer and any surface you put it on.
2) DUST WILL CAUSE YOUR HEATSINK TO FAIL. Always blowing dust INTO your fans is not the best idea. If your heatsink gets covered with dust, it will not disperse heat and it will cause your internal thermometer to misread the temp and it will turn off the computer to protect your CPU. So, personally, I went with this one to lessen the air blown into the computer. BUT, first, you should get some compressed gas and carefully clean out your 'puter.... Or remove your heatsink and clean it (CAREFULLY!- this may void your warranty) - or take it to a pro...you'll be amazed at how dusty it can get.
3) As for companies disclaiming liability... Go get a legal education- disclaimers are not particularly effective and the companies' attorneys know it (go read some torts casebooks and worry more when Congress overhauls class-action lawsuits!). IF it was dangerous to suck air away from your machine, don't you think Antec and Targus would do the SIMPLE thing and change the direction of their fans??
"Oh, NO, it is a grand conspiracy, Mr. Reviewer" Sure...right, Oliver Stone.
Customer Review: Simply Awesome
Summary: 5 Stars
Well,
I bought a new 13.3" Toshiba laptop and I had problems with the base getting really hot when used for more than an hour. It was so hot that, I was scared that i would become infertile even before I had kids..lol. I looked around quite a bit (infact for 2 wks) reading about the reviews from various websites and looking to find a good laptop cooling pad for a reasonable price. I came across this pad through buy.com (it was going for $10 after $20 MIR) but wasnt sure I wanted to buy it and hence missed a golden opportunity.
After going through a lot of reviews in cnet, buy.com, newegg (every site had a min of 4 stars) I realized that this was the best bang for the buck. Even though I was a bit skeptic about the reviews written around here, I decided to buy it at $30. Unfortunately DHL misplace my order and Amazon.com was so helpful that they rushed me another one with next day delivery (thank you Amazon).
The pad is perfect for a 13.3" (for a 15.4" the laptop will protrude outside the pad and hence you have to position it right below the laptop cooling fan for it to work well). Yes, you CAN place it on ur lap and it wont cause any problems. Its got 4 plugs at each corner that prevents the laptop from sliding away. Getting the cooler started is very simple-just plug the USB and turn ur laptop on and the cooler is on. When u shut down ur computer or put it on hibernate, it will turn off. I was amazed as to how quite the fans are. On low speed, i couldnt even believe that the fans were running. I had used my laptop for close to 3 hrs nonstop yesterday (I was watching a movie) and I didnt even see my laptop fan coming on -its a huge difference in cooling effect. I'm really satisfied with this product and am not sad that I spent a few extra bucks. Dont hesitate to buy this whenever you can. For all those who are skeptic about reviews and would still need some more time to think over it, you are just wasting ur time. This is it and I'm glad I took the risk. I dont know if this will last long. I've only used it for a week..will keep you posted after 6 months (knock on wood)
-A
Customer Review: Best of the Pack
Summary: 5 Stars
I've purchased 4 various cooling pads for my laptop. (And my wife's laptop, we both have Dell XPS1530's) I won't mention the other brands because there is no point in smearing their names but the fact of the matter is the Antec cooler is head and shoulders above the rest.
* The aluminum mesh grill does indeed pull heat away from the bottom of the laptop and in turns does an amazing job of keeping the entire case of the laptop cool. Previously, the palm rests would get warm to the point of hot after a night of gaming, but I have yet to feel anything above a slight warmth that couldn't be attributed to my hand heat.
* The duel fans while quiet, move enough air away from the aluminum grill to continually cool it.
* Of the 4, this cooler feels the most sturdy, it has a solid construction and while the majority of the cooler is plastic, its not a cheap flimsy plastic, it is quite sturdy.
* The rubber pads that come with the cooler are great for not only elevating my laptop to allow more air flow, but also holding my laptop in place.
Initially, I was out to buy a laptop cooler that could rest in my lap, after extensive search and reading I realized that this was not going to work so I picked up a lap desk and have since fell in love with the antec cooler for its ability to stabilize my laptop on the lap desk and keep it cool while I'm playing at night.
For those out there looking for a 17" laptop cooler, my xps does hang over the edges on the sides, but I still have a solid and sturdy fit with this cooler and I am still getting excellent results. I highly reccommend this cooler. Don't be lured into some of the other brands that are offering coolers made for 17" laptops, the one I purchased didn't cool my laptop at all and my laptop constantly slid off of it.
The laptop is powered with a usb connection that has a built in port, my Logitech mouse has no problems working through the port so you don't have any net gain or loss of usb ports while using this product.