Cooler Master Notepal U2 Notebook Cooler with Two Fans R9-NBC-8PBK-GP
by Cooler Master USA, Inc.
List Price:
Our Price: $18.57
You Save: $6.42 (26%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Category: CE
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Customers in the UK,
Buy this product at amazon.co.uk
for British Pounds
Digital Photo Product Details
Manufacturer: Cooler Master USA, Inc.Audio: English (Original Language)
Format: CD-ROM
Platform: Windows
Model: R9-NBC-8PBK-GP
Product features:
- Dual removable 80 mm fans
- Actual size is 13.5 but accomodates up to 17-Inch notebooks
- Great for protection and storage
- Unique sturdy structure for long term desktop use
- Excellent convection design to prevent overheating
- Actual size is 135 but accomodates up to 17-Inch notebooks
Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Cooler Master Notepal U2 Notebook Cooler with Two Fans R9-NBC-8PBK-GP
Customer Review: Slippery Slope, Not So Cool
Summary: 2 Stars
I ordered the Cooler Master Notepal U2 (nice name) for my kid's 14.1" VAIO laptop - after 2+ years or near continuous use (and some abuse) the internal fan gave up and the laptop would turn itself off when overheating. I decided to order it based on the near unanimous good reviews and on the low price. Sadly, I did not pay attention to a little detail that should be obvious by just looking at Amazon's product picture - the fans are powered through the computer's own USB port. For the good news, the laptop does not overheat as much. The bad news is that it still turns itself off due to eventual overheating, after about 2 hours of use rather than after 10 minutes. In addition, the sloped, slippery surface causes the laptop to slide down off the cooler almost every time the keyboard is touched, like when typing something, which makes it more likely that the fans are no longer positioned underneath the 'hot spots' they were supposed to keep cool.
FEATURES/DESIGN
The Notepal U2 consists of a aluminum 'mesh' sloped base with a couple of rubbery accents and two USB-powered little fans underneath. The 'genius' part of the design is giving you the ability to position the fans anywhere underneath your base, hopefully exactly underneath your laptop's 'hot spots' for more efficient cooling. The USB connector has a 'pass through' USB extension that should allow you to plug some other device that does not require power - an external HDD won't work but you may be able to use it for a USB thumb drive.
Alternately, the makers suggest that you can sort of bullet-proof your laptop if your remove the fans and slide your laptop underneath the aluminum mesh, where the fans used to be. An elastic belt is provided to keep your laptop secured. Then, you should be able to carry your better protected laptop in your regular bag. I am somewhat intrigued by this capability because I'm not sure in what way you will be better off if you have the aluminum shield protect one side of your laptop and I'm wondering what would happen delay-wise if I showed up with such an 'armored' laptop at an airport.
ME EVALUATION
Like I said, the cooler actually did cool the bottom of my kid's laptop somewhat and at least postponed for us the greater expense of having its internal fan professionally replaced or buying a new laptop. The fans are easy to place anywhere under the laptop and that makes this cooler more efficient. This is everything positive I can say about this product.
On the 'bad' category, I find the base slope to be too steep and there's nothing you can do about it. Anyone used to a 'flat' keyboard may find this intolerable. In addition, my kid's VAIO's smooth bottom sitting on the sloped aluminum platform causes it to move down and off the base whenever the laptop is touched. This may be something that only affects certain laptops with sleek bottoms, I'm not so sure. Depending on where on the desk the cooler is placed, your laptop may actually fall on the floor if you are not careful.
As I already noted, powering TWO fans through the laptop's USB port is NOT a good idea. You can only draw a very tiny amount of power through that port and, therefore, you can't really provide a lot of air circulation. Since this a heavy cooler - about 2 lbs. heavy - the reasonable expectation should be that it sits on a desktop and it does not travel with the laptop. Therefore, it makes very little sense to power it via USB rather than use a power outlet and ensure that some serious cooling takes place. In the case of my son's laptop, the tiny whiff of air produced did not do the job.
I am also skeptical that larger laptops (up to 17") would sit comfortably on the U2. Its size seems perfect for a 14" but I don't see a lot of room to spare for a larger laptop.
In conclusion, this would have been a perfect cooler if the base slope was less steep and less slippery and if the fans were properly powered. While it's possible that it might help some, I can't recommend it and I feel that buying it was a mistake.
Note on the vendor: while I may have issues with the product, my experience with this 'Amazon associate' vendor was first class. LLYTECH shipped the item quickly and I received an email notification that had the tracking number. I did not attempt to return the product because, until we decide what to do next, my son wants to keep it so I don't know how they would handle a 'return' transaction.
More Cooler Master Notepal U2 Notebook Cooler with Two Fans R9-NBC-8PBK-GP reviews:
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Description of Cooler Master Notepal U2 Notebook Cooler with Two Fans R9-NBC-8PBK-GP
NotePal U2 is a simple stand that elevates your notebook to a comfortable viewing angle for better posture. The aluminum meshed design ensures that heat dissipates quickly to prevent your notebook from overheating. Its slim and lightweight feature gives you the absolute convenience to take anywhere, easy stow away, and protection. Two optional 80 mm fans will allow you to cool the necessary areas generating the most heat.Digital Cameras & Photo Categories
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