As cool as ice (Antec Notebook Cooler)

Member Name: doncasteryb

Product:	Antec Notebook Cooler
Date:	27/06/09 (24 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Portable with own power supply

Disadvantages: Fans can malfunction from time to time, so watch where you place it

If you are a gamer, like me, then one of these is a necessity. The reason for this is, if you have a high performance laptop, the chances are that, over time, they have a tendency of over heating. This is partially due to the amount of programs you run at once, also dust accumulating inside the computer over time.

From experience, when my laptop begins overheating it causes it to become unstable and more liable to crash. Some genius has come up with this brilliant portable solution. To begin with, i was bit sceptical, however, having tried it with my laptop, it works brilliantly.

Now, to describe it - it looks like a flat stand, made of plastic, and has two fans encased inside it. The actual fans run off the usb port, so there is no additional power source requirement. There is also a female attachment on the usb connector, which means you do not lose the use of the usb port itself.

The fans draw the hot air away from the laptop, therefore having a cooling effect on the base of the laptop. It works just like the laptops own embedded fan, but provides additional cooling if you are on the laptop for long periods of time, using multiple programs , or gaming. It only weighs 0.72kg, so is very easy to transport and handle.

It is alarmingly quiet, at only 25.9db. It is economically friendly, with very low power consumption. The plastic is very sturdy, an accidental drop will not result in breakage. However, the fans can be quite temperamental, be careful not to get anything caught in them, as they are exposed. These little contraptions are not new and there are other makes and models available on ebay/amazon, from as little as £5.20. You can also get them in various designs for you aesthetically conscious. If you are prepared to pay that bit extra you can get 3-4 fans, depending on your requirements. It fits most sized laptops, but if you have a large one (17"+), I would recommend going for 3 or 4 fans.

Getting a desktop fan would do the same job, but would in terms of practicality not be as convenient. With a fan there would be the added need for another power source, which this product takes out of the equation.

All in all it's a well thought out product and if your laptop is susceptible to overheating this could be the product for you.

Summary: Great little invention for the gaming world