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I did a lot of research and review reading before choosing this cooling pad for my 17" MacBook Pro which runs very hot when charging a battery & when using Photoshop CS6 for intensive design work and also when client computers are connected to it for repair of those units (running TechTool, DiskWarrior, etc.). Recently the OEM battery ended up splitting apart -- now that could be from heat OR defect or both -- and I didn't want to have the same issue with the replacement battery which is brand new (non-Apple) and not cheap. The pad is JUST big enough to hold the 17" MacBook. It made a huge difference within minutes of being used with the laptop charging a battery and displaying a movie! The top surface near the screen would normally get very hot when a battery was being charged especially, but within minutes of the cool pad being in use, the surface is barely lukewarm. The bottom of the laptop which gets very hot during battery charging and intensive use was/is many degrees cooler.
PROS:
* Very open design allowing for maximum air flow from all sides.
* Sturdy metal grill over the whole top surface (probably aluminum, though it feels a bit rigid for it to be pure aluminum).
* Excellent air flow! More than I expected, actually.
* VERY quiet (21dBA according to manufacturer specs.)!! The typical laptop cooling laptop fans (for both Macs. & PCs) are far louder and, in the case of my MacBook Pro, would completely drown out any noise coming from this cooling pad (when running at full speed). Definite bonus to have the cooling pad running with very little noise!
* Very sturdy and quite big rubber feet on the bottom ensure that slipping on surfaces isn't likely. With the added weight of a laptop sitting on the cooling pad, I don't see how it would move even if cords are accidentally yanked.
* Speaking of cords, the channel underneath the unit for the USB cord is very well designed and effectively keeps excess cord length out of the way.
* Nice long USB cord so the unit can be plugged into any available USB port on any laptop -- be it on the sides or the back.
* Pass through feature on the plug is very handy for laptops with limited USB ports available. Since the plug is a bit "chunky" some may not like to deal with it on the sides of their laptops -- especially Mac. users -- so I'll note that the cooling pad DOES work just as effectively when plugged into a USB hub. This is where the additional cord length would come in handy as well. I didn't try it with a USB power unit plugged into a wall outlet, so I can't say if that would work -- though I can't see why it wouldn't.
* Flip down feet on the back bottom surface allows for tilting of the laptop. Handy because the cool pad does raise the computer up about 2". The angling "feet" would also serve to increase airflow even more.
* Stays on even when the laptop is put into "sleep" mode -- at least with Macs. it does. Some of that will be dependent on laptop make and model.... Many PC laptops cut power to USB ports when in "sleep" or "suspend" mode.
CONS:
* Minor --- do wish the product came in at least a silver/aluminum finish.
* Minor to Moderate --- would be nice if the unit had an optional power adapter connection for those who don't want the unit to drain power from a laptop running on battery power. Also, as noted above in the pros section, some laptops cut power to USB ports when in "sleep" or "suspend" mode and all do so when the computer is turned off. This is a con because those computers are still capable of charging batteries and, thereby, heating up. Macs. especially get very warm while charging batteries. So, how big a con this is depends on your individual computer's functions.
* Moderate --- the pass through connector could & should be much smaller. It sticks out quite a bit and I can see how someone could damage the USB port by hitting the connector accidentally. This risk is only magnified when another USB device is piggy-backed onto the already big connector. This is also where a power adapter would come in handy so users wouldn't have to plug it into their USB ports, thereby eliminating the risk of damage. The plug itself if well constructed and quite sturdy, but, because it IS so tough, the ports could easily sustain damage from accidental impact.
NOTE:
The cooling pad has a raised center grill directly above the fan. I note this only because I'm not sure there isn't a laptop out there somewhere which doesn't have "feet" to keep it slightly raised above the surface it rests on. If your laptop doesn't have "feet" you may have some difficulty resting it with any stability on this cooling pad.
CONCLUSION:
All in all, I'm very happy with this cooling pad and would definitely purchase it again. As an Apple tech. support provider, I'll also be recommending this cooling pad to my clients! If you have an Apple laptop that you use for more than just surfing the web and word processing, this cooling pad is an indispensable tool to extend the life of your computer's hardware. You don't need fancy LED lights, etc., which just draw more power.... A cooling fan just needs to cool a laptop efficiently & effectively... That's what this unit does and does it well!
| Standing screen display size | 17 Inches |
|---|---|
| Number of USB 2.0 Ports | 1 |
