Review on Cooler Master NotePal X3 Laptop Cooling Pad - Boost Your Performance with 200mm Blue LED Fan by Ray Reeltalk

I have had the Logitech n200 cooling pad for at least 3 years and it has cooled several different laptops that I have used since then. Although it has been in constant use since purchase, it still looks and works like new. However, I started looking for a more efficient and durable external cooling solution than a lap fan, so I did my research and pulled the Revain trigger on this CoolerMaster Notepal X3. Although the products are not quite what I expected. I am very happy with it and I would like to give my short review of this cooling solution. First off, this really isn't a "portable" cooling pad; It's too bulky and thick to carry around a college campus, but light enough to carry around the house or to a casual LAN party. The base has 2 different points for tying wires as well as cable channels. Cable management is very easy, and while I don't use the included (and branded!) USB to Micro USB cable, it's pretty well made and should last you a couple of years. There are also 2 thick legs at the bottom that raise the back end of the pillow. The manual recommends keeping them out at all times to allow more air to enter the fan base. Micro USB (power in) and USB (power/hub out) are located on the front left corner of the device, as is the fan speed dial and 2 buttons that operate the 4 blue LEDs surrounding the fan, as is the fan motor itself . . Also the device is a black steel mesh (as shown in the photo) and is surprisingly well made. My laptop rarely slides on the surface, but keep in mind that when the laptop is on the base, no sign of LEDs is visible. It's best not to turn them off if something is using the fan; They consume a significant amount of energy from the source. Personally, I don't connect a fan to my laptop as a power source, I use a wall-powered 4-port USB hub. I see no difference in fan speed when plugged into a 2.4 amp or 1 amp outlet, but a noticeable decrease when powered by my laptop. As previously mentioned, the fan will also run slightly slower when the blue LEDs are lit. When the product was on the way, I didn't even know it was a "silent" device; It creates a continuous stream of cool air through your PC's base and air intakes while maintaining a relatively low speed and almost no noise. It is only audible when your laptop is off and there are no other sound sources in the room. The Logitech Cooling Pad was much noisier, and while it had a faster airflow rate, it was at room temperature and very noisy. Additionally, due to the size of this fan, you don't need to position your PC above it to direct more air into your PC's intake. The front of the device also has multiple louvers that direct cool air to where your wrists would be if you were typing on a laptop keyboard, a nice touch. PROS: - Inaudible silence - Really "cools" the air - Massive fan diameter - High airflow - USB output hub - LEDs and fans are activated separately - Sturdy base - Easy cable routing - Big enough for 17" laptops CONS : - Really not that portable - I think the fan could be faster - LEDs draw a noticeable amount of current - fan speed control hardly changes - sharp corners front and top if you want to use your laptop's built-in keyboard and touchpad short USB Cables included All in all, if your laptop is too warm for your taste or comfort, or if you are a gamer that has a laptop with a special setup (desk, keyboard, mouse or trackball) I would highly recommend this cooling pad. It might not be as "powerful" as you think, but it flushes your computer with the cold air it needs to keep processors and hard drives running.