 EXCELLENT! |
| Review Date: February 8, 2008 |
| Reviewer: Doreen Gruchawka, San Antonio, TX |
| This is one of the few laptop coolers where the fan blows air directly on the computer instead of trying to suck the hot air away from the computer bottom, and it is highly effective! I have tried the Antec, Targus CoolPad (original model), and a couple of others, all of which suck the hot air instead of blowing directly on the computer bottom. Targus recently came out with a newer two-fan, non-suck (ie. direct blow) 4-port USB cooler which also cools great (bought that one too), BUT it sounds like a jet plane taking off. The noise is absolutely intolerable. I exchanged it for another, but the noise was the same. The Belkin F5L001 has one VERY quiet fan blowing directly onto the computer bottom, and does a great job. I have no complaint with the build quality, and the tilt door seems to work fine. One thing that MUST be noted (as a caution) is that if you do not use the built-in tilt stand (a little door that folds down from the cooler body), then the fan air intake will be blocked, thus possibly damaging the fan and/or preventing airflow for cooling. If you use the cooler on a flat surface, you MUST use the tilt stand. If you use it on your lap, use the tilt stand also, or position your legs/clothing in a way to allow good airflow to the fan intake. I was surprised this was not a caution item in the instructions, and I think failure to abide by this caution is probably the reason for some of the failures/complaints in the reviews on this product. I can't comment on the longevity of the cooler, but so far it seems to run in a relaxed fashion, IF you keep the fan intake clear. In summary, I have about $150 worth of various coolers, and the Belkin is the best by far. Whatever you do purchase, make sure it is a blow-cooler (blows air onto the bottom of the PC, rather than a suck type. After all, how do you cool a hot piece of food on your fork, or a hot liquid etc.? I dpn't suck the heat away, I blow it away. Thermal dynamics seems to confirm blowing is the most efficient, and I don't understand how the engineers decided on the suck type. The Belkin is Excellent! Good luck. |
Great Item!! Becaus it works, with objective benchmarking.
|
| Review Date: November 24, 2007 |
| Reviewer: caricd, ny |
| This is for Belkin F5L001 Laptop Cooling Stand. I upgraded my Compaq presario 4025US laptop with a 7200rpm HD and 2 gig of ram because i don't want to buy a new laptop with vista. Unfortunately, i accidentally broke the wire of the cooling fan while putting my ram (long story). When i rebooted, my laptop got so hot, which is unusual before the accident happened. I downloaded a cpu/motherboard freeware temperature sensor and found that temp. goes from high 40's to high 60's deg. C if multitasking. Went to amazon for some advises because i don't know how to fix the fan. Fortunately, bestbuy has this cooling stand. I removed my Targus "cooler" which did not actualy cooled my laptop. When I started my comp, idle temp went down to 33-37 C and on multitasking, went as high as mid 50's. BIG CHANGE.For the most part it stayed on the mid to high 30's. I only tried Targus and Belkin so I can only comment on these. But looking at the difference, I am a satisfied customer and would recommend it. If it works, good for you. If not, then return it. For those who don't like it's design, it's a laptop cooler (that works), not an accesory to make your laptop look good. I guess my emphasis is on the word "cooling", and it does it's job fine. |
Keep your cool, naturally
|
| Review Date: March 9, 2009 |
| Reviewer: John Williamson, Bucks County, PA USA |
Heart rises. That's convection, one of the basic laws of thermal dynamics that we all learn in grade school.
Most notebook and laptop computers have vents on the bottom where the computer's internal fans pull air into the unit and discharge it out of side or rear vents. There's an ongoing argument whether a fan-equipped USB notebook cooler should blow up towards the bottom of the computer or take the heat away from the base of the notebook (as most of them do). Taking the heat away from the underside of the notebook can (according to some) actually damage the computer as it's working against the computer's internal fan, and can actually cause it to work harder, not to mention draining the notebook's battery even faster.
This is where the Belkin Laptop Cooling Stand is a bit different from the others. It works in concert with the notebook or laptop computer's fan rather than against it. The key is to get the heated air away from the electronics and components that reside within some pretty tight spaces inside the computer, and to that end this laptop cooler does a fine job... and does it quietly.
If you turn on your notebook computer's power and move your hand by the vents on the sides, rear and bottom, you can feel the air flow. Most of the newer laptops have a cooling fan that draws upward and blows the heat out through one side or through the rear. Heat rises, and that makes Belkin's design perfect, as it assists natural convection to cool the laptop. Another thing to consider when looking at these things is the actual shape of the cooling pad. If there's no room for airflow, then no matter how strong the fan is, air won't flow.
At first glance, I thought that this Cooling Stand seemed rather flimsy when I removed it from the package, but this proved to not be the case. It's made from a white high-impact plastic, not only saving weight but turning out to be more rugged than expected. It weighs about 1.5 pounds, measures 12.6" W x 11.6" D x 1" H, and fits easily in my Lowepro Messenger Factor M Computer Bag, which is designed for notebook computers with a 15.4" screen. There's a cover for the USB cord on the underside that doubles as a leg to support the computer in an ergonomic fashion, allowing for excellent airflow. It also has rubberized surfaces so that the computer doesn't slide around during use, which is far better than some of the all-metal notebook coolers that I've owned. And if the white color doesn't appeal to you, there's always the black Belkin F5L001-BLK Laptop Cooling Pad as an alternative.
Pros:
- Low power consumption through your laptop's USB port
- Keeps laptop/notebook computers cool
- Keeps the user's lap cool
- Excellent price
Cons:
- No USB port on cooling stand
Check your computer to see how many USB ports you have, and plan ahead. I was aware of the lack of a USB port on this product when I ordered it, but since I already own this Targus Wired Laser Pack Notebook Bundle, I simply plug its four-port USB compact hub into the USB port on the notebook computer, then plug the laptop cooling stand's USB cord into that, eliminating that problem quickly.
It's suggested that you avoid using your notebook computer placed on a pillow or cushion that could block the airflow, even with this laptop cooling stand. If you're going to do that, place a large book or firm flat object underneath to help the air flow. Also avoid using it in areas with there's a lot of dust, shedding fibers (such as rugs or blankets) or areas where there's an accumulation of pet hair, as this could have an effect on the efficiency of the fans in both the computer and the cooling stand.
I have a variety of laptop cooling products. The minimalist x-shaped iConcepts M10417-MB Notebook Cooling Station does a surprisingly decent job while working strictly by thermal dynamics, using no fans. I also have the types with multiple fans that sound like an airplane taking off, and some of these do have an effect on the computer's battery. I personally find this Belkin product to be the best of the bunch. Pardon the double entendre, it doesn't suck; it blows the air in a natural fashion, using convection to help it do the job, naturally.
Highly recommended. |
Just what I was looking for!
|
| Review Date: November 9, 2007 |
| Reviewer: Amber Hanson, Philadelphia |
| This is perfect. My laptop always got very overheated and would even start to run slow. This cooling stand does its job and is also compact, lightweight and convenient. |
as designed
|
| Review Date: November 17, 2007 |
| Reviewer: Charlie B. Ball, Arcadia, CA USA |
| First heard about this product on PC magazine. Was very interested in a laptop cooler as I use mine for work and home. I probably shouldn't be impressed when a tech product works the way it is supposed to work, but I am. This may say something about the tech industry or just something about me. This product doesn't drain my battery and keeps my laptop cool, exactly as advertised. Excellent investment. |
|
|
No video reviews found for this product.
