Mobile computers are renowned for overheating, Choiix have produced a solution for this problem. We take a look at this new product.

Product on Review: Choiix Mini Air-Through Notebook Cooling Pad
Manufacturer and Sponsor: Choiix
Street Price: £32



In a world where information is so easily sent and received, the demand for mobile computers is very strong. Business simply wouldn’t progress without the mobile computer.

Manufacturers of mobile computing are very keen to produce super thin solutions that are easier to move from place to place, due to the hardware inside being so compact this means that components get hot quicker than the conventional PC and this can ultimately lead to system crashes and even hardware failure. So to combat this problem cooling product developers are designing units to relieve mobile computers of this unwanted heat. Today we have one of these coolers, the Choiix Mini Air-Through Notebook Cooling Pad.



“Choiix provides consumers a diversity of digital lifestyle products, with joyful, colorful, friendly, and touching characteristics. Every design, being simple yet refined, attracts consumers who yearn the same for their lifestyle.”

Features and Specifications
• Single fan provides airflow for efficient and effective airflow
• Aluminium panel and frame design for superior ventilation and cooling performance
• Ergonomically designed for maximum comfort
• 4 port USB hub
• Optimally designed for 7”-15” netbooks

Dimensions: 300 x 230 x 5~30 mm (11.81″ x 9.05″ x 0.20″ ~1.18″)
Weight: 540g/1.19 lbs (without HUB), 575g/1.27lbs (with HUB)
Fan: 70mm Fan x 1 (2.76″)
Materials: Aluminium, Rubber, and Plastic
Model: C-HL02-WP
Features: 4 port USB 2.0/1.1 port hub

Packaging

The Choiix Mini Air-Through Notebook Cooling Pad comes nicely packaged in a colourful box with handle. There is plenty of information on the packaging to inform the consumer just what is intended. Attached to the handle are a collection of tags with details of other Choiix products.

You will notice that this product is named a “Notebook Cooling Pad” yet on the packaging it actually says that this is suitable only for ‘netbooks’. I really think that Choiix ought to rename this product in order that they prevent confusion. It may well say ‘Mini Notebook’ cooler but in essence a ‘Notebook’ is in fact a Laptop.


Choiix Mini-Air Through box – front


Choiix Mini-Air Through box – front

Choiix Mini Air-Through Notebook Cooler

Taking the cooler out of the box, we soon see the delicate care that Choiix have made in presenting a very attractive looking cooler to the consumer. It has a lovely smooth aluminium finish and all the corners are super smooth.

The front of the cooling pad slopes down so that the position of your computer is more comfortable and less likely to cause RSI. There is a cut out in the middle, so that airflow is encouraged. To take advantage of the cooler on the Choiix Mini Air-Through a USB lead is required to connect the cooler to the laptop. (Although this should have been provided for in the package, this was missing). When the USB lead is plugged in, the white button on the side acts as an ‘On/Off” switch.


The Choiix cooler from the front


The Choiix logo engraved onto the alumninium surface


On/Off switch for the 70mm fan inside the Choiix

To the rear of the cooling pad there is a very handy USB hub that is channelled through the USB lead above. This gives an additional 4 ports, its good to see that a feature like this is present on such a device – it makes it even more portable.


4x USB ports on the back of the Choiix cooler

Next to the USB hub area and indeed on the underside are ventilation panels. These outlets are here because the 70mm fan pushes air out and into large cut out area whilst your notebook is in the center – thus blowing cool air onto the underside of your computer.


The ventiliation panel above the internal fan

Testing

To test the cooling performance of the Choiix Mini Air-Through I will be monitoring temperatures in idle and load states both with and without the cooling pad switched on. This should give us a good indication of how the Choiix cooler works.

The way that I will test is simply to record the idle temperatures after 15 minutes of a cold bootup and then switch the Choiix cooler on for 15 minutes and record those temperatures. For the load recordings I will be loading the notebook with an OCCT stress test for 15 minutes and similarly recording the temperatures with and without the Choiix cooler switched on.

Notebook Dell D630
Processor Intel Core 2 Duo 1.8GHz
Memory 2GB DDR2
HDD 60GB SATA-II
Screen 14.1″



Now, whilst I mentioned earlier this “notebook” cooler is in fact designed for “netbooks” you will notice from the above image that the notebook I am using doesn’t fit as nicely as a netbook would. If I try and place the notebook to a better position and more central this covers the rear USB hub area.





From the above results the Choiix Mini Air-Through does a reasonable job at knocking the temperatures down a little but I was hoping for a little more performance from this cooler. It’s definitely a benefit to have this in place, as it improves posture and knocks off some valuable degrees – having a 70mm fan inside doesn’t seem to enhance the cooling all that much. Perhaps a bigger fan would improve things greater.

It’s significant that all of the components temperatures are reduced; this is a positive thing and will contribute to the prolonging of the notebook’s lifespan.

Noise
Noise isn’t really an issue with the Choiix cooler although it can be heard slightly this shouldn’t irritate even the sensitive of people.

Conclusion

Overall the Choiix Mini Air-Through Notebook Cooling Pad is a decent product. It looks good and it also works well as a cooling solution for your notebook.

It may not have reduced the temperatures dramatically but it did lower all of the key components in a bid to decrease the risk of system freezes and degrading of hardware. It also offers an additional 4 USB ports which is very handy. It’s also very easy to pop into a bag due to its size and weight.

At around the £30 mark it may be a little expensive for some but I think the above factors may win most over.

The only improvements that I can see are obviously the package description as I mentioned earlier in the article as well as some fan control would make the Choiix Mini Air-Through Notebook Cooling Pad more functional.

Pros
[+] Looks attractive
[+] Provides good cooling
[+] Lightweight
[+] Additional functionality – USB

Cons
[-] No fan control
[-] Packaging could be deemed misleading

We would like to thank Choiix for supplying this sample. To discuss this review please go to our forums