Choiix Air - Notebook Cooler Review: First review on the net, pics, stats, etc.

Choiix Air-Through Review

​

This it the first full review on the net.

This is the first part of the review. There are two parts as the notebook I am using for this review is oversized for the actual description of the product and I will be using a smaller notebook within the next week in order to provide a more informative review. I will be posting better pictures when the second part of the review comes in.

All images are property of me (X2P @ www.notebookreview.com), if no credit is given legal measures will be taken.

Also a thanks to Selina over at Choiix.

It is important to note that this product may and does vary from the consumer product.

Another important notice is that any markings on this product were caused by Japanese customs, I have found scratches and green marks which were too fresh to have come from the production line. After looking closer at the tape on the packaging box customs had opened the product.

Choiix

+
​

Choiix was developed by the well known Cooler Master to deliver “lifestyle” products. Oriented at home and general relaxed users their products are joining the flow of simple yet striking design. They concentrate specifically on the 14” and under category which is currently the fast growing sector of the notebook market including netbooks.


For more information please visit www.choiix.com

Specifications:

Computers used:

1) Vostro 1500
Intel Core 2 Duo 1.8 Ghz
4Gb Corsair Value Select DDR2 667mhz (No undervolt etc)
Nvidia 8600m GT 256mb DDR2 (Stock Clocks)
Hitachi 5k320 5400 rpm Hard drive
Windows XP SP3

2) Samsung Q210
(Specs Pending)

Notebook Cooler used: Choiix Air-Through (C-HL01-WS)

Price: Listed online prices vary from around 35$ US.

Dimensions 350(L) x 33(W) x 5~10(H) mm
Weight 830g
Material Plastic, Aluminum, Rubber
Noise Not Specified
Input Voltage 5V (Connects with Notebook USB Port)
Color White/Aluminum

Fan Quantity Two
Individual Fan Size 6cm Diameter or 3Cm Radius
Speed: 2000 RPM (The version I tested ran at 2500 RPM)

Designed for 14” and under slim/light notebooks.

Review:

The packaging as you can see is quite interesting, the image is glossy while the rest has a cool wax feeling and look to it. Inside the cooler was held in by a piece of cardboard then wrapped with a bubble wrap layer then furthermore a clear bag to prevent any markings. I am not sure which part customs had a play in but I apologize for the dented/pre-opened look to the box but the Japanese government is well known for opening many packages.

​

Also attached was a tiny booklet with features and other Choiix products. From the booklet and the bottom of the box (even more languages) it appears the product may be released in European countries, English speaking countries, China, Japan and some Middle Eastern States as well as Russia. Generally good packaging.

​

To carry on first impressions of the cooler were mixed. The design was stunning and the cooler was bigger than I expected. I actually immediately set my notebook on it and bang on the Vostro 1500 fit Very well including fan alignment (9Cell battery in). I was instantly impressed that they had put a power button rather than a switch. As you can see the cooler can be used on soft surfaces due to its design.



On the top Choiix did the right thing by using aluminum on the cooler. They put a sheet of aluminum where the notebook would be sitting in order to help heat dissipation. As stated in my buyers guide heat dissipates far batter through aluminum or metal surfaced coolers rather than plastic. The bottom (front) bit there has a piece of rubber rather than plastic for grip. When I pushed it back in it was slightly flexible but firm. The flexibility actually made the cooler more comfortable when used on my lap.

​

On the right side there is a power button, which feels pretty good though a bit small but more welcome than a switch. Further more there is a USB 2.0, USB Female, and DC input ports. After further testing, I found out that the cooler can by powered by either the USB port, the DC port or the USB female port. The cable is actually pretty cool and has awesome shaped ends as well as being fairly tough. Non-stock cables also work such as USB to USB or USB Male to Female and USB to DC or DC to wall outlet. There is also a subtle green USB hub indicator light; it has a pretty glow to it. Generally I really like the port options on the side allowing 3 different power methods though not stated they all work.

​

A little bonus thing is that If you plug in multiple power sources the fans speed up.

On the left Choiix included 3 more USB 2.0 ports meaning you gain an extra 3 ports when using up one on your notebook. This is a major bonus as the 14” and under category notebooks including the new Macbook as well as Macbook air have few USB ports usually fewer than 4. With the ability to add 3 ports and be able to cooler your notebook it is a major bonus.

Though not related to the side it looks VERY hot almost sexy with the new Mac line. As you can see (pictures from Choiix.com) it looks sleek and matches beautifully.

​

There is some flex in the cooler, the plastic used in the white part is not of as good quality as other coolers such as the base of the Zalman NC1000. This leads to a bit of flex if pushed down on. Though it may be on the cheaper side it is still stable and easily accommodates the weight of a notebook. The angle that it is on is great; actually I would call it superb. From my experience with ergonomic products this cooler hit the right angle in order to achieve comfortable typing. While using the cooler so far I have written almost 1100 words and my fingers are more relaxed then when I started. Honestly it is the most comfortable angle I have typed on any keyboard notebook and external keyboard. Though the plastic may be a bit on the lower end side it is still pretty solid and should have no issues holding up.

On the bottom is the rubber strip on the front and in the back you can see there is a Whopper sized rubber foot which personally I love. It prevents movement very well while working with the front strip. The back is similar but with the air input. It can be removed and replaced but I am not sure how that affects the warranty. The Back just has the input for the air flow.

​

Overall it appears to be a good design for an ergonomic user; personally I am using it on my lap while lying in bed and I am loving it. One downside is there is no way to control the strength of the fans, they are set to one speed.

Portability

Though this cooler is not meant to be portable I will be posting a updated version of this section in the next update after my air travels.



Statistics

The general run through I put the cooler through is the following:

The only power source used was the stock white cable

The notebook gets a 10 minute cool down session between each test. During that cool down session it got a 30 second fan to cool the base off quicker as well as the fan blown out between each test. The battery was left in the cooler.

Though not aimed at the gaming market at all I decided to push the limits of the cooler and ran a stress test on the system. It consisted of three straight runs of 3dmark06 followed by a 10 minute run of Orthos while 2 instances of the program were running for extra stress.

For the office or home user I ran 15 minute regular use sessions which included use of software such as Skype, Windows Live Messenger, Firefox (including Flash), Windows Media player, and iTunes as well as Office 2007 apps such as Outlook and Word.


I ran tests on a bed (Swiss Memory foam with a plush pad between the bed and the sheet) as well as a wooden desk. As for laps I decided not to run a test, generally if using on a lap it should be between the desk and the bed results.

Notebook 1: Vostro 1500 (IMPORTANT NOTE: this notebook size was not in the supported size range for the cooler)

As you can see the starting or idle temp is different in tests so you CANNOT compare max temperatures alone. Red = Max Blue = Min/Start/Idle

All tests were conducted in 12/13C room.

​

Notebook 2: Samsung NC210

Due to limited time with the notebook I was only able to due gaming tests.

All tests were conducted in 20C room.




Noise:

The cooler was noisier than I expected. It was still audible when watching a video clip or listening to music. The consumer version should be quieter; the 500 RPM drop should make the cooler quiet so when listening to music etc it should not be audible.

Pros:

Great design/looks hot
Useable on multiple surfaces
Big feet
Aluminum layer for heat dissipation
A lot of ports/power options
Can cool gaming though not made for it

Cons:

Plastic looks cheaper than it is
Noise was disappointing
White gets dirty quickly


Photos

As the photos that are in the general review are a bit small to see details, I have uploaded larger photos for people who want to view the pictures in the review in a larger size as well as extra photos.

<embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" src="http://wmg.photobucket.com/pbwidget.swf?pbwurl=http://wmg.photobucket.com/albums/v103/akihitothedragon/a2210e27.pbw" height='180' width='600'>

[

Conclusion

If you are looking for a general use cooler on pretty much any surface this should work out. It gets the job done and looks great and is not too loud. Also It appears it should work fine with 15.4" models that are even bulky such as the Dell Vostro 1500/Insprion 1520.

 

are the numbers really correct? i am sorry to ask because the numbers reported seem to be within margin of error. while the design does look different from other direct cooling pad, it is rather surprising to see some figures to be higher w/ cooling pad.

ps. i had a laugh in the pro/con area where there is no mentioning of the capability as a "cooler"

thanks

 

The numbers are accurate it was impossible to get them to consistently start with the same temperature.

Which figures were higher with cooling pad? The blue shaded area is the temperature that it had originally started with.

 

X2P!~

You did a great job on Part 1!!! Wowsa!
This cooler looks pretty nice!

I can't wait to see Part 2!


Kudos!


Cin

 

Thanks Cin

 

Nice one, another great contribution to this website, too bad I have already got the Zalman nc-1000 you have recommended....wouldn't have a chance to test this new product out with my macbook

 

Thanks

I have added a photo strip with larger images (clickable) and some more images

 

UPDATE:

I have added results from usage of the cooler with a Samsung Q210.

Enjoy

 

Thanks for the update with the results on the Samsung Q210


Cin

 

The review and images are nicely done...I'm just curious what a reprocussion is? Is it similar to a repercussion? You made enough mention of legal issues...I think it would have been more tasteful to simply put in a small disclaimer at the bottom of the review. Takes away from the overall review, which again, is nicely done, IMO.

 

Is there a thread for homemade coolers?

 

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=286894

There is no "set thread" but that should help

 

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=286894

There is no "set thread" but that should help

 

I really like the look of this one; the only downside is the color. It just won't look right for "standard" dark or silver colored PC, I think.

Right now I am using the "amoeba-shaped" old ANTEC, which works, it gets cold, but it is not comfortable since it sits high and is not tilted.
(I got it for free).