Cooling Pad for E1505, Xpad? Fan Based? Stable?

Hey all. Ive been having a HARD time trying to find something new for my Dell E1505. (A 15.4 widescreen laptop)

Atm I am using the Tarugus passive cooling pad that has that 360 Swivel, which INDEED is nice for rasing the laptop and Helps when I run it off the bed or on a shelf and need to move it around etc. However.. On my New 1505.. its kinda really small for it.. sadly.. =/

I want something that raises my laptop, can be used in my lap, bed or floor. Now I see reviews about how fans arent as good and so..
The E1505 has a air intake on the bottom and exhausts on the side and back so I belive. If I am wrong, let me know.

So here is what I am looking at from my searches... Seems to be the only 2 I see that are worth it..

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16834999336
This one is a strong one with solid reviews, reversable fans which is INDEED nice. DOWN SIDE is that I need to place protection on the front and feet so it doesnt scratch the laptop or surface. Price is fair too. Also another issue.. as you see.. its just the back end that rests on the bottom.. how would this work on a bed or lap.. I dont think it can... you? So that is kinda ouch there.. =(

Xpad -
http://xpad4laptop.com/index.html

New on the market, a passive cooling. Although in other reviews I read on the forums that its a HIGH cost for what it is.. I hear however its a very stable base thats GREAT to use on anything, even a lap and its sturdy. Allows natural airflow etc. So also sounds nice considering I use passive now.. and I need something to be stable.

Now then, if ANYONE has a better pad to suggest that I can use on a lap, bed, floor etc and it would offer a stable surface to use it on anywhere... link me.

I HAVE seen the lapcool 2, However looks VERY small for this unit.. so I decided against it.

So far.. I am leaning toward the Xpad.

I was ALSO reading about a app that is new called 19fangui which is a program designed to activate and controll your own internal system fans. Great with laptops it seems... Granted Version 2.2 does not support dual core it will work in a basic way.
http://www.mckenziedev.com/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=1

Now using this program with Xpad.. sounds like a good combo for cooling and surface stability on ANYTHING. Comments?

If anyone has a better idea or item.. let me know. =) Links would be great, suggestions, etc. Always hard to make choices like this without proper research and hearing from others.. the other issues is.. all the other pads I have seen do not advertise their fit for a 15.4 widescreen model.. all seem to be for 15 screen model 4:3 ration or less. That or they dont seem to be decent fan life, or sturdy base.

Anyways help please. =) Thanks.

 

I'm considering getting the Xpad for it's simplicity and functionality.

They say it caters for laptops/notebooks up to 17" and the E1505 is 15.4" with its feet about half an inch in from the edges, so I'm not sure if it will fit properly on the Xpad's 13" width despite what they say. As I'm in the UK and this is a US product it's hard to check.

 

The 17" are measured diagonally from left to right on your screen. It's not a measurement of width or length. With 13", you should need about 11" height to make a 17" so I think the claim is about right.

 

So does this mean Xpad is better then other options for the size of our laptops? the 15.4 or 17in?

 

I would think so. Just to be sure, grab a ruler or a tape and measure the lenght and width of your laptop. If it not that disproportionate to the Xpad's dimensions, I would buy it.

EDIT: Oh! Just realized that I didn't answer your question. To be honest, I don't know. I think USAFdude02 uses the fan based one with his 9300 so I would think both works with 17" so I don't forsee a problem with the E1505 but just to make sure, send him a PM or let's let him come around here and give you his impressions with it.

 

I ordered the Xpad today and should get it in the next couple of weeks, so I'll post my impressions once I've used it.

 

Please do, it will help us know if its worth it.

 

I'll be glad to help.

I ordered it around 23:00 UK time last night and it was shipped today, so I might get it sooner than expected.

 

The Xpad arrived today after ordering it on 1 June, I opted for USPS Global Priority Mail as it was only $0.09 more than International Airmail Parcel and I thought it would be packaged better than the cheapest option International Airmail Letter. I was wrong. It came in the retail box, and inside a bag, with a dispatch label on it and no padding. One of the box's corners was damaged and crushed, but thankfully the Xpad wasn't damaged.

I have a 6400/E1505 and the feet fit on it perfectly with the laptop overhanging slightly. I'm not familiar with the material it's constructed from, but it feels like plastic and is very lightweight.

It's nice and compact, which is great for whatever surface you put it on, including your lap.

It seems to be doing its job and overall I like it, but I don't think it's worth $29.95 (circa £16 UK). I reckon it would be better priced around US $20 or UK £10.

 

Just a heads up...There is currently $5 off the xpad.

http://www.xpad4laptop.com/buy.html

Only $25.

 

Wow. Thanks for the thorough review.

 

Here's a review of the Xpad. Not very favorable.
http://www.virtual-hideout.net/reviews/xpad4laptop/index.shtml

 

i have a lapcool2 by vantec

its nothing great and probably not worth the $20 i paid for it, its made of really cheap plastic that is very flexible and flimsy

as far as cooling the outside case of my laptop, it does its job, well enough

but im returning it because it does really lower the temperture so i'm picking up a targus coolpad for $20, it feels alot more stable and i like the adjustable viewing angles, although it has no fans, i'm not too worried becausei dont think the fans helped that much with temp anyways

i kinda wanted a lacool4, because it comes with 4usb slots and a 4port card reader, but $50 isnt worth it to me

 

I'm gonna test out the xpad for $25 and see how it goes. I thought some of the negative stuff the review on VH was nitpicky (and he over-reacted a bit on the subsequent back and forth). I'm the spot on average guy so hopefully it'll perform as advertised.

 

I like using the XPad. It's minimalist and effective:

Pros:
1. Doesn't take up USB Ports
2. Doesn't use any power
3. No moving parts so minimal wear & tear from use & you can toss it around
4. Cools the laptop
5. Keeps your legs cool
6. Balances well so you can place it on your leg in various arrangement

Cons:
Not very "high tech" for $25.

Bottom Line:
It is essentially a piece of plastic with a comfortable foam bottom and frictional rubber risers on the top. You might think that "for $5-25 more I can get fans, usb ports, battery power, AC power" etc etc.

But the Xpad works, it's easy to transport, it doesn't break down and basically it gets the job done without you having to worry about anything. Isn't that what a tool is supposed to do?

Don't get caught up in tech vs $$$. If it works for you at a price you can comfortably pay, then it's a good deal, IMHO.

 

I agree with your post theCheshireCat.

 

hi, i have an acer aspire 1694 with a 15.4 screen, so will i have any trouble connecting the x-pad to it or will it fit properly? does anyone know about that?

MIhac

 

I have got a Dell Inspiron 6400, which has a 15.4" screen and the four rubber feet fit on the Xpad fine.

 

Last night I noticed the Xpad did suffer some damage:



And one of the pads isn't stuck down properly and seems to be peeling off more over time:



I will be e-mailing Xpad to try to rectify the situation.

 

I've had mine for a few days and it's just ok. To be fair I don't think I'd really like one with a fan any more than I like the Xpad. It's slightly smaller than my E1505 (I didn't check the dimensions, I was hoping it's be a bit bigger) and no, the plastic edges don't cut into your legs. The one drawback I see is that your legs get hot from the bottom of the Xpad. Not from the heat from the laptop but because the fabric on the bottom of the Xpad kind of traps the heat from your legs/junk. It's a tight fit if I try to stick it in my Sumdex bag with my laptop, but it will fit.

All in all it's probably a $20 item. I have no issues with the quality of the pad itself. The sticky pads do a good job on gripping the footpads of the notebook.

 

I e-mailed them, explained the situation and offered a couple of solutions, then I checked my e-mail tonight and they've said they will send me a new Xpad free of charge and haven't asked for the old one back. I hope this one survives the journey.