New: iXoft fanless notebook cooling pad by Thermaltake

http://www.digitimes.com/Backgrounders/ArtReview.asp?datePublish=2007/02/06&pages=PR&seq=210&Cat=1

In fact, I have been using a similar device for almost a year and I must say it is very effective, though its working time is limited to several hours (then you just need to let it cool down for several minutes untill the substance solidifies again - if you know basic physics from school then you should understand why). If your notebook dissipates a lot of heat, then the working time of this
device will be lower. The device is more effective with the notebooks with a metal/carbon fiber case which ensures a better heat exchange with the environment than plastic.

The pad I have been using is similar to this one:
http://best-cooler.com/en/views.asp?hw_id=903
I found it by pure chance in a single internet shop in Germany for the price of 10 euro. The pad is always under my notebook and it really ensures lower processor and HDD temperatures (I have tested it)!

Maybe I should write a review of it, if there is a public interest.

 

well u can buy 2... after 1 is used.. throw it into the freezer and use ur spare.. and repeat the process again...

 

I don't think that's the point, lunateck. Rather it doesn't require the freezer. The substance within the pad themselves have a low melting point or rather solidifies at higher temperature, for instance the chinese product. All in all it seems quite interesting.

 

Anyone know who is selling these?

 

"The key to the iXoft Fanless Notebook Cooling pad is Thermaltake's patented Heat Shift Technology which consists of phase change material that exhibits cold and solid properties when not in use, but transforms into a liquid when dissipating heat away from a heat source, noted the company."

It doesnt really suck the heat out, it just distribute them to every area that there is, thus it seems it is sucking heat out. To cool them down, u need to take it off ur laptop. To accelerate the process of cooling(the cool pads), just throw it into the fridge.

 

The new iXoft pad is 3 times heavier in comparison with my 200g pad from best-cooler. It means it will last much longer (3 times longer, if the same chemical is used). I assume iXoft pad is intended for desktop replacement notebooks.

If you are doing intense gaming or like on a very powerful laptop, it might have sense to have two pads. However, it may be more practical then to use a conventional cooler.

By putting pad to the fridge you may only reduce its cooling down time for like a minute. You don't need to freeze it. You just need the substance of the pad to perform the phase transition back from the liquid to solid. Note, that if your work environment temperature is higher than the melting temperature of the material, the fanless pad will be useless (or they need to invent new material with a higher melting temperature).

A pad filled with a proper bismut-tin-indium or maybe gallium-indium alloy might be more effective but too costy...

 

Just the opposite.

 

yup, gotta love thermo

 

I would see this as being a desktop use only item. If you set it on your lapt then the laptop over that it will also conduct the heat from your body...ie: 98.6F. That might defeat or limit the effectiveness of the pad.

It's an interesting product for sure. Biggest issue I have with the fan based cooling pads are they really reduce battery life. This sort of passive colling looks really promising, if indeed it works as advertised.

 

Yeah, it won't be so effective if you use it on your laps. However, it can serve a s a thermal insulator between your laps and the laptop after the substance inside the pad has totally melted.

Yes, based on my experience with a similar product, it does work as advertised and I am really happy that I got one.

 

That is very fascinating. One thing that appeals to me is that it is not thick, and it looks like you could roll it up, like when you are traveling somewhere. I can fit my current notebook cooler into my laptop case, but then there really isn't room for anything else. Very interesting concept. I like it.

 

I emailed Thermaltake and asked when this would be available, have yet to get a response from them.

 

I wonder if the chemicals inside would degrade over time rendering the pad useless.

Also, for those who use this pad, does the pad block out the internal fan vent?

 

There are no chemicals I think, it's sort of like...ice packs! and as far as I know those things don't stop working o.o

@ Newegg the produc description says you can use it on your lap so I guess it won't block the fan...
I g2g buy one of those now >.<

 

I am afraid if this stuff is anything like heating pads:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heating_pad#Chemical
I went through many of these because they no longer "work". The chemicals degrade to a point where they no longer become liquid

 

I found this review from another site.
Jist of it:
w/o Pad:
Temp somewhere on bottom of notebook: 45* max
Temp on desk/glass the notebook's on: 43*
CPU Temp: Stable at 82*
w/Pad:
Temp on same place on bottom of notebook: 46*
But there was no specific HOT spot, the heat was evenly spread.
Temp on desk/glass the notebook's on: 31*
CPU Temp: Going up and down, as low as 65*

 

I just bought this cooler today. It's very mobile and suit well on my laps.
It does a relatively good job on lowering the GPU on my DELL XPS 1530. It cools so the GPU stays around 67,68. When I play game, the GPU heats more and past the point when the fan runs. After ~30 secs after fan running, the GPU goes to 57.
I bought it for $20 after $10 rebate at Fry's. After 2 hours and 30 mins in uptime, my dell has no heat under it.
Now I'm just worrying when the thermal will solidify again. Anyone knows an approximation?

 

I have this pad but was kinda disappointed by it, because I was thinking of using it for long hours (my mistake). Like other ppl said, it's basically like an icepad. I think the key concept is that the stuffings can absorb large amount of thermal energy as it goes from solid to liquid state.

It doesn't really distribute heat across the pad as well as the packet claimed, as the stuffing would be melted on the part where it contact the hot spots below the laptop while other parts remain solid. Therefore, I had to rotate the pad after a couple of hours to shuffle the hot spot contact area.

I think the pad does not dissipate heat that well after it is removed from the laptop, so it actually takes quite a while to "reset" the pad (unless you really use a fridge).

After the stuffings melt and warm up, the laptop temperature will become a bit hotter than normal, since the pad reduces air flow below the laptop.

However, I do agree that the pad is very effective when it works, though it is not a suitable substitute for a real cooler w/ fan for long computer use (inserting and pulling it away from the laptop is a bit annoying after a few times). Whether it is good for you would depends your computer usage pattern.