NZXT Cryo S Aluminum Notebook Cooler Review
Just as there are a variety of cooling products for desktop computers, it is also important to be mindful of the temperature of your notebook computers as well. Passive solutions may be more convenient, but having active fans blowing cool air at your laptop is much more effective.
I’ve always been impressed with both the design and build quality of NZXT products, so I had the highest of expectations when I took the opportunity to try out the new NZXT Cryo S aluminum notebook cooler. Is this hot stuff or does it fizzle under pressure?
Highlights and Features
By and large, the Cryo S follows in the same philosophy as other notebook coolers in the Cryo family. You get a jet black aluminum finish, topped off with some rubberized feet to grip the base of your laptop.
You don’t have to worry about cheap craftsmanship or shoddy materials, because NZXT has forged this product using 3mm thick aluminum construction. Believe me when I say that it’s built pretty darn tough. This also means that it has somewhat sharp edges and it may not be the most portable solution out there.
Inside the box, you’ll find the cooler itself, a USB cable, and an AC cable. You can power the fans on the Cryo S either through the USB port on your laptop or through a wall outlet. The NZXT Cryo S will support notebooks up to 15-inches in size.
Sweeping around to the back of the notebook cooler, we find a simple set of ports and dials. The USB port on the far left is meant to connect to your computer so that the two-port USB hub on the right can be used for flash drives and other peripherals. Power will always come by way of the DC outlet, but you can choose between USB or wall power out of that outlet.
The dial on the far right is there so that you can adjust the speed of the pair of 120mm fans. In this way, you can crank up the speed when you feel that you’ll be doing higher performance tasks and need a higher level of cooling. Alternatively, you can turn it down when such a need is not as necessary.
Personally, I found the noise difference to be so minimal, so you might as well have it cranked up all the way all the time anyway. I also would have heavily preferred if this dial were located on the side rather than the back; that’s just more accessible.
Ergonomic Typing Angle
As an added bonus, the NZXT Cryo S notebook cooler also elevates your laptop as to provide a more ergonomic typing angle. This makes for a more comfortable typing experience and it elevates the display slightly as to reduce the amount of eye strain.
This is at a fixed height, however, so if you find that this particular angle is uncomfortable for you, you’re pretty much out of luck. Having an adjustable height makes a world of difference for a notebook stand, but the Cryo S is a cooler first and foremost.
Check Out the Massive Fans
I’ve reviewed a number of notebook coolers in my day and the vast majority of those that use fans tend to use smaller fans. These are less power-hungry, but may not be as good at dissipating the heat of your laptop. The Cryo S, on the other hand, decided to go big rather than go home.
Other laptop cooling stands may stick to 60mm fans (give or take), but you get two 120mm fans with this NZXT offering. They’re positively huge! Thankfully, NZXT has also included proper protection as to avoid chopped fingers.
Good for Your Xbox 360 Too:
And it just so happens that the NZXT Cryo S is a near perfect fit! Since power can come by way of USB, you can use one of the three USB ports (one in the back, two in the front) on the Xbox 360 to keep the fans going.
However, even standby power on the 360 is enough to power the fans. In this way, I would have liked to see a power switch to the Cryo S located either on the front or the side. As it stands, as soon as it gets power, it turns on.
In many ways, you could say that NZXT is doing more of the same with the Cryo S notebook cooler. It’s not terribly different from the other Cryo notebook coolers, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. The build quality and choice of materials are positively fantastic and those 120mm fans are quite impressive compared to many of its competitors.
The NZXT Cryo S notebook cooler certainly isn’t the cheapest option on the block, but it could be one of the best built.
The Good:
Super solid construction with 3mm thick aluminum
Rubberized plastic surface is very grippy
Fan speed control dial
Bonus two-port USB hub
The Bad:
Non-adjustable height
Cannot be folded for easy portability
USB hub and fan speed control may be better on the side
No power switch
