Targus Tornado Notebook Chill Mat is decent overall
Written: Sep 16 '06 (Updated Sep 16 '06)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Comfortable on my lap, Fairly quiet
Cons: Construction is somewhat cheap, USB power cable long but very thin.
The Bottom Line: Decent product that will help keep your notebook running cooler and at peak performance. Antec makes a better one but Targus is easier to use on your lap.
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| yusakugo's Full Review: Targus Tornado Notebook Chill Mat (Pa248u) |
I actually had purchased this notebook chill mat at Staples for $19.99 for a problematic Inspiron 8200 notebook. My Inspiron 8200 had one of the internal fans break down... meaning the computer was quickly heating up and the Intel Pentium 4 mobile processor was trottling down the processor speed to help regulate the heat. In other words, my computer was operating at less than half of its full power. I bought the Targus as a stopgap measure until I could purchase the parts to repair the fan myself (the computer had fallen out of the 3 year warranty) and the internal fan was out of stock at webstores that sold it at a reasonable price ($40).
I had been using this cooler for about a month before I had purchased the Antec notebook cooler.
Why a Cooler?
This is from my Antec notebook cooler review but it summarizes a few good reasons to use a notebook cooler.
Unlike a desktop computer, most notebook computer don't have efficient ways of cooling down the internal components. Most notebooks rely of lower power consumption, more power efficient parts, and overall lower performance (compared to a high end desktop) to help keep heat generation down. Older notebooks could get hot enough to burn your lap (and probably there are still a few more recent laptops that still do today). So part of the reason a cooler is helpful is to protect your lap or furniture.
Another reason is that the temperature gets pretty darn hot inside. If there was no cooling system inside your computer, the temperature for many laptops could jump way beyond 100 degrees F. Since most laptops don't have the airflow to cool down as efficiently as a desktop, your notebook generates heat and increases in temperature. Over time, this excessive heat will wear down the parts of your laptop. A cooler can theoretically prolong the life of your notebook.
The last thing... it can keep your notebook running at its peak performance for a longer period of time. Most notebook processors today will reduce the speed of the notebook once the internal temperature reaches past a certain point. Using a cooler will help prevent the internal temperature from hitting those limits or at least it will take a longer time to reach those limits.
Note that as notebook technology continues to advance, the type of components in the notebook, the age of the notebook, and your primary uses for the notebook help determine the heat production. If your notebook is high end (i.e. gaming components), over a year old, or used for long periods of time and for intensive purposes (like graphics work, video work, or gaming), you really should consider the small investment in a notebook cooler!
In the end, I see it this way. I spend $20-25 for a cooler that I can use with any of my current laptops and future laptops as I see fit. My older notebooks definitely need the additional cooling although the newer laptops seem to do okay without it. I don't mind the small cost for the benefits.
Packaging
The Chill Mat comes in a plastic blister pack. I scratched up the side of the Chill Mat opening the package up...
Inside you will find the Chill Mat, a long but fragile looking USB power cable, and the instruction and warranty sheet.
Design
Urmm.... think thin grey polycarbonate plastic rectangle. That's what the Targus Chill Mat basically is. The Chill Mat has two 80mm fans to help in cooling your notebook. The exhaust is to the rear of the unit. In addition, the rear of the Chill Mat has two large plastic feet. A 14 inch or smaller screen notebook should position just fine over the Chill Mat. A 15 and 15.4 inch screen notebook might be okay since the notebook feet may position on the edges of the Chill Mat. Note that there are no switches or compartments on the Chill Pad itself.
The Chill Mat is powered by a long USB power cable... I would say too long a cable. The USB power cable is thin and fragile looking. On the cable is the on/off switch for the Chill Mat. The switch is a tiny nub about 1/3 of the way from the plug that goes into the Chill Mat.
Utility
The Targus Chill Mat was fairly stable on my lap especially since the bottom of the Mat is more flat than the Antec version. Overall, the Chill Mat worked although not as effectively as the Antec notebook cooler. Note that the Targus Chill Mat has only one fan speed.
In use, I have had the Chill Mat on for 24 straight hours with my notebook running at close to its peak performance. Around hour 20, the notebook was heating up uncomfortably (the HP Pavilion ze4101 notebook). After 24 hours, I decided to shut down the computer.
The only major problem with the cooler and the Targus Chill Mat is that not all notebooks will get the same benefit from the cooling. My older Inspiron 8200 has the airflow vents on the back and side of the notebook. Both the Antec and the Targus slightly cooled down the notebook. On my HP Pavilion and Inspiron 6000, there is an airflow vent on the bottom of the notebook. This greatly increased the cooling abilities of the Antec and the Targus on the notebook.
Some Additional Specs
Dimensions: 9x11.75x0.8 inches (22.9x29.8x2 cm)
Weight: 15 ounces (425g)
so smaller and lighter than the Antec notebook cooler
Noise: 25 dbA
Fan speed: 1500rpm (midway between the lo and hi settings for the Antec)
Power: 0.9W
Warranty: 1 year limited
The Antec notebook cooler
Recommended:
Yes
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yusakugo
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Member: Rich Go
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Losing Sleep and Lacking Time... sigh...
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