Belkin Laptop Cooling Pad/Stand Review

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by Tiffany Boggs

Anyone in need of a nice portable cooling pad, may be in luck. Thanks to Belkin's new Laptop Cooling Pad. It has a sleek design that makes it perfect for packing in your bag as you travel, but lets put it to the test and see how cool it really keeps your notebook.

Top view of the Belkin Cooling Pad. (view large image)

Belkin claims the Laptop Cooling Pad's unique patented wave design prevents your notebook from overheating. I am not so sure that the design has much to do with the cooling though. It uses one fan placed in the middle of the stand to enhance cooling. The stand connects to your laptop via a USB port, and it has low power consumption. The nice thing about the Cooling Pad is that it requires no power adapters or annoying cords.

Belkin Laptop Cooling Pad specs and features:

• Gentle slope improves typing comfort and reduces wrist strain
• Raises screen height to help reduce neck strain
• Fits conveniently within laptop bag
• Patented wave design enhances cooling capabilities
• Convenient storage compartment for USB cable when not in use
• Grips pads to prevent laptop from slipping

Design and Build

The Cooling Pad is made of plastic, so it isn't the most durable stand, but it can withstand the normal bumps and bruises.The Cooling Pad/Stand is white and has grey rubber bumpers on the top and bottom for the notebook to sit securely on. The bumpers prop the notebook up on an angle, so the fan underneath can do its job. The proclaimed wave design does help with wrist strain when typing and props the notebook up giving it better viewing angles.

Side view of the Cooling Pad, notice the wave design. (view large image)

It is lightweight only weighing in around 1.3lbs. so again it can go anywhere. The leg that pops out to make the Cooling Pad a stand is kind of wobbly. The entire design is plastic, so make sure the stand is completely out before placing your notebook on it or it will collapse. The USB cord is tucked away nicely on the bottom in a little compartment. The only problem is the plastic cover is hard to get off and on, which is annoying. At first I thought I was going to break the cover trying to get the USB cord out.

Bottom view of the Cooling Pad, with USB compartment and stand out. (view large image)

Performance

The Cooling Pad is quiet and doesn't take away from your notebooks performance, which is key. It isn't a high-priced cooler either, so don't expect it to take all the heat away. My Asus R1 doesn't run very hot to begin with, but the cooler did help cool it down a few degrees.

1. My Asus R1 tested running normal programs and surfing the Web.

	Left side vent	Bottom vent	Palm rest area
Without pad	87	95	83.5
With pad	84.5	85	83.5

 

My Asus had been running for about three hours before this test. After I put it on the Cooling Pad for about 10-15 minutes it already cooled the notebook and started to dissipate the air flow. The bottom vent cooled down 10 degrees in that little amount of time, so I am impressed by that. Be careful when typing on your notebook while on the stand though because if you apply to much pressure it makes the fan really loud. If your notebook sits on the Cooling Pad all day while you work, you will definitely notice a cooler notebook.

USB Port

Unfortunately there are no extra USB ports on this Cooling Pad. So you will lose a USB port from your notebook when you plug it in. It is only $29.99 though, so I wasn't expecting it to have any features or extra ports. At least it is easy to use, just &quot;plug and play&quot;. All you have to do is plug the included USB port into your notebook and the Cooling Pad starts cooling in seconds. No software or extra power adapters. The fan helps push the heat away from the notebook, so if the Cooling Pad is on your lap it can be a little warm. It isn't that comfortable sitting on your lap though, so I recommend leaving it on a desk.

Side view of the Cooling Pad with my Asus R1. (view large image)

Noise and Power Consumption

The Cooling Pad is actually pretty quiet. Considering it only has one fan, it makes minimal noise. I could barley notice it when I was working. If you have one of those loud keyboards, you will never notice it when typing. It is perfect for the library or office. The fact it is so quiet is nice because some of those other cooling pads on the market are loud and annoying.

I didn't even notice the Cooling Pad. It barely took any power away from my Asus R1 tablet. The battery life seemed normal, maybe about 10-15 minutes less, but the battery life on the R1 isn't so good anyways. Everything worked as usual. I didn't experience any problems surfing the Web or any lag. The Cooling Pad is definitely low power consumption.

Photo Gallery

Asus R1 sitting on the Cooling Pad. (view large image)

Close-up view of the fan. (view large image)

Back view of the Cooling Pad plugged into my R1. (view large image)

Side view of the Cooling Pad. (view large image)

Conclusion

Overall the Belkin Cooling Pad did its job. I mean after like 10 minutes it cooled my notebook down a few degrees, which in return helps my notebook's performance. It does take up a USB port though and doesn't have any features, but for the price that is okay. For $29.99 you get a cooling pad that cools your notebook, doesn't make much noise and doesn't take any power. It didn't hurt my tablet's battery life and it did elevate it for better viewing angles. The wrist strain can go both ways, it really depends on your own personal preference of typing. There isn't much to the Cooling Pad, so it can travel with you without any worries, but I recommend leaving it on a desk because it is awkward on your lap.

Pros

• Lightweight design
• Quiet while running
• Lower power consumption

Cons

• No extra USB ports
• Stand leg doesn't always lock into place

Pricing and Availability

The Belkin Cooling Pad/Stand isn't available for ordering yet. It is priced at $29.99 though and you can go to Belkin's website for more information and updates.

 

 

Thanks for the review. I really like the design, very stylish.

 

I was looking for a laptop cooler. How would this be on another surface, like say on top of a bed?

It does look pretty nice, and the price is also low.

Any idea about when it will be available?

 

i just picked one up at best buy today for my 1720.

i liked it b/c the shape allowed for the air to flow freely underneath the laptop if i decided not to have the fan on. on my laptop, the intake fan is at that bottom so the gap helps a lot, especially since the fan for the cooler is pretty useless on a bed. they seem to have placed the fan at the lowest point of then pad for odd reason - right where material will bunch up when placed on any type of soft surface. without the gap this thing would be heading back to the store.

one other big gripe i have is that the stand doesn't lock when open. it's got a heck of a lock when it's down in storage position. but when in working position the back leg collapses if you move your laptop any. when blindly trying to pull the leg back out it's pretty easy to get your fingers caught by the fan blades. they're low rpm, but they give you a little shock when you touch them.

out of the laptop coolers i've seen so far at retail shops this seems the best for my laptop right now. i'd love to check out others but selection is slim at CC and BB. online isn't that great b/c i can't really see which direction the fans blow.

so far, i'm happy with my choice.

and thanks for the review, it's what made me get this is in the first place.

 

I've owned the Belkin Laptop Cooling Stand for about 2 months now, I bought it on amazon right before I left for college, and all I have to say is that it is amazing. Other laptop stands might have USB ports and 4 fans etc, but this stand not only uses less power, but it is way more portable and versatile and it keeps your laptop AND your lap just as cool. The one issue is you have to make sure that the fan gets air circulation otherwise it gets really noisey, but this is hardly a problem. I give this thing five stars for sure

 

I'm thinking about getting this pad since most of the other one's done have such a large gap for air to flow. My dv2500 has intakes on the bottom so the average cooling pad without gaps just counter-acts that. With the gap, I think it will work much better (how hard would it be to open one up and reverse the fan direction, is it built well?). Even if I don;t use the fan it'd be a major improvement I'm sure.

One last thing - does the leg need to be out to use the pad? Can it be switched around so it doesn't sit so high (small leg at rear of laptop, large leg folded away), or does the gap make that impossible.

 

Sorry to revive such an old thread, but I'm interested in buying this as it's... the only cooler available around in this part of the world.

I just have a few questions:
1) Is the stand really wobbly, so much so that it makes typing kinda scary? I wouldn't want to use my laptop with a fear of it suddenly falling because of this...
2) Is my 15" widescreen Vostro 1500 too big/wide/heavy for the stand? I don't want to perform a balancing act while using my laptop...
3) Is it worth buying? Or are there other options that are simply far better in usability and value?

Thanks!