Introduction

Laptop computers are quickly becoming a desktop replacement for many households, which has become evident in the rising sales of laptops over traditional desktop PCs. This leaves much of the workload normally placed on the desktop to fall on the laptop. This added workload will undeniably place extra stress on the laptop and will thus, in turn, cause the laptop to run hotter due to extended periods of heavy use.

To combat the effects of the added use and heat build up of a laptop, most computer component companies have begun to develop different methods and components to help in cooling the tightly packed system of a laptop. One of the more common methods is with an active laptop cooler to raise the laptop off of the work surface and provide extra airflow by way of underside mounted fans. Previously, I reviewed one such cooler from NZXT, the Cryo, which was a foldable 17 inch capable laptop cooler, which helped to cool any laptop. NZXT also has a younger sibling to the Cryo for 15 inch laptops, for those who don’t need the big brother, which does take up a bit of space.

The NZXT Cryo S laptop cooler is a 15 inch all aluminum cooler with active fan cooling. The NZXT Cryo S features variable speed, USB or AC powered fans and USB hub. The surface of the aluminum cooler features rubber trimming to provide an anti slip surface for the laptop to sit on. The compact size also allows for portability to be kept in mind with the use of this laptop cooler.