Cooler Master NotePal U2 Plus Laptop Cooling Pad Review

Introduction

We have been reviewing a lot of laptop coolers here at Pro-Clockers and our database is somewhat dominated by Cooler Master products. Many of them are from the NotePal models. Just recently we had the NotePal ErgoStand II on the spotlight. Many of these products we tested have added features that made them more than just a laptop cooler. For example we have the ErgoStand II which has an adjustable overall height. The feature made the laptop more comfortable or to conform better as a media device.

Our next laptop cooling pad from Cooler Master is more of a traditional cooler but it does have some features that will make stand out from the others. The new NotePal U2 Plus has a built-in cable management for your accessories and can be used as a carry case for your laptop if need. Yes, this is just a couple of features that will make the NotePal U2 Plus worthy for your money.

Cooler Master’s Take on the NotePal U2 Plus

Passive and Active Cooling

Sore wrists and a hot notebook are things we all experienced after working on a notebook for consecutive hours. With its angle and cooling, the NotePal U2 PLUS contests those negative factors of working on a notebook. Thanks to the space underneath the NotePal U2 PLUS, the notebook has more environmental air to use for cooling which results in a lower temperature by just placing the notebook on top of the NotePal U2 PLUS. Next to this passive way of cooling, there is also an active cooling option thanks to the two additional fans.

Repositionable Fans

Both fans are easy to place and replace on the bottom of the mesh structure of the NotePal U2 PLUS. This system allows every notebook, up to 17″, to be cooled in the most efficient way, since every notebook has a different layout when it comes to the air intake and hot spots, like the position of the processor.

Protect and Go

Since notebooks are portable, we also designed our NotePal U2 PLUS to be portable. A notebook can be placed inside the U-shape underneath the surface in order to be protected on one side, while the included strap holds the notebook in place. Thanks to the fact that the NotePal U2 PLUS is made out of aluminum it is ultra-light and thus easy to carry. In addition, an aluminum rubber has been used in order to provide grip for the notebook and the notebook cooler itself. On the back of the NotePal U2 PLUS, two knobs allow for cable management.
The elegant sand blasted NotePal U2 PLUS is available in both silver and black finish.

Specifications

Features

Patent Moveable Cooling Fans
Two patented quick release fans can be adjusted to your specific laptops layout, target and eliminate your laptop’s heat zones.

Slim and Lightweight – A Perfect Fit
Finish is clean and elegant to match your laptop or ultrabook. Lightweight aluminum material is sand blast to a smooth surface.

No More Messy Wires
Wrap excess cables around two built-in cable management loops. Now your desk looks neat and clean.

Built-in Remote and Mic
Adjust the volume, control music and video playback, and answer or end calls on your smart phone quickly and easily.

Closer look

The NotePal U2 PLUS comes out of the box is in a couple of pieces, so you will have to attach the fans to the unit yourself. We will talk about the unit’s pieces one at a time and then assemble it in the end.

But before we get into that, we will have to go over some of the simple specifications of the NotePal U2 PLUS. The pad is made largely of aluminum, metal mesh and a little plastic. All three components combined weigh just 1.43 pounds. There are three different color options: black, silver and titanium.

The measurements of the cooling pad are 13.6” x 11.1” x 2.4”. Regardless of the pad’s size, it can support laptops as large as 17”.  It can do this because of the adjustable fans which we will talk about later.

Looking at the unit from the side, you can see that the height is fixed. But at this level, it is made for comfortable typing.

To hold the laptop firmly on a flat surface, beneath the unit are three rubber pads. There are two small rubber padding on top portion of the laptop cooler and a longer one on at the bottom. The longer one serves as the location for the Cooler Master logo branding.

Turning the pad over, we see the simplistic style continued. Two hind legs provide the device its angled height. Behind each leg are extended pads that are used for cable management for devices like a mouse or other peripherals.

Two 80mm fans are installed into the plastic structures waiting to be mounted to the back of the NotePal U2 Plus. The fans are designed to run at 2000 RPM and have a noise level of 21 dBA and move 31 CFM of air per fan. The fans are powered through a single USB connector which draws its power from your laptop. The fans do come with grills for safety.

An USB pass-thru is used to connect to your laptop to power the U2 Plus.

An elastic strap is included to allow the laptop to be secured to the pad when transporting.

Mounting Images

Results

We tested the NotePal U2 Plus with our aging Sony VPC-F111/FX which consist of an Intel i7-Q720 with 8GB of DDR3, 120GB SSD and a discrete NVIDIA 310M GPU. We also used AIDA64 to put a load on the system and also to measure the system’s temperatures.

Conclusion

The new Cooler Master NotePal U2 Plus is more than a cooling pad which we will talk about in the next paragraph of this conclusion since it is also a carrier for your laptop. The way the back legs of the device are arranged, you simply slide the laptop into the U-shaped channel and wrap the elastic band around both the U2 Plus and the laptop. One must be careful when carrying the laptop inside the cooling pad. The elastic band is simply keeping your laptop in place but it doesn’t absorb shocks and sudden movements you would subject it to. So, no running or skipping while transporting from one place to another.

One of the things I like most about the NotePal U2 Plus is that you can arrange the dual 80mm cooling fan any way you like. With this feature, you can aim the cooling fans at the hot spots of your laptop. With our Sony laptop, that is to the far left, top and bottom because this is where the GPU and CPU are located. As a conclusion, in our case we saw the cooling aspect was better than the last two cooling pads we reviewed.

If you are head over to your local electronic store to take a look at the NotePal U2 Plus, don’t let the lightweight structure fool you. The pad is sturdy and quite comfortable when typing.

This model is showing on popular e-stores starting at $29.99.

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