| Thermaltake Massive23 CS Laptop Cooler CLN0008 |
| Reviews - Featured Reviews: Notebook | Compact PC | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Written by Dan Ferguson | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tuesday, 01 December 2009 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Massive23 CS Laptop Cooler CLN0008Given the performance and efficiency of large fan coolers we should anticipate seeing more products adopt this design. One such product is the Thermaltake Massive23 CS gaming laptop cooler (manufacturer model CLN0008). The Massive23 CS builds around one large central fan to provide all cooling needs. But good cooling requires more than just a big fan. Benchmark Reviews has tested similar products and unveiled some of those factors. In this review we can see some of those factors at play by testing the performance of the CLN0008. Some additional factors for users to consider are laptop orientation and laptop design. Having a large fan in the center is a good general strategy, but optimal performance can be improved by tailoring a cooler design to the intended laptop. In contrast, when both the design and laptop are fixed performance can be improved by orienting the laptop for the best results.
The Massive23 CS combined with my test laptop is a good case study for evaluating some of these additional factors. About ThermaltakeWe live in a world where most things seem to move at the speed of light. At Thermaltake, we feel the same way and that is exactly how Thermaltake conducts itself to deliver innovative, reliable and customer-centric solutions to the worldwide market. "Since the beginning of Thermaltake in 1999, it has been at the forefront of creating new and exciting products at a time where most computer users were provided little to no choices for components that may seem irrelevant, but in reality crucial to the performance of a PC. "Thermaltake Server Series solutions, with years of thermal experience and industry leadership, sets its goal on reforming total thermal management in server segment by formulating the perfect mixture of versatility, efficiency and thermal management with each respective server product category: Rackmount Chassis, Server Fixed & Redundant Power Supply and Server CPU Cooling Management Solutions. "With its comprehensive line of products available, it enables Thermaltake's core customers to enjoy a one-stop-shop experience, reduce product design-in evaluation period and most important of all, flawless integration process. Each of Thermaltake's strengths enables its customer to focus on their core business while taking advantage of the skills and efficiency of a single thermal management solution partner." Laptop Cooler Features
Massive23 CS Specifications
Closer Look: Laptop CoolerThe Massive23 CS comes packaged in a box with convenient carrying handle. The two ends are held by formed Styrofoam.
The box graphics are eye-catching, but not flashy. It seems the main advertising technique is to use the LED features of the laptop to gain attention. Features and performance were secondary items relegated to the back of the box.
The working surface of the cooler consists of a large array of hexagonal holes to allow plenty of air to reach the bottom of the laptop. At the bottom of the topside a large rubber strip provides the gripping surface to hold the laptop in place.
One difference noted on the bottom of the cooler is the fan mounting. This fan's motor is mounted to the topside of the cooler. This is unlikely to make a large difference, but it is unique. The bottom grill has much larger holes than the topside. The larger holes allow air to flow more freely and should provide slightly better cooling.
The frame of the laptop is strong metal. A side shot shows the supports in the front and back with little in-between. I hope you never plan to stand on your cooler, because without side supports you will certainly bend the mesh surface.
One thing I like about the cooler is how seamless it appears from the top. This is because most of the construction is evidenced on the bottom side. The screws, labels, etc are all tucked out of view. Also take note of the rubber feet on the bottom providing a no slip surface. Massive23 CS Detailed FeaturesAgain, the central feature of the CLN0008 is one 200mm fan. This one has thirteen clear blades.
When the LED lights are on, the clear blades made a better show. The light was able to pass through and reflect off more surfaces yielding a great glow. More blades means smoother, less choppy air flow. At some point adding more blades will actually reduce efficiency. Testing will have to show which category this fan fits.
The mesh surface surprised me. At first I did not see the "V" grooves. I'm guessing that these play part in directing the air flow on the underside of the laptop. But they are shallow which means the air will travel faster through a smaller space. This would probably decrease the cooling effectiveness.
Controls on this product are simple. One button on the back controls the LED modes, and one switch provides on/off control for the fan. Both are easy to find and to use.
I really like the LED modes used by the Massive23 CS! There are 6 different options for the user: all blue, all red, all green, one light rotation, four light rotation and off.
In one light rotation mode only one LED is lit at a time. This one light rotates positions and colors. Four light mode is like one light mode only using all four lights simultaneously. Both modes appear to use a preset pattern that repeats every couple of minutes. Testing & ResultsTesting MethodologyPower Consumption:To measure the power drawn by the laptop cooler the laptop was booted allowed to idle until CPU usage remained steady. Once a steady state was obtained the current, wattage and apparent power were measured using a Kill-A-Watt Model P4400. The fan was then plugged into the USB port and the fan and LEDs initiated. Once the system again reached a steady operating state additional readings were taken. The difference is due to the power drawn by the fan and lights. Cooling Effectiveness:Similar to the current readings above, the laptop was turned on and allowed to reach a steady temperature without the laptop cooler. Internal temperature readings of the hard drive and both CPU cores were taken using SpeedFan. Surface temperatures were taken using an Exetech 42505 IR thermometer. The laptop cooler was then attached and run for 5 minutes. Internal and external temperatures were again recorded. Test System
ResultsThermaltake's CLN0008 performed similarly to other high performance laptops reviewed by Benchmark Reviews. The power consumption was very low, on the order of two or three watts. At this level the Kill-A-Wat becomes less accurate indicating negligible power draw compared to normal household appliances. Ratings are shown in the table below.
The cooling rate for the Massive23 CS was also similar to high performance notebook coolers. Internal temperatures are listed below.
Since the ambient temperature for this test was lower than other reviews we should expect lower temperatures at the end of five minutes. The hard drive was cooled about the same amount while the CPU cores had more cooling than other products. This seems to indicate a difference in where the cool air is directed. One way to visualize this difference is in the thermal maps below.
The image on the left shows the temperature profile before starting the laptop cooler, and the image on the right shows the temperatures after cooling. The cooling around the edges appears to be very significant. One region that lacked is where the LCD screen meets the body of the laptop. The temperatures here had little change. This is most likely due to the air flow of the CLN0008. There is little if any room for air to flow where this section of the laptop contacts the cooling surface. For this laptop the air was still able to reach essential internal components, but this arrangement might not work so well for laptops with venting located in these areas. One workaround, albeit clumsy, is to pull the laptop forward on the working surface of the cooler. Laptop Cooler Final ThoughtsNow consider the differences between laptops. I have a Toshiba with vents on the bottom, left side and back. I have a Dell with vents exclusively on the back left corner. Finally, I have a Compaq with fan and venting in the back right. One big fan in the middle is the best option to cover all the bases, but individual performance could be improved by getting more air inside the case. Each of my three laptops would each require a unique cooler design to optimize performance. In the case of my Toshiba one fan on the bottom gave excellent CPU cooling but mediocre cooling on the outside top. But supposing I need to make the best of what I'm given, I was able to improve the external cooling of the Massive23 CS simply by moving my laptop lower on the working surface. In this regard the Massive23 CS uses an excellent design to meet the needs of all users. If they design with these points in mind there are a few things they could do to help users. First would be to provide slightly more real estate, perhaps optional add-ons. The second would be to provide more space underneath the latop for air to flow. This will help prevent hot-spots like the band I experienced. One option for all makers would be to provide some control over the direction of air flow. Attachable ducts, fins, or adjustable channels will all accomplish this. None of these suggestions diminished the experience of using the CLN0008. It was very comfortable and intuitive. Any laptop will rest easily on the surface and have adequate cooling.
Massive23 CS ConclusionConsuming hardly any power this giant fan was able to reduce temperatures as well or better than its competitors. In our tests the CLN0008 pulled less than 2 watts and was able to provide several degrees of cooling in only five minutes. Since the test laptop was larger than the cooling base, the top of the computer had a band that was not cooled much. Despite this result the CPU showed the most reduction in temperature. As usual I like the look of metal finish. In this case the straight thin lines that define the cooler are attractive. The matte black finish contrasted nicely with the LED lighting. Six modes of LED lighting will help the appeal last longer and allows the ability to change your look based on your mood. The laptop was strong and light. The surface is too small for many newer, larger laptops but will fit most. Rubber surfaces on top and bottom helped keep everything in place. There were no support between the front and back rendering the cooler susceptible to bending. Unless you step on it you probably won't apply enough force to cause any damage. The Massive23 CS has was easy to use. All controls are easy to reach and are positioned in distinctly. The fan has only one setting and there were no awkward adjustments or positioning to be made. This also comes with a lack of adjustments for individual comfort. The design of the Massive23 CS provides a no fuss experience. It performed at the top of the pack and is well built. The lack of additional features and the size of the working surface should place it slightly down from the high performance coolers. NewEgg.com sells them for $57.99 at the very top. See other retailer prices with our price comparison tool. You will get good performance, but that price should also include some advanced features. Pros:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
