Today we will be looking at the third
product in our quartet of NZXT review items. Previously we checked
out two of the NZXT cases, for this review we will look at something
slightly different: a laptop cooler. The NZXT
Cryo LX is a beast of a notebook cooler designed to cool massive
machines such as the Apple MacBook Pro 17”, the Alienware m17X or
the Dell Studio 17.
Like
most people, notebook coolers come in all shapes and sizes. If you
are looking for something light and portable, then the NXZT Cryo LX
is not meant for you. It carries the self proclaimed title “world’s
largest full aluminum notebook cooler” for good reason. Thankfully
NZXT also designed it to be easily transportable with a fold up
design.
This
notebook cooler was created for maximal cooling performance; is
composed of 3mm aluminum and includes three 120 mm adjustable fans.
One distinctive feature from most other coolers is the addition of
four USB ports on the rear of the Cryo LX. This is the first time I
have come across this feature on a laptop cooler. Seems to perfect
if you use the the Cryo LX in one area all the time; making the
device a short of mini docking station.
Reviewed by: Tomas Ratas
Sponsor: NZXT
Tech Specs,Features or the
Basic Info:
Triple controllable 120mm fan aluminum notebook cooler.
The days of burning hot notebooks are finally over.
Introducing the newest addition to the NZXT’s family of products,
the NZXT Cryo LX. The Cryo LX features the first notebook cooler to
feature triple 120mm adjustable fans and a full 3mm aluminum frame.
Designed for transport, the Cryo LX can be folded and stored easily
at any time. Four USB ports are in the rear for more accessibility.
Designed to host the hottest and most high performing notebooks, the
Cryo LX fits a 17″ widescreen notebook perfectly and supports a
15″ widescreen notebook with room to spare.
Features
* Built with thick aluminum with sturdy
construction
* Brushed Aluminum finish
* Rubber finish lifts
the notebook up to allow less heat pockets and better airflow
*
Cools your notebook with three adjustable large 120mm fans
* Four
USB ports for your media, storage, and input devices
* Folding
design for easy storage and transportation
* Support for power
notebooks with 15″, 17″ and 19″ wide screens
*
Dimensions (W x D): 16.6″ x 11.6”
A Better Look at Things
:
The Cryo LX arrives in a long
rectangular cardboard box with a picture of the cooler on the top and
a list of features on the back. Inside we find the cooler,
instructions and two cables; one for the USB connection to the laptop
and to the USB hub and another which plugs into the DC port on the
rear of the Cryo LX with a USB connector on the opposite end. This
second plug powers the Cryo LX’s three 120 mm fans off the laptops
USB.
The Cryo LX is composed of black
brushed aluminum and is solidly constructed. It is also available in
a natural aluminum color with black accents. It measures 16.6″
x 11.6″ and when folded upon itself it is 1 6/8″ thick.
There are rubber lifts on the top to
keep the notebook elevated off the surface of the cooler. It slopes
downward to provide a more ergonomic typing position with the laptop
resting atop the Cryo LX.
Easily seen below the upper surface of
the Cryo LX are three 120mm fans. At the front 1/3 of the cooler is
a hinge that allows the Cryo LX to fold upon itself thus decreasing
its profile.
At the back of the Cryo LX we find five
USB connectors with a small DC plug for the fan power connector.
On the sides are honeycomb openings
designed for additional ventilation for the device. On the right
side panel is a fan control wheel which lets the user adjust the
speed of the fans.
Turning the cooler over we readily see
the three fans and more honeycomb aluminum grates.
At the base of the cooler is a
rubberized wrist rest with the NZXT logo found on the lower right
hand corner.
Installation, Testing and
Comparison:
For installation and testing I brought
out my trusty MacBook Pro 15” notebook. Unfortunately I did not
have any gargantuan laptop available for testing.
Setup involves placing the user’s
laptop on the Cryo LX and hooking up either the DC USB connector or
the USB to USB connector to the cooler and the laptop.
The first thing I noticed using the
Cryo LX is its solid construction and size. It is not designed with
portability in mind. In fact it weighs more than some smaller
laptops and netbooks. My 15” laptop fit comfortably with plenty of
room to spare.
For stress testing I ran the Boot Camp
partition of my MacBook Pro and played some of my favorite Valve
games to stress the system. In addition I measured the temps of the
MacBook Pro sitting at idle on the desktop versus being placed on the
Cryo LX.
At idle there was a four degree Celsius
drop while under load while gaming there was a five point drop. Most
coolers that I have dealt with usually provide a 2-4 degree drop on
my MacBook Pro, so this was a nice decrease.
Typing on the Cryo LX was comfortable
as it angled the keyboard in a nice ergonomic fashion. The cooler’s
angle is not adjustable which can be problematic if the user does not
like the default position.
At full speed the fans are noticeable
but not enough to be distracting.
One issue I did encounter was the USB
hub did not get enough power from the MacBook Pro when not connected
to the Apple AC adapter. The USB hub would shutdown after getting an
insufficient power message from OS X.
Researching this online I found this to
be a common issue. On simple way to remedy it would be for NZXT to
provide an AC adapter for the Cryo LX.
Summary and Comments
As with the other NZXT products I had
the chance to review, the Cryo LX is well designed and crafted. It
provides excellent cooling via its aluminum frame and three 120mm
fans. It is comfortable to work on and ones laptop sits securely on
top of the cooler’s surface.
For good measure NZXT included a USB
hub. Sadly this component needs to run off some form of AC power to
get the optimal use from this addition.
Hopefully for the next iteration of the
Cryo line they will include an optional AC adapter.
If you are looking for an excellent
notebook cooler that provides excellent cooling but don’t mind
sacrificing portability then the Cryo LX is one cooler to check out.
DragonSteelMods gives the Cryo
LX a 4 out of 5 score.
Pros:
+Solid Construction
+Adjustable fans
+Rubberized surface prevents sliding
+USB Hub
+Fits most any size laptop
Cons:
-Not designed for mobility in mind
-USB Hub underpowered
I would like to thank NZXT for the chance to review the Cryo
LX and for their continued support of
DSM.
review# 593