Cooler Master NotePal Infinite EVO Notebook Cooler Review

1. Introduction2. The Cooler Master NotePal Infinite EVO3. Performance4. Final Thoughts5. View All Pages

We have reviewed several exciting products from Cooler Master over the past few months from cases to CPU coolers.  They have built up a strong brand in both these markets thanks to a combination of good performance and high value.  They do produce other cooling products, though, like notebook coolers.

Today we are going to look at the Cooler Master NotePal Infinite EVO notebook cooler which offers some intriguing features.  We are interested to see if the fans within live up to Cooler Master's “silent” claims as we have yet to come across a notebook cooler that is quieter than the Macbook we will be using for testing.

Features

• Aerodynamic design with unique U-shape airflow to enhance cooling performance by up to 20%
• Two powerful yet quiet 80 mm blower fans provide superior airflow
• Adjustable fan speed gives the best balance between silence and performance
• Ergonomic design for best viewing/typing angle
• Elegant sand-spray finish aluminum pad for best cooling performance
• Side cable groove design for easy USB cable management
• Compatible with all 17” and smaller laptops

Specification

• Colour: Black
• Material: Aluminium, Plastics, Rubber
• Weight: 1.2 kg
• Dimensions (WxHxD): 410 x 310 x 17-61 mm
• Fan Dimensions (WxHxD): (2x) 80 x 80 x 21 mm blower fan
• Fan Speed: 750 – 1400 RPM
• Fan Speed Adjustment: Stepless speed control wheel
• Fan Airflow: 120 CFM (60 CFM each fan)
• Fan Noise Level: 23 dBA (Max)

The Infinite Evo is supplied in a substantial cardboard box that reflects the large size of the cooler within.  It is decorated in a purple and white livery which features a large Infinite Evo logo alongside an image of the cooler and details of a couple of the main features.

On the reverse side of the box we find a more detailed breakdown of the cooler's features and specifications alongside a few product images.  Inside the box there is very little included with the cooler, only a mini USB cable for power and a quick start guide.

Cooler Master have opted for a neutral silver and black colour scheme for the Infinite Evo which should compliment most notebooks aesthetically.  The silver part is actually a piece of aluminium which should aid heat transfer from the bottom of your laptop.  It will also compliment any Macbook Pro perfectly!  It is sized to fit all laptops from 12″ to 17″ but we think that 13″ is the minimum you would really want to go with it.

To prevent the laptop from slipping off, there are four rubber strips which should provide a little extra friction.  We found that they were placed a little too far apart for our Macbook.  We didn't have any issues with it slipping off, though, as the incline isn't that steep.

The two 80mm fans are located on either side of the unit, sucking in air through the back and blowing it onto the centre section of the bottom of your notebook.  They have also cut out a large section in the middle of the aluminium tray to allow easier airflow to your notebook's fans.

On the left hand side of the unit we find the fan speed controls alongside a fan power button, the mini-USB connector and a DC 5V connector.  Unfortunately Cooler Master don't provide a 5V USB power cable or a power adapter which means you will be a little restricted in what devices you hook up to the three port USB hub that is located on the right hand side of the unit.

For our temperature tests we decided to use our Macbook Pro 13 laptop.  This is ideal for evaluating the performance of the Infinite Evo because it has numerous temperature sensors distributed throughout the chassis and also runs quite hot thanks to the rather underpowered fan.

We saw improvements of a few degrees for the major components when the fans were set to low and when on high the temperatures reduced another couple of degrees, which was very beneficial to the overall operating temperature of the laptop.

With our noise level tests, we powered down the Macbook so that we were only taking into account the noise level of the cooler itself.  With most desktop components, we measure the sound level from a meter away from the PC case as that is about how far most people sit from their base unit.  But with laptops, people are generally a lot closer so we measured the noise level from 0.5m away.

We were quite disappointed with the overall noise level of the Infinite Evo.  The fans most certainly aren't silent even when on the lowest setting.  We wouldn't be so disappointed if it was just the whooshing air making a noise (as that is quite bearable) but the fans used seem to have noisy motors, even when they are spinning at the lowest speed.  If you crank the fans up to the maximum speed they become significantly more noticeable. At the lowest speed, we recorded a figure of 32.3 dBA and at the highest speed we recorded a figure of 36.1 dBA.

The Infinite Evo does a fine job of reducing temperatures compared to coolers we've looked at in the past, many of these products simply just don't work.  It is worth bearing in mind that the difference with a Macbook is probably going to be higher than many notebooks as the entire chassis is metal and they tend to run hot.

We think that the biggest issue with the Cooler master Infinite EVO is the noise of the fans.  Even though it is bearable when the fans are set to minimum, the cooler doesn't really reduce the temperatures by any significant level.  At full speed the fans are noisy and could be heard over our Macbook's speakers at high volume.

We do like the design of the Infinite Evo which is sturdy and well engineered, while exuding an elegant appearance.  It also angles the keyboard of your laptop to a much more ergonomic position which makes typing sessions a little less tiring on the fingers!

The Cooler Master Infinite Evo can be yours for about £25 from Ebuyer.  At this price it is more expensive than many of the coolers we've looked at in the past.  We think that it offers a much more practical solution than products such as the Arctic Cooling NC, which just slots under the back of the unit … so it may be worth the extra for many people.  The USB hub and fan power-off button are nice additions and we think they've found the perfect angle for ergonomic typing.

Pros

• Very well built
• Fan speed control
• USB Hub
• Suitable for most form factors

Cons:

• Loud fans
• No power cable supplied for USB hub

KitGuru says: A good notebook cooler if you don't mind putting up with the noise.

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