Zalman NC-1000 Laptop Cooler Review

The Zalman ZM-NC1000 Ultra Quiet Notebook Cooler is powered by your laptop's USB port and cools the laptop. Since the notebook is running at a lower temperature, its fans can run slower and therefore quieter. The shape of the ZM-NC1000 has been designed to be as comfortable as possible for extended use.

Packaging

I was really impressed with the quality of the packaging. I was under the impression I was leaving the store with a nice 19" LCD panel rather than a $50 notebook cooler. The box is sturdy and very appealing with tons of marketing information.

First impression

The build quality, as with other Zalman products I have owned, is amazing. The cooler feels really solid and the aluminum top is perfect. It features a high quality 3mm thick aluminum panel that's treated with D.S.A surface processing (Diamond Cutting, Sand Blasting, Anodizing). As soon as you open the package and see the product you'll know you have made a good buy.

Installation

Installation and setup is pretty straightforward. You put it on a table, use the included USB cable (A-A type) to get juice from your laptop's USB port, and voila, setup is over! Just switch the cooler to ON and adjust desired flow of air with the knob.

One thing you'll notice right away is that this cooler is indeed silent. When set to medium flow, which is the recommended level, you can barely hear it. I'd say it's quieter than the regular CPU fan I have on my Sager 5760 laptop. When the cooler is set to full throttle you can hear it, but it's only just a bit louder than the CPU fan.

I have a Sager 5760 17" screen laptop that's just slightly wider than the cooler itself, but the feet of the laptop to happily fit on the surface of the cooler. The measurements of the Zalman cooler are as follows: 308mm X 330mm X 40mm (length x width x height) (12.1 in x 13 in x 1.57 in). Just make sure to measure up your notebook to be sure it will fit. If it's 15.4" or smaller then there will be no problems.


Slideshow!

Performance

As soon as you turn the cooler on you can feel a flow of air through all the vent holes on the coolers surface. The flow is not directed to one spot under the surface, it's all over, so you can be certain all intake vents on your laptop will get this airflow. The aluminum feels cold to the touch and this coolness is carried by the air pushed into the notebook, so cooling is effective and helps to prevent the notebook fans from kicking in quite as much.

Summary

Pros:

• Incredible build quality
• Low noise
• Adjustable fan speeds
• Included USB hub
• Noticeable performance gains for laptop when gaming

Cons:

• Increased height of the laptop

The laptop cooler can be found at online retailers such as PCExtreme.com for around $55 in the U.S. or $80 in Canada.