Thermaltake iXoft Notebook Cooling Pad

Introduction:

   OK. I just have to be honest with you: my laptop always ends up getting too hot to hold on my lap. Oh, that happens to you, too? Well then, you may be interested in this next item: a passive notebook cooling pad made by Thermaltake.

    Thermaltake, a leader in high-end computer chassis, power supplies, and cooling solutions, has been kind enough to send us for review a iXoft Fanless Notebook Cooling Pad. The iXoft is a passive notebook cooling device, completely fanless and ultra-portable. It is lightweight (only 22 ounces) and can be folded up for storage.

    The iXoft utilizes Thermaltake's patented HeatShift Technology, which consists of a phase change material. This material exhibits cold and solid properties when not in use, then transforms into a liquid form when it is brought into contact with a heat source. Upon contact with a heat source, such as a computer notebook, iXoft quickly absorbs the heat away and accelerates thermal dissipation by distributing heat across all available surfaces on iXoft and surrounding surfaces through natural convection. All of this is done without any moving parts, guaranteeing iXoft to operate continuously without consuming any precious battery power from the notebook, as well as without producing any noise.

    I don't know about you, but this sounds like a dream come true to me. Let's take this for a test drive and see what it can do.

About the Company:

Specifications:

Features:

Revolutionary Fanless Design for absolute silence 0dBA.

Exclusive HeatShift Technology for ultimate laptop cooling

Ultra light weight for easy transportation and carrying (only 640g)

Soft and durable material designed for maximum portability

iXoft can be used as thermal mat on laps for better comfort

Application for all types of PC Notebook (12"~17")

Does not require power so PC Notebook lasts longer

Available in black or white.

A Closer Look:

Retail front

Retail rear

    The iXoft arrived packaged in a brown cardboard box. Inside, the iXoft itself was in its retail packaging: clear, hard, formed plastic, with the features listed on the front and the heat test results and specifications on the back. Please take note: the plastic packaging is heat-sealed, so watch out for sharp edges when cutting it open.

Top

Bottom

Across the plain

 The iXoft sent to me was the white version. The top side has iXoft and Thermaltake printed on it, along with the Thermaltake logo. It also has a quilted or cushioned look to it, but looks can be deceiving. The top is actually hard and lumpy (good thing Thermaltake doesn't make mattresses!) The top is white plastic, while the bottom is black corduroy. Connecting the two is a gray nylon edging, with a black tag that has the Thermaltake name and logo, and "Designed in U.S.A.", embroidered on it in gold.

Product name

Company name

Folded in half

    One of its features is that it can be folded in half for easier storage, but be forewarned that folding it in its solid state will seem a little intimidating at first: it makes a lot of popping and crackling noises while it's being folded. No worries, though - it's not breaking or anything; rather, it's supposed to do that. So, it is flexible and lightweight, too - much more than the current laptop cooler stand I've been using. As for the HeatShift Technology, so far it's pretty interesting... and I haven't even tested it yet with my laptop! What I mean is, if you place your hand on top of the pad, at first it feels like it's just around room temperature. The interesting part is, the longer you keep your hand on it, the cooler the pad actually starts to feel. So, how cool does it stay when a running laptop is on it? Hmmm... let's see....

Field Testing:

Thermal protection

Rear view

    Since I don't have any fancy gadgets for testing temperatures, I used an infrared temperature gauge that is normally used around here for testing radio control vehicle engines. It's actually quite accurate, so it should do the job here as well. Before testing, I took base temps of both sides of the pad, the tabletop where I did my testing, and the underside of my laptop while it was off. Then I ran the laptop (without the pad,) testing the temp of the laptop after 30 minutes. I then ran the laptop for another 30 minutes, this time with the laptop under it, and tested it again, along with the tabletop and both sides of the pad. I'll be using my older (but trusty!) 17" HP laptop for testing. Here are the results I came up with:

*Note: all temperatures were measured in Fahrenheit.

Conclusion:

    To be perfectly honest, I really thought the iXoft was going to end up like so many other items that are based on great ideas: just a great idea, but not much truth to it... you know, the whole "if it sounds too good to be true" shebang. As you can see from the results in the table above, was I ever wrong! I don't know about you, but I really like the idea of using my laptop - IN my lap - without burning myself. I mean, seriously: would you rather have something almost 104° or 73° against your skin? The last time I checked, 104° is about as hot as the water that comes out of the kitchen sink. Unless you've lost all sense of feeling, 104° is way too hot for anyone to handle against their skin for any more than a second or two. 73° is more like the ocean in Hilo, Hawaii at this time of year. Hmmmm... I don't see much of a choice here.

    Now for the really big surprise - and keep in mind that when I started my testing, I didn't think the iXoft would change the temperature of the laptop at all: but did you take a good look at the temps of the laptop itself? An almost 8.5° drop in surface temperature sure doesn't seem like a bad thing. As I said before, I don't have fancy probes to measure the internal temperature, but based on the change on the surface, I truly feel that it's safe to say that the internal temp had to have dropped at least a few degrees as well.

    So, let's review what we've discovered here: the iXoft is portable, both while it's cool and after it's been used. It is the ultimate in quiet - no fans to make any noise. It doesn't need any laptop battery power to work. The corduroy material on the bottom is soft, and comfort is always a plus. It actually helps draw heat away from the laptop, and doesn't transfer it to your lap, so you don't feel like someone is perpetually flushing the toilet while you're taking a shower. Comfortable, portable, and it WORKS like it's supposed to... do I need to say anything else? If you own a laptop, or know someone who does, you've GOT to get one of these! Tons of thanks to Thermaltake for sending out the iXoft for VH to review.

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