To select now the Coomassie NotePal U3 and the Zalman ZM-NC3000S (version stood with U at the end has more USB ports and a connection for an extra power adapter so you can run the fan without USB port. For me unnecessary, therefore I opted for the version with S). My first choice was the Zalman ZM-NC3000S, since the design is very chic and has a huge fan instead of several small ones. However, in retrospect, I was dissatisfied with the Zalman and have replaced him against the NotePal U3 Coomassie, with which I am now satisfied. Why, I would like to clarify on the basis of the advantages and disadvantages of both coolers.
Advantages and disadvantages:
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- Design and feel: The Zalman is more visually appealing, acting as a unified whole. The piano finish is also very chic. A real eye-catcher. The Coomassie acts also high, but it merely consists of a thin metal plate without such a plastic cladding ringsrum and the rubberized piece at the bottom looks a bit cheap. It just seems overall a bit slimmer and "rustic".
- Size / Form Factor / up: In both devices my 18 "notebook on it, but the Coomassie feels something more comfortable with a 18" device fits. The notebook is the Coomassie only on the sides a little bit about that fits very well. The Zalman acted as something lost under such a large notebook (I know, is also only to 17 "advertised) Major drawback of Zalman. The thicker design of the Zalman cooler notebook is raised significantly more at the leading edge as the Coomassie . The notebook is then forwards already very high, which makes working with it for my taste very unpleasant. It is the notebook indeed move forward, so that there is something deeper, but then the fan no longer cools the bottom of the notebook, which was a no go straight with me. The Coomassie contrast is yes in the end only of a thin metal plate without such a thick plastic liner, so the notebook at the bottom much lower. I find personally much more pleasant and was in the end for me the main reason, to switch on the Coomassie. To mention that you can fold out two small feet at Zalman to rear to increase the unit continues (even steeper angle) to work but rather unhelpful.
- Connection & features: Here both devices have their advantages and disadvantages. When Zalman should be mentioned as a disadvantage that the USB port, the one plugged to a notebook, is not bent and has thus always extending a cable from the notebook. In the variant with "U" which is even worse, since even two USB cable must be connected, but let's stick with the "S" variant. Rear one has an on / off switch (well, there's the not the Coomassie) and a USB port (which thus replaces the occupied on the notebook) and the infinitely variable fan control. Even when Coomassie the connector is not perfectly solved, because it is quite large (plug with a socket at the other end), allersings the cable goes from the side, so that one has since at least hang out no cable in a wide arc as the Zalman. When Coomassie the fan control with a clip at any point is clamped to the left or right edge of the base plate, so that you can comfortably adjust the fan speed without having to reach behind the unit.
- Noise: both cooling pads are quiet but audible. Both at the highest level I would subjectively assess approximately the same volume. So there is a clear wahrnembares noise that then stands out in particular, if you take the fan will turn off to hear the noise compared to the laptop fan. But it is absolutely not disturbing with both devices. At lowest fan speed, the two cooling pads are almost inaudible, but then leaves the cooling performance significantly. I would recommend to take the desktop operating at the lowest level and hardware-hungry applications, the highest level (the Coomassie is the change of course more comfortable, because the controller is not sitting behind the notebook but on the side). Should also be mentioned that I have heard a couple of times "scratchy" bearing noise of the fans at the beginning Coomassie (sounded similar to like a hard drive, but clearly came from the fans), but are now gone. You hear them briefly when switching on or off the fans just before they are (I've already read in other reviews). How durable are the 80mm fan of Coomassie, therefore remains to be seen.
- The most important last - Cooling capacity: from the cooling capacity can be classified similarly both devices, the idle is my CPU temperature both by Coomassie as well with the Zalman at about 45-50 ° C (depending on room temperature) without cooling pad at about 65 -75 ° C (you can see the fierce heat build of the notebook without additional cooler). Under curing conditions (computer game), the temperature then rises at me at about 80-86 ° C without cooling pad was the (as already written real probably much higher, because the display only goes to 99 ° C) at 99 ° C. So the temperature difference is with me more than 20 ° C. Decisive are the temperatures of other components such as the graphics card, I have not measured. Because of course, the room temperature is always different and I did not really representative long-term tests, I can not really say which of the two coolers under hardship conditions cools better (which of course also depends on the circumstances of the notebook), but I would say purely subjective, that the Zalman has the overall slightly better cooling performance through the huge fan.
AAAAB the Coomassie has a decisive advantage for me: The individual positioning of the fan. In my notebook are all heat-critical components in the bottom third, the graphics unit in the bottom left corner. And that's what's bad with the Zalman as the large fan though wonderfully large area cools the middle of the notebook, but the edges and corners rather little. This manifested itself in me by the fact that the surface of the notebook is at the critical point is still quite hot. In order to counteract this, I had the notebook so on to the top right to move to the Zalman cooling pad. Of course, then the notebook was right about a lot more and it has also raised further. Was working so therefore still unangenehmer.Beim Coomassie nothing I can wonderfully put the three coolers exactly to the required locations and will be properly cooled the critical areas while the notebook is optimally positioned centrally on the cooling pad as it should be. You can see the fan very far forward position without the base plate is raised further. The critical point on the surface of my notebook is now noticeably less hot and I can pleasantly work with the notebook, since it is not the front as high.
CONCLUSION:
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Both coolers have their advantages and disadvantages. The Zalman cools very well and is very stylish by the huge fan very quiet running (and presumably more durable) and by the Panel and the piano lacquer. He is, however, only recommended for laptops that do not have strong hot spots away from the center of the unit as in my case, since the Zalman cools only the center of the notebook really efficient. He also particularly forward increases the notebook too strong for my taste and there is always a side cable in a high arc from (if the notebook back has no USB ports). The Coomassie is something flat and convinces especially by the individual positioning of the fan, which can be also such "hardship" as in my laptop get a grip. For the longevity of the 80mm fan is probably "doubtful" assessed as. But I will again complete the review in six months.
Which device is better or worse, so can not say a flat rate, but that has to decide each according to its own individual requirements.
