Specifications, Availability and Pricing

The NotePal U3 is made from black anodized aluminum and uses rubber pads for the stability of the cooler on a surface as well as the laptop on the U3 itself. The large top offers room for all 15-17" laptops and can hold some 19" models as well. The one piece cooler is set to a 10° angle. This means that when the front is sitting on a flat surface, the bend in the back makes for a 2.5" increase in height for the back. The NotePal U3 is 2mm thick, and even though there are many vent holes throughout the U3, it still weighs in at 2.3 pounds.

Powering the unit is simple, but let me explain how this all works. First off, there is the 5 volt USB connection that plugs into the side of the notebook. Cooler Master went a step further and use a connection with a pass through for another USB connection on the back of it, so you don't lose the port if you connect a few devices to a stationary laptop. There is then a wire that goes from there to a clip-on fan control dial. On the other side of the fan control there are three 80mm fans that can clip on just about anywhere underneath the U3. That's right; a fully customizable cooling solution to pinpoint the 15 CFM of air flow under the hard drive, GPU and CPU vents. These fans are rated to be controlled from 800 to 1900 RPM with a minimum sound rating of 18 dBA.

The NotePal U3 is relatively new, but don't let that fool you. Looking through Google, it showed ten or so places to get the U3. Pricing is all over the place, from $23 at the low end, and on up to $34.99 at a couple of others. Right in the middle, you can find the NotePal U3 at Newegg.com for $29.99. There is still a bit of shipping involved with Newegg. So at roughly $40 total, let's see just what your money gets you.