NZXT Cryo LX Laptop Cooler Review

Although still a new company, NZXT has built their growing reputation on their largest group of products, their high-end computer cases. Perhaps working on the idea that aluminum construction is a good idea for every external computer part, they've developed the Cryo LX, a massive aluminum notebook cooler/platform they bill as "the world's largest full aluminum notebook cooler." Is the Cryo LX's enormous size necessary (particularly in comparison with similar products, and how well does it work? We'll be finding out in today's review.

One Massive Cooler
The Cryo LX reminds me of a launching pad: its twenty degree angle triangle construction, cool brushed aluminum surface, and the ribbed rubber grips arranged in a U shape on the Cryo LX's surface look like they could send your computer into space if need be. Vents in the Cryo LX's surface allow air flow up from the trio of 120 mm fans suspended from the thick part of the triangle; the fans, which have their own protective shroud, work on a speed control knob on the right side of the unit. On the back is the LX's DC power input, which connects to your computer through an included USB to DC cable. In addition, NZXT included a 4 + 1 port USB hub that also connects to your computer through a separate USB cable. The LX's segmented design folds around a hinge a quarter of the way from the bottom of the pad; the hinge is supposed to facilitate carrying, although in my experience the LX never folded up enough to be very portable.

The NZXT Cryo LX comes in silver...

... and shiny black brushed aluminum.

Although from the top, the Cryo LX folds up to a tidy package...

...from the bottom, things tend to stick out. There also aren't any storage compartments.

Of course, portability may not be the point: NZXT designed the Cryo LX to support notebooks that are up to 17 inches in width, and at that size, portability is much less of a consideration. That said, the Cryo LX's full aluminum construction does make it very light (slightly heavier than it would be if built in plastic) and presumably very sturdy to boot, so you could take it with you if you felt the need. Of course, with its built-in hub and ergonomically-pleasing wrist angle, you might find the Cryo LX to be more appropriate at the center of a dock-like notebook station, particularly because the Cryo LX does not come with storage compartments for its two cables.

This 15-inch notebook fits handily on the Cryo LX's large surface.

Usage
We'll be looking at some temperature data below to get a more scientific sense of how well the Cryo LX works as a cooler, but from a usage standpoint, I found the Cryo LX to be much more practical on a desktop than on my lap - and that was while using it with a 3.5 pound notebook, and not one of the 17 inch monsters of the cooler's target market. However, if you do use the Cryo LX on your lap, you'll notice two perks: first, the conductive aluminum construction of the Cryo LX really helps the cooler live up to its name: not only will you feel some air flow - particularly from the sides - but the metal itself gets quite cold, and very quickly feels like the air coming out of an AC unit. Second, the combination of the hinge and the steep angle in the design turn the Cryo LX into a perfectly flat table when placed on your lap, providing a good measure of stability.

Speaking of air flow, I found the Cryo LX's fan control switch to be a useful addition. While NZXT's choice of fan isn't ear-jarringly loud, it isn't whisper quiet either, particularly at full speed. Overall, turning the fan's speed down, particularly after the fans had already cooled off the Cryo LX's chassis, made for a good combination of cooling and quiet.

A trio of 120mm fans keep the Cryo LX very cool.

The Cryo LX's USB ports are an interesting addition, not only because they add an additional feature, but because of how they work: despite the inclusion of two cables, it turns out you only need to sacrifice one USB port on your computer to set up power and connectivity, because the standard USB cable will power both the fans and the hub. My guess is that NZXT included the DC option for those people who either want to power USB toys that need no computer connection, or don't want to waste system resources on USB ports they don't need. In any case, the Cryo LX's five ports all draw a healthy 500 mA per port, which theoretically gives the Cryo LX enough power for the needs of almost any USB device.