As more people continue to abandon (or supplement) their desktop computers with notebooks, these same people are starting to recognize the importance of keeping their systems nice and cool. There are a lot of passive solutions on the market that say they are able to lower the operating temperature of laptops, but ultimately I have found the performance to be much better on units that have actual cooling fans. VIZO is a company that has been producing a number of different laptop coolers over the years, and one of their latest creations also happens to be one of their smallest. The VIZO Mini Ninja (NCL-230-BK) takes on much the same styling and utility as the original VIZO Ninja and the larger VIZO Ninja II (Sumo Size), except Mini Ninja is a fair bit smaller. The naming scheme makes pretty good sense, wouldn’t you say?
Features and Specifications
If you have had the opportunity to try the original VIZO Ninja Notebook Cooler or the Vizo Ninja II, then the feature set on the VIZO Mini Ninja will sound pretty familiar. By and large, they have kept everything the same. They just made the Mini Ninja shorter so that it can be a little more portable.
Some of the key features and specs include:
- Dimensions: 350 x 170 x 40mm
- Weight: 600 grams
- Compatible with 7-inch to 15.4-inch notebook PCs
- Dual 70mm fans with adjustable positions
- Fan speed: 2000 rpm
- Maximum air flow: 13.72 CFM
- Ergonomic designed angle
- Low dBA level
- Powered by USB via provided T-adapter
- Compact, space saving, lightweight, easy to carry
- USB bus power: 5V / 500mA
- Easy to install
With the noted exception of the adjustable fan locations, this is pretty much a miniature version of the original VIZO Ninja. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. The fans are far from being the most powerful things in the world, but this also ensures that they remain very quiet and non-intrusive. They may not be able to reduce the regular operating temperature by much, but they do help to reduce instances of overheating. I know this was the case with test I ran through Speedfan.
What’s in the Box?
You’ll find that the contents of the box are pretty lacking. Aside from the actual notebook cooler yourself, all you get is a handful of extra screws to adjust the position of the fans and a USB bus power cable for, well, powering those fans. There is no instruction manual, but given that there is really only one cable to deal with, you have to be an absolute dunce to not know what to do.
The provided USB bus power cable has a T-connector. What this means is that while the Vizo Mini Ninja draws power from an available USB port on your laptop, the USB port is effectively still made available for your other peripherals. Do you have a webcam, a mouse, or a USB flash drive that you want connected? No problem. Just because you want to keep you laptop cool does not mean that you need to sacrifice a USB port.
Real-Time Price and Stock Check – More Products Here
Adjustable Fan Position
Unlike many other notebook coolers of this type, the Vizo Mini Ninja actually lets you adjust the positions of the two fans. Each fan is held in place by four screws. When you take out these screws, the fans can then be slid along the provided rails to the position of your choosing. Simply reinsert the screws and you have re-positioned the fans. It really couldn’t be much easier than this. Well, it could if VIZO found a way to make this a tool-less process.
By being able to adjust the positions of the fans, you are better able to provide adequate cooling to your laptop. Cooling a 7-inch Asus Eee PC is certainly a different exercise than cooling a 15.4-inch Dell notebook. For an Eee PC, the default fan location would be far too wide. Now you can move them to a more appropriate location.
Ergonomic Typing Angle
In addition to keeping your laptop nice and cool, the VIZO Mini Ninja also elevates your laptop to a more comfortable ergonomic angle. This raises the display a little closer to eye level and having an angled keyboard makes typing a little easier too. Unfortunately, the height of the back side and, thus, the relative angle of elevation is not adjustable. This means that you are stuck with the exact size of the VIZO Mini Ninja, and I found that I prefer the steeper angle offered by some other notebook stands. The lack of adjustability is a bit of a deal-breaker for me.
The back of the VIZO Mini Ninja is about four centimetres. That’s just a touch over 1.5-inches for those of you keeping score at home. It’s also notable that this aluminum stand will not be placed under the entirety of your laptop. It’s only 170mm (6.69-inches) long, so the front part of your notebook will still be resting on the table.
Conclusion
VIZO Technology Corporation hasn’t really done anything particularly innovative or creative with the Mini Ninja Notebook Cooling Stand. That said, this stand boasts a very solid aluminum construction and excellent build quality, as well as whisper quiet operation for keeping your notebook at a reasonably cool temperature. I’m pleased with what they’ve done, but the VIZO Mini Ninja isn’t exactly anything to write home about.
Pros
- Solid aluminum construction
- Adjustable fan position for different sized laptops
- Reasonably effective cooling solution
- Very quiet operation
Cons
- No carrying pouch for ease of transport
- No adjustable height options
- No adjustable fan speeds or power switch
Overall Rating: 7.5/10
Discuss This Review in the Futurelooks Community Forums
Real-Time Price and Stock Check – More Products Here