Kingwin UC3 Ultra Cool Multi-Function Notebook Cooling Pad Review

By Crazy_J


I have purchased the Kingwin UC3 Ultra Cool Multi-Function Notebook Cooling Pad from ZipZoomFly.com for $42.99. I needed to purchase a laptop cooler because my Dell Inspiron 5150 hard disk drive (HDD) gets very hot when used such as during a virus scan.
This laptop cooler has three built-in fans, 8 in 1 card reader, and a USB hub. The built-in card was a plus because I use CF card daily. Before owning this product, I had to transport my card reader from home to work daily.

The package arrived via FedEx within three days of ordering via ZipzoomFly's free shipping method. The product was inside a large brown cardboard box. The cardboard box showed no signs of damage which surprised me. Most of my products I order come in boxes that shows signs of abuse.




Opening the box, there was only a piece of Styrofoam about the size of the product protecting it. I would of preferred to see peanuts or bubble wrap inside for additional protection. However, after inspecting the box of the product, it showed no signs of wear.




I was amazed by the appearance of the Kingwin UC3 box. It offered all the details about the product and even displayed colorful diagrams about how the air is ventilated throughout the device.




The box contained the cooling pad, DC power adapter, USB cable, and a CD containing drivers for Windows, MAC, and Linux. I was surprised about how light and slim the pad is. The dimensions are 325x263x27.8mm.




On top of the cooling pad, there are two long rows of vents to circulate air produced by three fans. The fans spin at 1800-2800 rpms and produces 15-23dBA of noise. The end result is that it pushes between 24 to 30 CFM of air.


In the rear end of the cooling pad, there is a built-in three port USB 2.0 hub and an input for the DC power adapter.




In the front there is a 8-1 card reader, a fan control wheel, and a power switch.




The side has two long openings to push out the hot air from the cooling pad.




On the bottom of the unit there is 8 rubber feet to keep the pad elevated. Also, there is large sticker displaying all the information about the product.




Finally, I plugged in the included DC power adapter and the USB into my laptop.




I hit the switch on the cooler and rotated the fan wheel to full speed. Again, I was amazed, but this time it was by the power of the near silent fans.




My laptop fits on top of the cooler perfect. It looks like it was developed for this laptop exclusively.




My laptop is loaded with WinXP, so the included driver disc wasn't needed. Upon plugging in the USB cable, WinXP detects the built-in card reader immediately.




I put my laptop's HDD under pressure and I got the HDD to hit a temp of 49C. Normally, when the HDD is under load, they reach a temp up to 56c. My idle temps are now 43C, while they used to be 49C for the HDD.



In conclusion, I feel that the product is well worth the $43 spent. First of all, the cooling pad lowers my HDD temperature by an average of 6 degrees Celsius. Secondly, it has a built-in card reader. For my PC, my card reader cost me $35 dollars alone. Thirdly, the USB hub comes in handy. My Dell laptop came with two USB ports. With the USB 2.0 hub built into the cooling pad, I now have four available USB ports. I was disappointed with the included software. I expected it to come with some free software such as demos, but the included CD only contained drivers. The DC power adapter was another negative. Laptops are meant to be carried and used everyone. The DC power reduces the mobility of laptop cooler. Luckily, my laptop is used primarily at work, so this is not an issue for me. It would have been nice it there was a digital reading of the current fan speed viewable through the OS or built into the cooling pad.



Pro
Lowered HDD temp by 6C

Size

Price

Design

Fan Speed Controller

Low Noise



Con

Not very portable with the DC power adapter.

No bonus software.

No digital reading for fan speed.



I rate this product 8 out of 10 Pimp Hats.

Can it be power via USB or is it just with the power adapter?

Good review!!! Any idea on the cpu temp?

Quote: Originally Posted by Spectrum Can it be power via USB or is it just with the power adapter?

I accidently unplugged the power adapter and the fans kept running on power via the USB cable. However, WinXP displayed a message that too much current was being consumed through the USB ports, so I had to plug the power adapter back in.


I don't believe you can view CPU temps on a Dell Notebook. If there is a way, let me know and I'll test it.

Nice review Crazy_J, glad to see more member reviews coming in again.

I made a mistake at work. I put my laptop on the cooling pad, plugged in the USB cable, and turned on the cooling pad. I had it running for 9 hours. Just now, I realized I forgot to plug in the DC power adapter. So that means the fans were getting power from the USB port.

In my earlier post, I mentioned that I received a power warning from XP. When I got that message I had a CF card plugged into the cooling pad. My conclusion is as long as the card reader is not in use, you should be able to cool the laptop using power from the laptop's USB port.

Just thought I better let you guys know.