Setup & Testing
Getting the Massive23 ST setup is pretty simple, just place it on your desk plug in the USB power connection and you are ready to go. Simply switch the fan on and then place your laptop on top. The LED fan is not that bright so that it is annoying.
To test the Massive23 ST I used my Dell XPS M1210 laptop and ran Prime 95 to load up the CPU. To make sure there were no variable fan speeds on the laptop itself it turned the fans inside the laptop all the way up. I tested the laptop without any cooler at all then used the Massive23 ST, check out the results below.
As you can see the Massive23 ST performed great! A difference of 8 degrees during idle and 7 degrees during load. Not bad at all for a notebook cooler primarily made of ABS plastic.
Final Thoughts
When I first picked the Massive23 ST up I was a bit skeptical just because of how light it was and that it was made of ABS plastic, but to my surprise it performed great! 8 degrees during idle and 7 degrees during load isn’t bad at all! Since the Massive23 ST is very light it makes it easy to take anywhere with you. I also like that you have the choice to have the fan on or off, not just constantly on.
The Massive23 ST does lack an integrated USB hub that we have seen on other notebook coolers, also the USB cable is proprietary, which means if you lose it, it is going to be hard to find another one. I would have liked to see maybe a miniUSB connection and a simple power switch on the unit itself.
The Massive23 ST sells for around $30, which is about $10 cheaper than other similar notebook coolers. So I guess that makes up for the missing USB port and proprietary USB cable. Overall ThinkComputers gives the Thermaltake Massive23 ST Notebook Cooler a 9 out of 10 score.
Pros:
– Great Cooling
– Lightweight
– Fan is not that loud
– Price
Cons:
– Proprietary USB cable
– No USB hub
