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Appeared on: Thursday, December 11, 2008
Akasa Gemini, Libra notebook coolers


1. Akasa Gemini - Features

Portable PCs have become part of our lives and they have become powerful enough to cover our daily needs for computing applications. If you are among those who spent many hours behind their notebook PCs then you should consider having a notebook cooler, which will help you keep your notebook cool as you work, avoiding unexpected shutdowns due to overheat. Akasa has released the Gemini and the Libra series of notebook coolers for this purpose. The stylish product feature fans that provide cool airflow directed onto the PC base, keeping your notebook's internal fan noise to a minimum and allowing for a more peaceful environment.

Akasa Gemini cooler

The Akasa Gemini notebook cooler is ergonomically formed to ensure comfortable keyboard operation, and it is available in Satin Black and Polar White.

Notebook PC’s and MacBooks can get very warm. The GEMINI enhanced airflow design boosts PC heat dissipation, this can significantly extend PC battery life and other components. The Akasa GEMINI is powered directly from a USB port and requires no additional software. It also comes with an extra USB port for low power devices (mouse, card reader etc). Moreover, it comes with special pads on the bottom that ensure a stable operation.

- Features

- Specifications

 Application  Notebook / MacBook cooler
 Material  ABS
 Outline dimension  350 x 305 x 45mm
 Fan dimension  70 x 70 x 15mm
 Fan speed  1200 R.P.M
 Fan air pressure  0.35 mm H2O
 Bearing type  Sleeve Bearing
 Fan life expectancy  30000/hrs
 Voltage rating  DC 5V
 Weight  600g
 Product code  AK-NBC-03-BK

2. Akasa Gemini - Retail package

The Akasa Gemini costs around ~22 Euro (+shipping) and it is available in black or white colors.

Inside the retail box, the device is safely packaged in a plastic bag for dust protection. A USB cable and an printed manual are also available.

The product can be used with 12~15.4" laptops. It is made out of durable PVC plastic and it is light enough to be easily carried.

Two USB ports and an on/off switch are placed on the rear side of the device. The main USB port should be connected to your notebook in order to power the cooling fans, while the second one can power your mouse or your card reader.

At the bottom side you can see two 70mm fans and several anti-slip pads. A deep clicky sound was coming out of these fans while our laptop was in idle mode, although this sound was not audible when the laptop was fully operating.

When you place a 15.4" laptop on the cooler, all you will see cooler's front strip, since the laptop fits perfectly on the cooler's surface. Once put in place, the laptop is lifted by ~5cm on the front and ~2cmon the back, possibly making things a little bit uncomfortable, at least in the beginning.


3. Akasa Libra - Features

The Akasa Libra is another lightweight notebook cooler for use on the go. Specially designed air intakes and side recesses for easy handling allow the cooler to sit on your desk or lap were ever you are and effectively cool your notebook PC. The cooling performance will be enhanced when using the notebook on full load (i.e. gaming).

Airflow is generated by two quiet fans and a full size aluminum face panel dissipate the produced heat. Its ergonomically shaped aluminum surface with seven rubber non-slip pads ensure comfortable and stable notebook operation. The cooler is powered directly from your notebook with included USB cable.  The ventilation fans can be also disabled through the available switch, allowing the cooler to work passively. The device also comes with an additional USB port for low- power devices (mouse, card reader etc), and it is available in anodized satin black or brushed aluminum.

- Features

- Specifications

 Application  15.4” (or below) Notebooks / MacBooks
 Material  ABS structure with aluminum face panel
 Outline dimension  334 x 275 x 36mm
 Fan dimension  70 x 70 x 15mm
 Fan speed  1500 R.P.M
 Fan air pressure  0.66mm H20
 Fan noise level  21.53 dB(A)
 Voltage rating  DC 5V
 USB cable  600mm
 Weight  720g
 Available colors  Anodized black or brushed aluminum
 Product code  AK-NBC-08AL

4. Akasa Libra - Retail package

The Akasa Libra costs around ~20 Euro (+shipping).

Inside the box, the cooler is safely secured with two foam spacers and it is placed in a plastic bag. A USB cable and a pronted manual are avlso available.

The product is rated for 12~15.4" laptops. It is made out of brushed aluminium at the top and the rest area is made of hard PVC plastic. Designed for gamers and hard use, the product offers a quality feel and looks quite durable.

The USB ports and the power swict are placed on the right side of the cooler.

Two 70mm fans (1500rpm) are responsible for removing the heat out of the cooler.


5. Tests and Summary

We tried to find out how efficient a cooling product can be when you are using your portable PC in your typical daily tasks. The laptop we used in our test was an Asus A6JA with a 5400rpm HDD installed.

We run the 3D Mark '06 software three times and via the Everest Ultimate Edition we measured the temperature of the motherboard, the processor and of course the HDD. At the same time, the HDD was put under Everest's Ultimate Edition Burn-In Test in order to maximize the produced heat. Below is a table that illustrates the average/maximum temperatures of the various components of out notebook with the Akasa coolers installed and not installed.

For comparison, we have added the results of two other coolers by Thermaltake; the Ixoft Pad and the T200.

 
Motherboard
CPU
Aux
HDD
 
Average
Max
Average
Max
Average
Max
Average
Max
No cooling
59,8
64,0
73,2
82,0
73,9
84,0
58,8
65,0
Thermaltake Ixoft Pad
56,0
63,0
71,7
80,0
71,5
83,0
55,6
64,0
Thermaltake T2000
56,0
63,0
71,2
81,0
69,7
83,0
53,5
56,0
Akasa Gemini
54,5
60,0
71,0
79,0
69,1
81,0
51,7
54,0
Akasa Libra
53,4
58,0
70,0
81,0
68,0
80,0
51,3
55,0

The test results are very interesting. Without any cooling solution installed, the Asus A6JA runs rather hot. The Akasa Libra seems to be the most efficient cooler on this test. It managed to reduce the overall temperature of the motherboard by 6.4 degrees Celcius. The overall gain at the raw CPU temperature is less (3.2 degrees Celcius), while at the VGA was kept cooler by 5.9 Celcius. In addition, the HDD temperature was 7.5 degrees Celcius lower with the Akasa coolers installed. On the other hand, the Akasa Gemini proved to be less efficient but still, it is a very good cooling solution.

To sum up, using any of the Akasa notebook coolers (Akasa Gemini/Libra) will reduce the overall temperature of your notebook. So both products do work. Especially if you are a hardcore gamer, the Akasa Libra seems to be the best solution. It feels more robust and its brushed aluminum surface make it look great. Priced at around €20 Euro both solutions look rather attractive purchases.



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