Bringing together the benefits of both passive and active coolers, the Cooler Master U Series takes the adjustable cooler to a new level. Portable, adjustable and efficient the Cooler Master U series teases perfection but just isn’t quite there yet.

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Specifications

In this review we will be reviewing both the U1 and U2.

Note: There are two versions of each individual U series coolers. One version comes with a fan, while the other is just the stand.

First Impressions

Inside the clear packaging we found the cooler, fan(s) and a large band. Leaving instructions only on the back, Cooler Master appears confident that the cooler is relatively easy to operate.

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Cooler Master designed this cooler to be light, versatile and effective. With a thickness of only one millimeter, Cooler Master clearly achieved its goal of designing a light cooler. Unfortunately the lightness came at the cost of stability.

The Cooling Surface and System

The cooling surface resembles that of a Zalman notebook cooler. Circular vent holes cover the majority of the brushed aluminum surface while the upper corners and bottom center area are wrapped in rubber. [Later on in this review, we will touch on the rubber sections in more detail.]

The cooling system is the seller of the U series. Like your average notebook cooler the fans intake at the bottom and push cold air out the top. What makes the U series stand out is its unbeatable adjustability. With nearly no limits on the location of the fan on the cooling surface the U2 allows for the user to get the best cooling. However, this method is only effective if there are vents above a specific component. For example, the cooler was unable to drop the temperature of our hard drive (15.4” notebook) as there were no vents located around the hard drive. Furthermore the spottiness of our vents caused issues as only two fans were provided for the U2 allowing only two areas to be covered.

Furthermore, a design flaw on the cooler is the angle at which the cooler is slanted on. If the fan is not set in the furthest rear position possible the air flow becomes restricted. To remedy this we recommend you put something solid under the front to raise it up to the same level as the rear. This will tremendously increase airflow without raising the noise level which is overall quieter than on average but can still not be considered silent.

To adjust the fans Cooler Master has fitted each individual 80mm fan with a special latch mechanism. On the side of the fan there is a button, when pushed two of the hooks retract in the direction of the other two hooks (which are immobile). This allows you to fit the fans on to the actual stand.

The Sides

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The Bottom and the Rear

There is not much to the underside though it is designed to protect your notebook on the go. We will touch on this later on in the review under [Portability]

Statistics

Notepal U1 test with a 10″ Netbook

Notepal U2 Test with 15.4″ Widescreen

Portability

For their size both the U1 and U2 are both far more portable then you would expect. In our opinion they are both nearly the most portable coolers on the market.

Here is why: If the fans are removed from either of the U series coolers, a notebook can easily slide in on the underside of the cooler. The elastic band lets you cool and protect your notebook anywhere you please. Although not the most protective, when put into a notebook sleeve or bag the extra rigidity created by the cooler can help protect a notebook from being crushed. On the downside the elastic provided is too large and stretchy in our opinion. Even with our 15.4” test unit there was far too much lax on the elastic to hold the notebook on to the U2.

Furthermore, the “rubber” used to protect the notebook while in a bag and to hold it to the desk was not the greatest quality. It feels like a cheap kneaded eraser (image below). It tears rather easily, absorbs body oils and lacks grip.

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Conclusion

Cooler Master has come up with an amazing design on paper, though in practice it would have been nice if they put a little more thought into the practical design of the product. As a cooler the U1 and U2 are nearly unbeatable and for that it is rather easy to overlook the shortcomings of the build and other flaws we have mentioned.