The Akasa Helix is the second cooler we found lurking around at the Akasa booth at CeBIT 2011. In so many ways similar to the previously reviewed Quasar but with just as many distinctions, the Helix tries to establish its own place in notebook cooling market.

Specifications

Packaging

Like the Quasar the Helix comes packaged in a sleek white box displaying the cooler, its specifications and features. Included in the box is the Helix, a USB to DC adapter and a quick start manual.

Design, Build and Functionality

From a design standpoint the Akasa Helix wasn’t exactly love at first sight. Its simple metal design with bits of black rubber and plastic came off as cheap, but we soon found out that this is no reason to be turned off from the cooler.

Taking a closer look you begin to see the details which demonstrate the thought and effort Akasa put into the Helix reflecting many of the features that we liked about the Quasar. For example, like the Quasar the Helix has handles on either side of the cooler. Both handles are not simply cut out of the metal but also reinforced for grip and cleanliness with a plastic bezel. Usually we find similar plastic additions to be glued but Akasa took the extra step of using screws which give the cooler a better finish.

Looking at the shape of the body, the Helix makes a relatively flat impression though it still has its curves. The front of the cooler embraces an angled edge that curves into the top of the cooler. In the middle, where the fan is located, is a slight dip. This dip is not only about aesthetics but also for better cooling “power”. If the fan is blowing too much air, the dip gives the air some space to flow where there are no vents.

As we get to the rear we find that it is once again a bit higher than many coolers but this makes the cooler somewhat more practical, at least in some aspects. Basically, the high back does what the feet do on most other coolers, it increases airflow and creates a more comfortable angle. Importantly, it does so without the possibility of it “falling” half an inch as it frequently happens with unstable feet. Feet are usually great to improve the mobility of the cooler, but at the same time the feet at instability; in our experience when reaching for stuff behind the notebook or trying to just slide it a few inches across the desk, the feet fall down.

While the higher back should be a positive aspect of the Helix, at least for the less mobile users, we found that the design had some minor drawbacks in terms of control and input port locations. Already with the Akasa Quasar we found that the controls and input ports were too difficult to reach, and the Helix has a similar issue. Located at the right side of the cooler, the ports and switches are on the inside of the handle. The design keeps them out of the way but make it difficult to change the fan speed with a laptop on the cooler.

All in all the design and build of the cooler grows on you quickly as you begin to appreciate the details of the cooler. From a design point of view, the Helix works for “gamers” or “professional” users alike while generally blending into nearly any user type due it its minimalistic design and its machined aluminum surface.

Cooling Performance and Noise

With the cooling surface of the Akasa Helix a bit on the constrained side due to the space between the holes being filled we expected our test results to be worse than the results of the Quasar. Though, to our surprise this wasn’t the case. The Akasa Helix actually performed noticeably better than the Quasar and pumped out some impressive numbers. (note: all testing was done with the “high” setting)

The reasoning behind the difference is that although Akasa labels the fans as having the same 500 RPM on the low setting and 800 RPM on the high setting the Helix appeared to be running at a higher RPM and thus more airflow.

In terms of noise the Helix is louder than its sibling, the Quasar, due to the higher quantity of airflow and a faster spinning fan. However when compared to other cooler’s we have tested the Helix is still a tad on the quiet side.

Conclusion

Being as simple as it is, the Akasa Helix seems to be a relatively “generic” product at first, but there is truly more to the cooler than that. Just like the Quasar, the Helix left us with good impressions. It is well designed to optimize performance while not sacrificing any details in craftsmanship or practicality.