Conclusion:
Many times multi-function devices don't quite address each of their tasks as well as you would want, but that isn't the case here. The Hiyatek HY-CF-6157-01 Laptop Cooler with Card Reader and USB Hub offers a convenient location for a 4 slot card reader and 3 port USB 2.0 hub, all while handling its primary role as a laptop cooler quite nicely.
The three fans in the cooler are controlled by a manual speed dial, and you can choose to run the fans anywhere from 0-100% of their full speed. At the higher end of the speed dial the fans are audible, but they are far quieter than the fan built in to the laptop used during testing. With the extra cooling that the HY-CF-6157-01 provided it was a rare occurrence that the laptop fan actually ramped up, which is a good thing in terms of overall noise level and as an indication that the laptop was running at a safe temperature.
There are many laptop coolers on the market, but the addition of a card reader and USB hub definitely increase the appeal. The card reader and USB hub worked perfectly, and they add two features that could prove quite useful to just about any laptop user.
The positives for this laptop cooler are numerous, but there are two items that I feel could be improved. Not quite negative features, as they function just fine as is, but I feel they would be welcome improvements.
The first is related to the placement of the USB hub. Although it worked quite well, I feel that it might be more convenient to have the three ports located on the side of the device. As is, the three ports are right up front, and with a variety of devices connected you will have cables, dongles, or whatever else pointing straight toward you. In the review I used a wireless mouse, and the USB receiver sticks out about two inches. When plugged into the cooler's hub I found that I then needed to push the laptop away from me to make it comfortable to use without bumping into the wireless adaptor. I could see similar interference issues arising with thumb drives, cables to external devices, or just about anything else.
The other issue was with the elevation knobs, as I feel it would be more effective to have them on the bottom of the cooler, rather than on the top. This way the whole cooler would be tipped forward, instead of just the laptop. This way, there would be more clearance under the cooler for drawing in air, and the laptop and cooler would remain in close proximity for effective cooling.
A search of PriceGrabber turns up nothing on this product, and tracking down this particular item proved to be difficult. Other Hiyatek laptop coolers without a card reader or USB hub were found online for about $20 to $25 (US), so I would expect this unit to sell for a bit more than this. Even if the HY-CF-6157-01 came in at about $30 or $40 it would still be a decent deal considering the three useful functions that it provides.
Given the performance and features, I award the Hiyatek HY-CF-6157-01 Laptop Cooler with Card Reader and USB Hub the rating of "Recommended".
Pros:
» Stylish aluminum housing
» Effectively cools laptop with three fans
» Quiet, and only becomes audible at higher speeds
» Manual fan speed control
» 4 slot card reader included
» 3 port USB hub included
» USB bus powered, but includes AC power adaptor just in case
Cons:
» Would prefer USB hub connections to be on the side
» Would prefer elevation knobs to be on the bottom of the cooler
Special thanks to Hiyatek for providing the Hiyatek Laptop Cooler with Card Reader and USB Hub to Bigbruin.com for review!
Please drop by the Bigbruin.com Forum and feel free to post any comments or questions.
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