Why You Can Trust CNET Targus AWE55US Lap Chill Mat review: Targus AWE55US Lap Chill Mat
Targus AWE55US Lap Chill Mat
- Author of the award-winning, NY Times-reviewed nonfiction book The Tetris Effect; Longtime consumer technology expert for CBS Mornings
Laptop stands tend to either be height-adjustable plastic-and-metal folding contraptions, or fixed-height wedges with built-in fans. Both have their uses, but a USB-powered fan (or two) can help cut down on laptop heat, as well as provide a more ergonomic work surface. The $39 Targus Lap Chill Mat is an excellent example of the latter, providing twin fans, a reasonable angle, and a subtle soft-touch design.
The Good
The Bad
The Bottom Line
Coated in rubbery neoprene, the Chill Matt has a dark gray look that almost disappears under your laptop (most laptop stands are off-white or beige and stand out more). Measuring 12 inches by 15 inches, it's big enough that an 18-inch laptop can sit comfortably on it (although a system this big does spill over the edges by an inch or so on each side). The front edge sits 0.75 inch above your desk, gradually raising to 2.2 inches in the rear, making for a comfortable, if not adjustable, angle for typing.
Powered by a single USB connection to your laptop, the Chill Mat has two fairly quiet fans that aim toward the back-left and back-right corners of the laptop. To improve airflow, the Chill Mat itself has an open design, with a large air channel in the middle, allowing for easy air intake.
The only problem we ran into was with the four rubber stoppers that sit on the plastic fan grate. Each is held in place by four tiny rubber nubs that plug into the circular holes in the fan grate, but they pulled up far too easily when moving our laptop around, and required some serious elbow grease to push back into place.