wasupdog

iTrader: (2)

well, i didn't exactly wake up this morning thinking that i was going to sit around and modify my notebook cooler for my new "laptop", but it turned out to be quick and fun. i'm going to post it here before i get it on notebookreview because there's a lot of great car diy on this site so i thought some of you computer guys might like to see it.

i didn't think to mod notebook coolers but i read a blurb by a guy on nbr about how he replaced the fans in his nzxt cooler. i actually had 3 spare 120mm fans sitting around that were left over from my custom build desktop from 2 years ago so it worked out because i also didn't have to go and buy anything.

the nzxt cryo lx is for 17-19" laptops and is huge and heavy. it's recommended for my new dell xps m1730 because the vents line up with the fan and air cooling vents on the m1730. when i got the nzxt, it's pretty apparent it's a POS made in china. one of the pins that holds the thing together so you can fold it for travelling fell straight out, the edges are sharp as hell, and the fans are noisy and have electrical problems (more on that later). however, the design and the actual aluminum block housing of the cooler are excellent so i decided to mod it instead of returning or exchanging it.

i fixed the pin using scotch tape as a spacer to hold it in the slot. the actual reason i started to replace all of the fans is because the middle one was making a clicking sound. while i had the thing apart i just replaced all of them. the stock fans have electrical problems because when the cooler was stock, plugged into the wall with it's own ac adapter, and i turned the fans all the way up the electricity would die out because the cheap fans were sucking up too much juice. after i replaced them with 1 antec led fan and 2 scythe s-flex ssf21f fans i could turn the fan speed to the max.

$70 shipped from amazon. $70...for a notebook cooler...


looking at the stock fan cage, fan speed switch (bottom), and the power strip/usb hubs.


3 120mm fans i had laying around in my room for the past 2 years. the scythe fans are really high quality. they are quiet and the bearings let the fan blades spin for a really long time compared to the antec (but the antec gots leds..doh)


2 liter for a size comparison. the m1730 is 11 pounds (not including ac adapter) and 2 inches thick.


size comparison to an xps m1330 13.3" laptop. the m1330 is going to have to go to help pay for the m1730


hooking up the antec fan to check the mounting direction.


all hooked up.


done! i wish i had 3 led fans but like i said, these were spare parts sitting around.


this is the custom desktop i built 2 years ago. anctec 900 case, 8800gtx video card, 4gigs ram, XP, intel e6850 c2d oc'ed to from 3 to 3.6ghz on stock voltage settings. this machine was built for a sole purpose...to view pr0n on the internets.


m1730 sitting in front of a 24" monitor.


the m1730's massive and heavy power brick, about the same size as a 7" netbook.


here's shot of the m1730. i changed the touchpad and speaker leds to the official colors of acurazine :ghey::ghey::ghey:

Lightus

Looks good! How are you liking the M1730? Any idea on how it would compare with a desktop of similar specs?

I can't speak on the performance, but the styling is very nice!