CM Storm Strike Force SF-19 Laptop Cooler

In recent years when people solicit my opinion about buying a computer they are increasingly asking about laptops as opposed to desktops. They are turning to laptops as an all-purpose computing, working, and entertainment platform. High-end graphics, 19" screens and gigabytes of of bits can generate serious amounts of heat. But the vast majority of cooling options for laptops are meant for smaller machines with smaller heat profiles. For serious cooling CM Storm released the Strike Force SF-19 dual fan 19" laptop cooler. Model SGA-6000-KKYF1 is like the HAF X for laptops. Read on to see how the SF-19 performs under the Benchmark Reviews tests.

In earlier years laptops always seemed to me a representation of busy business people on-the-go. The buzz was always about smaller and lighter. Of course smaller is the treadmill that drives economic and technological progress in the computer world, so it was a natural progression along with desktops. Laptops always lagged in performance because you just couldn't fit the same amount of power into something that could be carried. But those days are long gone. Most people's smart phones are more powerful than the first laptop I ever used.

Certainly the drive for portability won't disappear, but it is definitely not as important for laptops today as it once was. In fact I've noticed a movement in the opposite direction. Friends, family and co-workers are more frequently opting for something larger than what will simply,"meet your needs." Netbooks are very portable and can do a large portion of routine tasks. But I see people retiring their desktops in favor of more powerful laptops. They want one system that can play movies, go on vacation, surf the web, play games and go to work or crunch numbers.

And these newer systems are big. Nineteen inches is now a standard screen size for laptops. But when it comes to cooling, laptops don't get nearly the same consideration as desktops. When was the last time you or anyone you know opened up their laptop to add new heat sinks or fans?! Yet we talk about it all the time for desktops. Despite being an afterthought, laptop cooling is still a need which is usually met by laptop coolers. One symptom of this problem is the lack of coolers for larger laptops. Sure, most laptop coolers say they go up to 19", but all that really means is they can hold one that big with five inches hanging off the end. Luckily there is the SF-19 which is actually designed to support and cool the bigger laptops.

Manufacturer: Cooler Master
Product Name: CM Storm Strike Force SF-19
Model Number: SGA-6000-KKYF1
Price As Tested: $79.99 at Amazon or Newegg

Full Disclosure: The product sample used in this article has been provided by Cooler Master.

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