A chill-pill for your laptop.

We all bond with our Macs in one way or another, but relationships with notebook computers can be a little more intimate than those with other machines. Notebooks are getting more powerful—and running hotter—every year. Power is good for getting work done, but not so good for the heat-sensitive internal components of our computers—not to mention our laps. The Choiix Air-Through is a notebook stand and USB 2.0 hub that circulates air beneath your MacBook with a pair of ultraquiet fans. It packs some handy features into a convenient, though cheaply constructed, package.

At 14 inches wide by 13 inches deep, the Air-Through lifts any notebook 2 inches off your desk or lap, but it’s really sized for something no wider than a MacBook or MacBook Air. The included mini-USB-to-USB cable is just long enough to plug into the left side of the Air-Through and reach a MacBook’s USB port; it’s also the only way to power the Air-Through’s fans and hub. There’s a port for some kind of power jack next to the button that controls the fans (they’re either on or off), but no power adapter is included, and the scant instructions give no hint of the proper voltage. It’s an odd omission, but USB-only power means the Air-Through can travel easily with you around the office. Fortunately, the Air-Through sports four full-size USB ports: one on the right and three on the left.

Less fortunately, the build quality of our Air-Through seems a little shoddy. The rubber on the bottom of our test unit could be pulled away from the plastic body pretty easily, and some seams had gaps and irregular edges. However, the Air-Through is more than sturdy enough to support a computer, and its rear riser is a wide, flat foot that’s easy to balance on your legs. The aluminum plate set into the top of the Air-Through looks good and absorbs some heat, but it’s a little slicker than we’d like. It’s fine on a desk, but a notebook tends to slide around just a bit when the Air-Through is resting on a lap. Speaking of looks, white plastic and aluminum is so last year: The Air-Through doesn’t go with a newer MacBook’s design. But will it cool? While the Air-Through’s elevating action and fans certainly help keep laps temperate, it only lowered our MacBook’s internal temperature by a couple degrees under heavy use.