Cool Master NA65

I criticized the power cable that comes with my Acer 1810TZ. Silly Acer, they built a good ultra portable laptop but bundle a bad ultra non-portable power brick, in particular the power cable. As a result, I gave up since day 1 and start looking for alternative.

I have been using AcBel Power King that I bought 2 years ago for my every trip. That means my MSI as the remote access gateway and download machine will need to be shut down whenever I travel. So I went out to look for another AcBel but eventually I found Cool Master...

The Cool Master NA65.

Cool Master, a very well known brand that I have been trusting since my first DIY desktop time. I remember I insisted on Cool Master products ranging from PC chassis, case fan and to heat sink when I built my gaming machine. It costs quite a sum at that time to trade for reliability, I was darn happy with the brand though. I guess there are more brands in the market offering equivalent quality products these days, but I have stopped following the desktop trend for long and lack of knowledge on this matter, so Cool Master is still my first choice when selecting a gadget from a variety of brands, though I must iterate that I am also happy with AcBel Power King.

The model number gives a good hint, 19V outputs 3.42A delivering 65W of juice to spice up any similar rated lappy. There is another model NA99 which costs about 30% more than NA65, you might want to consider that if you have a power hunger lappy. The box also lists the compatible notebook brands, but the original power rating is always good info to confirm...

A perfect match of 19V for the Acer 1810TZ. Not to forget to verify the polarity just like what I did previously.

It's similar package like AcBel Power King, could it be OEM from the same factory? Hmmm.. Anyway, solid built quality with firm and slim power cable, even offering the same power tips shown above. And a comparison to AcBel's tip reassures the polarity...

One difference between these 2 brands and that's also the main criteria that I chose Cool Master (beside the brand loyalty) over AcBel...

The brick comes with an LED indicator. Some may say this is redundant as all notebooks come with a power LED as well. You would not know whether it's a power brick or notebook problem when it's not charging. At least you know the brick is functional when its LED lights up, but I certainly believe everyone hopes it's otherwise that LED on the brick dims off (means power brick problem) when in such situation. :)

There are many brands in the market here compare to 2 years ago that AcBel was the only brand (or a brand that has reputable background on power thingy). I would recommend take a serious consideration on the brand as you're dealing with electrical. Minor hiccup on the brick might only fry your notebook but in worst case it could burn your house or loved one if you opt for cheap and unknown brand.