Review: Logitech Speaker Lapdesk N700

Having a device that gives your laptop a decent set of speakers as well as a cooling fan, might sound logical, but is it practical.


By Mike Wheeler

Make: Logitech
Model: Lapdesk N700

Logitech’s Speaker Lapdesk N700 is one of those gadgets where you don’t quite know whether it’s necessary or not. I can see where it would have its uses, but is it worth $149.95? Hard to say.

Out of the box, I first notice that it is pretty light weight, which is good. Nothing worse than trying to lug around a heavy accessory, which would mean its use would be limited due to the hassle of having to carry it with you.

So how easy is it to use? Very. There are a couple of little plastic tabs that you lift at the bottom of the unit that allows you to put your portable PC in place so it doesn’t slide down when in use. Its lightness also means it doesn’t make your thighs feel like they have a dead weight on them, so comfort is acceptable, too.

Here is where it gets a little interesting because the way the fan and speakers work is by using your laptop’s power. The Lapdesk has a USB cable that plugs into your portable PC and you are away laughing. Of course, our first thoughts are, how much battery does the Lapdesk drain? To be honest, in our test the battery did drain a little faster, but not the huge amount I was expecting it to. In saying that, I didn’t leave it on for more than three hours, so what the overall effect would be, I wouldn’t like to say. Suffice to say, the louder the volume, the quicker it seemed to go. I would point out, that this would not be a deal breaker for me if I was to buy one.

Overall, I could see the point of the unit, but would I get one? For its cooling ability, not likely. Mainly because notebook manufacturers are now working hard on keeping the heat down and I believe that fans will become redundant. However, there is an argument to buy the unit for its speakers, which were pretty good. Even at high volume, they failed to distort – with a caveat – the highest setting is hardly the stuff to shatter glass.

3.5 Shacks out of 5