BitFenix Hydra Pro Review

BitFenix Hydra Pro

The front panel of the BitFenix Hydra Pro.

The BitFenix Hydra Pro is a 5-channel, 30 watt per channel manual fan controller. It fits into a 5.25″ drive bay, and is compatible with virtually any chassis with a free 5.25″ bay. Unlike the Bitfenix Recon, which sports a touchscreen interface, the Hydra Pro is controlled via 5 sliders, and while it lacks much of the advanced functionality of the Recon, its simplicity and stylishness (it will look good in any black case) will undoubtedly appeal to many users.

The Hydra Pro comes packaged in a black cardboard box. On the top of the box, there is a picture of the face plate of the controller; the bottom of the box lists specifications and key features. Inside, the controller is enclosed in a plastic bag between two pieces of polystyrene. The box contains the controller, a set of screws, and an instruction sheet. The instruction sheet is a “quick installation guide” which contains some basic instructions, but anyone with a modicum of experience in installing components won’t need them.

BitFenix Hydra Pro

Back view of the BitFenix Hydra Pro, showing the unit’s sole PCB. Note the power inverters on the right.

On the front panel, there is a button on the left side to turn the fan LEDs on and off, and the five sliders. On the right is the power LED, which indicates that the unit has power and should be functioning properly. The front surface is coated with the same soft-touch rubber as the Recon, and gives it a classy look and feel. The front panel is supported by a steel frame that also houses the PCB with all the components on it. The PCB is clean with the components soldered in place solidly. There are five 3-pin connectors for the fans, and there are also five 2-pin leads to power BitFenix Spectre LED fans. [You will need adapters if you want to connect 4-pin fans to this controller, as they are not included with the unit, or get the BitFenix Recon instead, which has 4-pin connectors.] There is also a 4-pin Molex plug which supplies power to the Hydra. The plug also has a piggy back so you end up with the same number of PSU connectors. I leave it to the reader to judge the wisdom of having a single power connector when the controller could output as much as 150 watts. As for the cables they are all pre-fitted to the controller, but all cables are removable, making cable management that much easier. The LED ribbon cable for the fan LEDs is 12 inches (305 mm) long, the fan cables are 28 inches (711 mm) long, and the Molex power lead is 26 inches (660 mm) long, so the cables should be long enough to reach almost anywhere in most cases. On the circuit board, in addition to all the connectors are two single phase HK 19F power inverters which can step voltage from 3 volts up to 12 volts.

Using the controller is simple; there are just five sliders and the button to control the fan LEDs. Although there is nothing to visually indicate how much the fan speed increases or decreases (not even tick marks), but the difference in speed seems to be from 50 percent to 100 percent. The sliders are made of plastic and some users have reported that they tend to fall off with regular use. With all the sliders in the down position and the fan LEDs off, you could have a computer that really runs in stealth mode. This is a manual fan controller, however, and does not incorporate a means of monitoring the temperature, so anyone buying this would probably do well to combine this with HWmonitor, CoreTemp, SpeedFan, or some other software-based means of keeping track of the temperature and/or fan speed to make sure the system isn’t overheating.

There are some minor drawbacks to the Bitfenix Hydra Pro, including the lack of 4-pin fan cables and the flimsiness of the sliders. Minor issues aside, however, the Hydra Pro is a reliable fan controller. It retails for about $39.99 U.S.D., which is a little pricey for a manual controller. It would be more competitive if it were priced about 40% lower, so the price would be more in line with other manual controllers. Still, not many controllers output a total of 150 watts, and fewer still allow the user to control fan LEDs, so if those are your main criteria, it will be money well spent.

BitFenix Hydra Pro Specifications:

Materials: Steel, Plastic
Dimensions (WxHxD): 147 x 43 x 67mm
Form Factor: 5.25″ Drive Bay
Channels: x 5
Watts Per Channel: 30W
Fan LED Connectors: x 5 (compatible with BitFenix Spectre LED/Spectre Pro LED fans)
Power Input: 4-Pin Molex
Extras: SofTouch™ surface treatment, LED power indicator
Hydra™ Pro Fan Controller: BFA-HDR-KSPRO-RP

External Links:

Bitfenix’s product page for the Hydra Pro