SilverStone FP335 Review

June 28, 2013 by Leave a Comment
SilverStone FP335

The SilverStone FP335 comes in silver and black; this is the black version.

The SilverStone FP335 is a three channel, 4.8 watt per channel manual fan controller. The unit is available in both silver and black. The FP335 is actually two fan controllers. One unit fits into a 3.5″ drive bay in the front of the case. The second looks like an expansion bracket and will fit into an expansion slot in the back of the computer. The expansion bracket unit is marketed as an “optional” piece and you are supposed to use one or the other, but there is nothing preventing you from using both, and thus controlling as many as six fans at once. That having been said, the SilverStone FP335 is still a little pricey for what it offers ($23.99 U.S.D. on Amazon), but it will undoubtedly be a favorite among those who can’t spare a 5.25″ drive bay.

The unit that installs into a 3.5″ drive bay is made entirely of aluminum, and the finish on the front panel and the knobs is of high quality. It mounts easily into a 3.5″ bay. The controller is designed to work with 3-pin fans; it will also work with 4-pin fans and does not require an adapter. It will also work with 2-pin SilverStone fans, and there are separate headers on the PCB to accommodate such fans. The fan cables should be long enough to allow for placement of the fans just about anywhere in the case (almost 24 inches for each cable). The knobs are smooth and the fans turn up smoothly; the minimum voltage supplied to the fans is 5 volts, so even with the knobs turned all the way down, the fans will always be running at 40 percent of the maximum speed.

In summary, the SilverStone FP335 is a well-built, no-frills fan controller. Its power output of 4.8 watts is rather puny; in fact, I cannot remember any controller reviewed on this site that had a lower power output per channel. If you have fans that require a lot of power, think twice before buying this unit. On the plus side, the FP335 is one of the few fan controllers that gives you not one but two separate options for placing a controller in your PC without using a 5.25″ drive bay. This and the overall high quality of SilverStone products are its strongest selling points.

SilverStone FP335 Specifications:

Color: Black, Silver
Material: All aluminum 3.5″ bay, steel expansion slot, aluminum buttons
Max fan power: 0.4A per channel
Application: 3.5″ drive bay or expansion slot
Cable Length: 600mm
Fan Connectors: 2pin SilverStone fan connector, 3pin fan connector
Fan voltage range: 5V ~ 12V
3.5″ bay Dimension: 101.6mm (W) x 25.4mm (H) x 120mm (D)
Controller Board Dimension: 36mm (W) x 17mm (H) x 31mm (D)

External Links:

Silverstone FP335 product page on the SilverStone website

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Xigmatek CSF-CBK33-U01 Review

June 25, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Xigmatek CSF-CBK33-U01 Review

The Xigmatek CSF-CBK33-U01 (Mono-Cool)

The Xigmatek CSF-CBK33-U01 is a no-frills controller for controlling up to 3 fans. It has one channel and outputs a maximum of 10 watts. This is by far the simplest of controllers reviewed so far on this site, but if all you want is something that enables you to reduce the speed of the fans and thus lower the noise output, this may fit the bill.

The CSF-CBK33-U001 is shaped like an expansion card bracket and will fit into any available expansion slot on a PC. The circuitry is contained on a small PCB mounted onto the back of the bracket. Power input comes through a single 4-pin Molex connector, and the unit supports any fan with a 3-pin connector.

Once the controller is installed and connected to the PSU and fans, it will do the job. It should be mentioned, however, that even if the rheostat is turned all the way counterclockwise, the power to the fan will only be cut to 50 percent. This is a good safeguard, since no matter how low the controller is set, the fan will be running, and should be adequate if your main objective is to reduce fan noise. Still, if you want to be able to set the fan to a lower speed or turn it off completely, this controller will not do.

If you want a simple means of controlling up to 3 fans at a budget price (at the time this review was written, Amazon was selling it for $7.00), the CSF-CBK33-U01 may be just the thing. It can only handle 10 watts, so it may not be enough if your cooling requirements are substantial, but it is so cheaply priced, you could buy 2 of these and it would still be a cost-effective option.

Xigmatek CSF-CBK33-U01 Specifications:

Max Power: 10 W
DC Input: 12 V (Standard 4 Pin Molex connector)
Fan Connectors: 3
Plug Type: 3-Pin only
Included Accessories: 2x screws
Connections: 1x Molex
Max Combined Wattage: 10 Watts
Control Modes: Manual only
Fan Channel Quantity 1
Minimum Power To Fans: 50% (6-12 V)
Warranty: 1 year parts/labor

Xigmatek CSF-CBK33-U01 Features:

Total 10W DC output.
Design for 12V DC fan
Suitable for standard add-on card bracket
One Molex 4pin power cable for power supply
Design for 3pin cooling fan

External Links:

Xigmatek’s product page for the CSF-CBK33-U01

 

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Silenx IXA-FCEX Review

June 20, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Silenx IXA-FCEX Review

The Silenx IXA-FCEX in action.

The Silenx IXA-FCEX is a four channel, 6 watt per channel manual external fan controller. Unlike the NZXT Sentry LXE (Amazon), another external fan controller reviewed on this site, the IXA-FCEX is a much more basic controller. It does have one feature the Sentry LXE does not have: you can use this controller as a standalone device by plugging it into the included AC/DC adapter. Thus, without connecting the controller to a computer, the Silenx IXA-FCEX could be used, for example, to cool AV equipment or aquarium lighting. If you want to use it with your computer, simply connect the Molex connector to the power supply and plug in the fans. The controller has an LED light for each channel indicating when a fan is powered up. It sells for $19.99 (plus $5.50 shipping) on Amazon.

One caveat that should be made is that the power supplied when the Silenx IXA-FCEX is plugged into the adapter is only 20 watts (5 watts per channel). Thus, if you have fans with more substantial power requirements, you may want to check to make sure that this unit supplies enough power. In addition, the fans will not shut off completely, nor will the LEDs shut off. This product is designed to work with 3-pin fans; if a 4-pin fan is plugged into it, the LED light for that channel will not light up. In addition, quality control issues have been reported with some units, and some of the controllers have lost their ability to control fan speeds over time.

Nevertheless, the Silenx IXA-FCEX offers a great deal of functionality at a relatively low price, and if your power requirements are not that great, this is a product you might consider buying.

Silenx IXA-FCEX Specifications:

SKU: IXA-FCEX
Dimensions: 130x37x28mm
Channels: 4
Cable length: 500mm
input voltage: 12v
output voltage: 4-12v
power capacity: 6w max per channel
power capacity powered from computer: 24w
adapter input voltage: 100~240v
adapter output voltage: 12v
adapter cable length: 1700mm
power capacity powered from adapter: 20w

External Links:

Silenx’s product page for the IXZ-FCEX
Silenx IXAFCEX Four Channel External Fan Controller on Amazon

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AeroCool Gatewatch 2 Review

June 19, 2013 by Leave a Comment
AeroCool Gatewatch 2 Review

Front view of the AeroCool Gatewatch 2.

The AeroCool Gatewatch 2 is a 4-channel, 6 watt per channel automatic/manual fan controller. It fits into 2 5.25″ drive bays and has several buttons to control the fans and temeprature alarms, as well as to brighten and dim the LCD display. As a discontinued item, it has been available sporadically on closeout, and you might be able to snag one under $30.

Installing the AeroCool GateWatch 2 is easy: find 2 free 5.25″ bays for the unit and the holes provided should line up with the screw holes in the case. If you have a tool-less case, then you may have problems mounting a 2-bay device. Power is provided via a Molex connector, which provides power for the fans and the GateWatch 2’s display. Mounting of the temperature sensors (there are 4, one for each channel) is done with the included adhesive tape. Unfortunately, the tape comes loose after awhile, but you can always use your own tape.

The AeroCool GateWatch 2 allows you to configure up to 4 different alarms that can be based on a temperature or a lack of sensing fan RPM input. You can set the temperature alarm for anything within the range 25 to 90 C, at which point the reading will flash and an audible alarm will sound. The alarms are reliable, but it sounds for only a few seconds, so you have to be near the computer when the alarm goes off to benefit from it. The reading on the display will flash for a while longer before it too stops. It should be noted that the GateWatch 2 cannot power down your system. You cannot set a target speed for when the temperature exceeds the alarm temperature, which is a bit of a drawback.

The GateWatch 2 comes with 2 USB ports, and audio output/input jacks, which could come in handy if your case lacks these on the front panel, or if the front panel location of said ports is inconvenient.

As with a number of the AeroCool fan controllers, there are issues with readibility of the display. There are 3 settings for the display: high, low, and off. On the high setting, the display can be read from quite a distance, but you have to be level with the display; viewing the display from above or below will make reading the LCD panel difficult. Putting the included plastic magnification lens over the display does not help much and actually distorts the display.

Another issue is with the fan RPM settings. The GateWatch 2 only allows changing the fan speed between 700-1000 RPM. I would have expected a greater range of control.

Ultimately, this is not a product I would recommend, simply because it lacks many of the features of similarly-priced fan controllers (e.g. the ability to set a target fan speed when the temperature exceeds the alarm temperature, the ability to have greater control over the fan speed). The AeroCool Gatewatch 2 has apparently been discontinued and may be available on closeout, but unless you can find it at a bargain basement price, I would consider other options.

AeroCool Gatewatch 2 Features:

Futuristic clip-on magnifier for an enlarged LCD screen effect
Detects and controls 4 sets of temperature and fan speed channels
Automatic and manual control
Temperature warning alarm
LCD backlighting dimmer control
Switch between Celsius and Fahrenheit temperature displays
High speed USB 2.0 and audio ports

AeroCool Gatewatch 2 Specifications:

Power: 4-pin Molex Pass-Through
USB Connection: Motherboard Header
Audio Connection: Motherboard Header
Fan Connection: 3-pin
Fan Channels: 4
Thermal Sensors: 4
Magnification Lenses: 2 (Clear and Blue)
Mounting: 2 Consecutive 5.25″ Drive Bays

External Links:

AeroCool’s product page for the Gatewatch 2

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AeroCool V12XT Review

June 18, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Aerocool V12XT Review

Front and side view of the Aerocool V12XT.

The AeroCool V12XT is a four channel, 6 watt per channel automatic fan controller. It fits into two 5.25″ drive bays and has a touchscreen interface. This controller is somewhat pricey ($59.99 on Amazon at the time this article was written), but users who want a rather ostentatious fan controller and who have two drive bays to spare will undoubtedly want to consider the AeroCool V12XT.

The AeroCool V12XT comes packaged in a black cardboard box which has a large image of the V12XT on the front of the box. The back of the box has a list of features and also an image showing the layout of the touchscreen display. Inside the box, the V12XT is between two pieces of plastic; inside the box are some extra cables, screws, adhesive for the sensors, and manuals.

The front of the controller is solidly built, even though it is made of plastic. The V12XT ships with the cables are already connected to the back panel. The power cable is in the upper left corner of the PCB; the four fan controller cables are connected to the lower left corner, and the large temperature sensor connector, which connects all four temperature sensors, is in the upper right of the PCB. In the lower right corner, there are four heatsinks (one for each channel). All cables are labeled; the fans are labeled FAN1-FAN4, and the temperature sensors are labeled CPU, VGA, HDD, and SYS. The temperature sensors also have a plastic sleeve to protect them. The FAN1 connector supports 4-pin PWM fans, and FAN2-4 support only 3-pin fans.

Installation is a simple matter (the AeroCool V12XT will fit into two empty 5.25″ drive bays), although it should be mentioned that the AeroCool V12XT apparently is not compatible with tool-less cases (the bay locks are not compatible with them). You will have to use screws; fortunately, screws are included with the controller. The screws are fairly short, so you may have to screw one in only part way before starting the screw on the other side. One the unit is in the case, it is easy enough to connect the fans and put the temperature sensors in place (keep in mind FAN1 is the only 4-pin connector).

Once the controller is installed and your machine is powered up, the front panel of the AeroCool V12XT illuminates. The screen looks somewhat like a car dashboard. There are two dials: the larger displays the current speed of whichever of the four fans is slected, and the smaller dial shows the current temperature of whichever of the four temperature probes is selected. Tapping the temperature dial enables you to set the threshold for the temperature alarm for this sensor, at which point the AeroCool V12XT spins the fan for that channel up to its full speed. The unit can only display settings for one channel at a time; pressing the buttons 1 through 4 allow the user to select different channels.

The V12XT’s display was apparently meant to be viewed from above; when viewed straight on, the unlit portions of the screen are clearly visible and the display looks rather dull. Fortunately, the unit has a button for turning off the screen. There is also a lock button above the fan RPM readout, and you cannot make changes to the settings without first touching it. Still, the fact that you have to press the screen three times to adjust a fan speed or temperature alarm threshold is annoying.

Finally, I would be remiss if I did not at least mention the numerous reports of quality control issues with AeroCool fan controllers, including the V12XT. There have been reports of poorly-soldered connections, touchscreens with dead areas, and of units that had to be returned. A cursory look at the customer reviews on Amazon and Newegg suggests that quality control is an issue, at least with the V12XT.

In conclusion, unless you are infatuated with the touchscreen, you are probably better off looking elsewhere. $59.99 is a lot of money to spend on a fan controller, and for that, you are gambling that you will get a controller that actually works. If you win the quality control lottery, you will still be saddled with an underpowered (6 watts per channel) fan controller with a touchscreen interface that is not particularly intuitive to use. If you have two drive bays and $59.99 to spare and you like gaudy LCD displays, then you might consider the AeroCool V12XT. Otherwise, this is one to avoid.

AeroCool V12XT Features:

Large LCD screen
LCD backlight on/off
Switch between Celsius and Fahrenheit
Overheating alarm temperature warning
HDD working display
“Lock” function provided to prevent careless miss-touch

AeroCool V12XT Specifications:

Dimension: 149.5 (W) x85 (H) x 70(D) mm
LCD viewable area: 115 (W) x 57 (H) mm
Connectors: 4 x 3-pin connectors / 4 x heat sensors
Material: ABS front bezel w/ steel bracket
Max wattage per fan channel: 6W

External Links:

AeroCool’s product page for the V12XT

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Best Fan Controller: Part One

June 17, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Best fan controller: Bitfenix Recon

The Bitfenix Recon is one of the controllers that topped my rankings for best fan controller.

I have posted several reviews of fan controllers on this website, but so far, I have not done any comparison of the controllers. This is partially by design, as I have not yet reviewed all of the controllers made by the most prominent companies in this industry. Moreover, any comparison might be of limited value, as those which I rank as the most important criteria for selecting a controller may differ from those of other users. Still, I thought it might be useful to come up with a ranking of fan controllers already covered on this site, and come up with the best fan controller reviewed so far.

The Search for the Best Fan Controller: Criteria

In order to rank the controllers, I had to come up with a set of criteria, based on what I consider to be important in choosing a fan controller. With any luck, this could be used as the basis for coming up with a somewhat objective ranking. I narrowed my criteria down to five, and chose the following:

  • Number of channels
  • Wattage
  • Other features
  • Design and overall look and feel
  • Pricing

Each controller will be awarded from 1 to 5 points in each category, for a maximum of 25 points. Points will be awarded based on the following requirements:

Number of Channels: The more channels the controller has, the greater the number of points that will be awarded. There are only a few 1 channel controllers available, but 1 channel will net 1 point. 2 or 3 channels will get 2 points, 4 channels will get 3 points, and each additional channel will get an additional point up to 5 points maximum.

Wattage: 5 watts or less seems rather puny, and those controllers will only get 1 point. More than 5 watts but less than 10 will get 2 points. 10 watts seems standard, and will get 3 points. 20 watts or less gets 4 points, and 5 points for more than that.

Other Features: I aggregated other common features into a single category. Automatic fan control gets 1 point, as does an LCD display, a fan disconnect alarm, PWM fan support, and the ability to turn off the display if it has one.

Design/Look and Feel: Up to 5 points will be awarded for controller design (this mainly concerns the PCB, but not exclusively) and the overall look and feel of the controller.

Pricing: For me (and I imagine for others as well) pricing is a factor. Accordingly, I awarded 1 point for controllers $100 and more, 2 points for controllers less than $100 but greater than or equal to $75, 3 points for controllers less than $75 but greater than or equal to $50, 4 points for controllers less than $50 but greater than or equal to $25, and 5 points for controllers less than $25. All pricing is in U.S. dollars.

Best Fan Controller: The Rankings

With these criteria in mind, here are the rankings:

[table border=”5″]
Manufacturer + Model,Number of Channels,Wattage,Other Features,Design/Look and Feel,Pricing,Total
Lamptron FC-2,5,5,0,5,4,19
NZXT Sentry Mesh,4,5,0,4,5,18
NZXT Sentry 2,4,3,4,5,4,20
Lamptron FC5 v2,3,5,2,4,3,17
NZXT Sentry LX,4,2,4,5,4,19
NZXT Sentry LXE,4,3,3,5,3,18
Aerocool Touch 2100,4,5,2,5,3,19
Aerocool Strike-X 1000,4,5,2,1,4,16
Lamptron FC8,5,5,0,5,3,18
Scythe KM03,5,3,3,4,4,19
Bitfenix Recon,5,3,4,5,4,21
Bitfenix Hydra Pro,4,5,0,4,4,17
Zalman ZM-MFC3,3,2,2,5,2,14
Lian-Li PT-FN04,5,2,0,3,4,14
Lamptron FC10,3,5,0,5,1,14
STW ICR-022,3,2,4,4,4,17
Silverstone CMD01-ESA,4,2,1,5,4,16
Logisys FP600BK,5,5,0,3,5,18
Sunbeamtech Rheosmart 6,5,5,2,5,4,21
Aerocool X-Vision,4,2,4,4,4,18
[/table]

Best fan controller: Sunbeamtech Rheostat 6

The Sunbeamtech Rheosmart 6 tied with the Bitfenix Recon for best fan controller in my rankings.

The top of the rankings for best fan controller did not really surprise me. I was impressed by the Bitfenix Recon, which as far as I know is the only fan controller that allows the user to both monitor and control fans via the internet and features an easy-to-use touchscreen interface. The Sunbeamtech Rheosmart 6 tied with the Recon. It looks like a manual fan controller, but when connected to a PWM-enabled motherboard, temperatures can be controlled automatically via the motherboard’s temperature sensor, a feature which I have not seen on other fan controllers. It might not be as good as having separate thermal sensors for each channel, but using the motherboard’s sensor eliminates the clutter created by having a bunch of thermal sensors. Moreover, at $27.99 (and even cheaper from other sellers on Amazon), the price is right. The rest of the rankings probably should be taken with a grain of salt. The Aerocool Strike-X 1000 really should have ranked even lower because of the malfunctioning fan alarm. The Zalman ZM-MFC3 has unique power-monitoring capabilities, but got penalized mainly because of its high price. The Lamptron FC10 has a unique look and feel with its Nixie tubes, but is the most expensive of the fan controllers reviewed so far. Finally, the Lian-Li PT-FN04 is a decent manual controller, but is rather pedestrian-looking and a bit pricey ($45.99) for what it offers.

The remainder of the controllers, while not standing out from the rest of the pack, all had particular strengths (and weaknesses), and are worthy of consideration, if they meet your requirements.

For those of you who would rather see a straight-up comparison of the features and pricing of the controllers, I came up with the following table. For the pricing data, I used current Amazon prices where available. For those controllers not sold by Amazon, I found other online merchants, or used the MSRP. Prices reflect pricing data available when this article was written and are subject to change. Where applicable, links to the product on Amazon have been provided.

[table border=”5″]
Manu.+Model,Man. or auto,# of chan.,Watts per chan.,# of drive bays req.,LCD?,Temp. alarm,Other
Lamptron FC2 Fan Speed Controller 45W x 6 channel Black ($37.99),M,6,45,1,No,No,LED brightness is controlled by RPM knob; three power input ports on the back to accommodate the maximum power (270W)
Lamptron FC5V2 Black; Version 2; Changeable Display Colors; 30W per Channel; Controls up to 4 fans; RPM and Temperature Display ($53.00),M,4,30,1,Yes,Yes,Changeable display color; new and improved LCD
Lamptron FC-FC8-B Black Anodized 8Ch x 30W ($67.00),M,8,30,1,No,No,Three Molex connectors; customizable channel LEDs
Lamptron FC10 ($99.95 on Xoxide.com),M,4,30,1,No,Yes,Nixie tubes give this unit a unique steampunk design; interchangeable faceplates
NZXT Sentry Mesh Fan Controller with Five 30 Watts Channels (Black) ($21.41),M,5,30,1,No,No,Mesh design to camoflauge with mesh facade
NZXT SENTRY 2 Accessories 5.25-Inch Touch Screen Fan Controller (Black) ($27.99),A,5,10,1,Yes,Yes,Touch screen interface
NZXT Sentry LX High Performance Fan Controller (Black) ($47.06),A,5,6,2,Yes,Yes,Large dual 5.25″ screen
NZXT Sentry LXE External Touch Screen Fan Controller ($53.48),A,5,10,0,Yes,Yes,External touch screen; the controller circuitry itself is contained on a PCI card
AeroCool EN51965 Touch-2100 Touch Fan Controller ($59.99),A,5,25,2,Yes,Yes,Innovative touchscreen technology; 7 LCD backlight colors (and option to turn off backlight completely)
Aerocool Strike-X 1000 ($49.99),M,5,25,1,No,No,Fans can be turned off completely; fan fail alarm (WARNING: has been reported to malfunction on many units)
AeroCool EN55529 X-Vision 5 Fans and 5 Temperatures Controller ($49.99),A,5,8,1,Yes,Yes,Fan voltage display
Scythe KM03 ($49.99),A,6,12,1,Yes,Yes,Fans can be switched off completely; temperature alarm can be disabled via a jumper
Bitfenix Recon Internet Connected 5.25″ 5 Channel PC Fan Controller ($39.80),A,5,10,1,Yes,Yes,The world’s first internet-connect fan controller; touchscreen controls
Bitfenix Hydra Pro ($32.95 on Xoxide.com),M,5,30,1,No,No,LED light control; soft touch bezel [tied for best fan controller]
ZALMAN ZM-MFC3 Multi Fan Controller Real-Time Display Retail ($64.40),M,4,8,1,Yes,Yes,Power load meter; display also shows computer running time
Lian Li PT-FN04 Black Fan Speed Controller ($45.99),M,6,6,1,No,No,LEDs light up as the fan RPM increases
STW-ICR-022 ($35.00 from eBay sellers),M,4,< 10,1,Yes,Yes,Includes card reader and eSATA port
SilverStone CMD01B-ESA ESA Commander Series Controller (Black) ($49.99),A,5,6,1,No,Yes,Requires ESA-compatible motherboard; all configuration is done via software
Logisys FP600BK 6 Channel Fan Controller 5.25 Bay Device ($19.50),M,6,36,1,No,No,Sturdy aluminum construction
Sunbeamtech PL-RS-6 Rheosmart 6 Fan Controller ($27.99),M,6,30,1,No,No,When connected to a PWM-enabled motherboard the controller can automatically adjust fan speeds through the motherboard’s temperature sensor [tied for best fan controller]
[/table]

Best Fan Controller: Conclusion

While I did my best to come up with reasonable criteria with which to rank the fan controllers and come up with a best fan controller, my criteria are not beyond reproach; still, I thought my rankings were fairly reasonable. Since I have not reviewed all available fan controllers yet, this will subject will likely be revisited in the future. So stay tuned for Best Fan Controller: Part Two.

 

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Aerocool X-Vision Review

June 15, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Aerocool X-Vision Review

Front view of the Aerocool X-Vision.

The Aerocool X-Vision is a 5-channel, 8 watt per channel automatic fan controller. It fits into a 5.25″ drive bay and features a large LCD screen which displays temperatures and fan speeds. It is not cheap (as of this writing, Amazon was selling the Aerocool X-Vision for $47.95), but is competitively considering the features it has.

The Aerocool X-Vision comes in a plain black cardboard box with an image of the X-Vision on the front; on the back is another image of the product and a list of features. Inside the box is the controller itself in a protective red back. On top of the controller is an instruction manual (which is written in several languages; six pages are in English). There is also a guide on how to replace malfunctioning thermal sensors. The box all contains two spare 3-pin fan cables, two spare thermal sensors, four mounting screws and six thermal stickers for mounting the sensors. The unit ships with the fan cables and thermal sensors already connected to the back.

The front panel of the Aerocool X-Vision is dominated by an easy-to-read LCD panel, with options to turn the back lighting on or off, a rotary knob and four buttons for setting and selecting the information that is displayed (fan speed, temperature, voltage and alarm settings). There is also a means of toggling between manual and automatic modes, and between displaying temperature in Celsius and Fahrenheit. Controlling each fan is extremely easy: press the button for channel selection until the fan you want to control is flashing, then turn the dial.

Looking at the back of the X-Vision reveals that the circuitry is contained on a single blue PCB. The fan connectors are on the upper left, with the connectors for the power and thermal sensors below them (the 4-pin Molex power connector is covered with glue). On the right side of the PCB are 5 heatsinks, one for each channel. The fan cables will accept 3 or 4-pin fans and are 24 inches long (610 mm), so they should be able to reach across the case. Installation into a 5.25″ drive bay is easy: just slide the X-Vision into place and secure it in place with the supplied screws.

Tests on the unit reveal that the X-Vision is accurate in terms of the relationship between voltage in speed. At the lowest setting, the X-Vision supplies 5.3 volts, which should be enough to start most fans. At 50% the voltage is 6.5 volts; it tops out at just over 11 volts at 100 percent.

One drawback with the Aerocool X-Vision is the LCD display. The display is designed to be viewed with the computer on the floor. If the computer is on your desk and you are looking at the display directly, it is somewhat harder to read. Another issue is that only channels 2 through 5 can be shut off completely; channel 1 (which is intended to be used for the CPU fan, cannot be shut off (which is probably a good fail-safe anyway, since it guarantees the CPU fan is always running).

In conclusion, the Aerocool X-Vision is a reliable, accurate fan controller; its shortcomings are minor and do little to diminish what is a solid product. I would add that 8 watts per channel is not a lot; still, it should provide enough power to run most fans. It works as described and is arguably Aerocool’s strongest entry in the fan controller market.

Features:

Controls and monitors five sets of fan speeds and temperatures
Switch between Celsius and Fahrenheit
Overheating alarm temperature warning
LCD backlight on/off
Fan working display
Fan voltage display

Specifications:

Dimension: 149 (W ) x 42.5mm (H )
LCD viewable area: 104mm (W ) x 21mm (H )
Connectors: 5 x 3-pin fan connector / 5 x heat sensors
Material: ABS front bezel with steel bracket
Max wattage per fan channel: 8W

External Links:

Aerocool’s product page for the X-Vision

AeroCool EN55529 X-Vision 5 Fans and 5 Temperatures Controller on Amazon

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Hardware Roundup: 6-14-2013

June 14, 2013 by Leave a Comment

Apple MacBook Pro

Apple Introduces New Mac Pro

At the World Wide Developers Conference (WWDC), Apple gave a preview of the next Mac Pro. The case’s design is innovative to say the least: it’s 9.9 inches tall, 6.6 inches wide, and thus more than small enough to sit on your desk. The entire system is cooled by a single impeller and each of the major components makes contact with a large, triangular heatsink which Apple calls the “thermal core”. Inside the case are next-generation Xeon processors (up to 12 cores), dual AMD FirePro GPUs, six Thunderbolt 2 ports, PCie-based flash storage, and ECC memory.

The new reliance on Thunderbolt, however, may be a problem for anyone who was not planning on upgrading all of their peripherals. Users who wanted to upgrade to a Mac Pro but keep existing hardware may be disappointed. In addition, current Mac Pro users who depend on dedicated expansion cards, internal drive bays, USB ports or have multiple monitors hooked up via DVI, DP, or HDMI may find themselves locked out of an upgrade until they can afford to buy all new peripherals, or at the very least converters.

Apple did not announce pricing information, and no specific date was announced for availability. You can find out more about the Mac Pro at Apple’s website.

Antec Introduces Kühler H2O 1250 and Kühler H2O 650

Antec demoed a pair of all-in-one CPU coolers in the Kühler H20 series at Computex: the Kühler H20 1250 and Kühler H20 650. The two are an improvement on their Series 4 predecessors with more powerful pumps and new high-airflow fans that focus airflow through the radiator. The fan’s motor doubles up as the pump’s motor so the air and coolant flow are in perfect proportion. With fewer moving parts, one assumes the device will be more quiet, but the unit’s fans will not be replaceable.

The units will be compatible with all of the most recent CPU sockets, including LGA1150. No pricing information has been released yet.

Intel to Rebrand Select Atom CPUs as Celerons and Pentiums

Certain Silvermont-based Atom processors will be rebranded as Celeron and Pentium processors. Celeron is the value end of Intel’s Core-based mainstream chips. Intel’s reasoning is that some variants of Silvermont now offer performance comparable to current mainstream Celeron and Pentium processors. This is quite a contrast from the Atom of old, which had a reputation for being slow. Higher-performance varieties of Silvermont will also ship with PC-like attributes such as PCI and SATA.

The rebranded processors will be featured in notebooks, convertibles, all-in-ones and desktops running both Android and Windows whilst chips destined for tablets and mobile devices will not be taking on the new branding.

Enermax Introduces New ETS-T40 CPU Coolers

Enermax has launched two new coolers in the ETS-T40 series: the ETS T40-Black Twister and the ETS-T40 White Cluster. The Black Twister comes in a sleek black color, while the White Cluster is arctic white. Both, however, feature four 6 mm heat pipes with a Heat Pipe Direct Touch structure, and a 120 mm PWM cooling fan which runs from 800 RPM to 2200 RPM. Both models also use a unique Thermal Conductive Coating (TCC) to create better velocity of thermal transference and prevent oxidation on the contact surface. They also have a Vortex Generator Flow (VGF) structure, which helps increase air convection in between the radiator fins.

The ETS-T40 series feature a universal bracket that works with most Intel and AMD sockets. The Black Twister and White Cluster will be available in the United States with an MSRP of $49.99.

Antec Unveils Venom IV CPU Heatsink

At Computex, Akasa showed off its Venom IV CPU cooler, which keeps up with the basic design elements of the Venom series. The cooler features an aluminum fin-stack design, which uses asymmetric shape and planes to dissipate heat better, and four 6mm-thick copper heat pipes than fan out through the entire length of the fin-stack to dissipate heat more uniformly. The bottom bend of each heat pipe makes direct contact with the CPU.

The Venom IV comes with a 120mm S-flow fan, which should provide up to 30 percent more airflow. The fan is PWM-controlled and can spin at speeds ranging from 600 RPM to 1900 RPM. The unit supports all modern CPU socket types, including LGA115x, LGA1366, LGA2011, AM3+/AM3, and FM2/FM1. Akasa has not made pricing information available as of yet.

Xigmatek Introduces Boreas and Orthrus CPU Coolers

Xigmatek revealed two new C-type CPU coolers at Computex: the Boreas and the Orthrus. The Boreas cooler follows in the footsteps of Xigmatek’s Janus CPU cooler, though instead of a small fan below the aluminum fin stack it has a bigger fan. It has five 6mm copper heat pipes and two 140 mm PWM-controlled fans. The fans can spin at speeds from 800 to 1500 RPM, and push up to 38.42 CFM. The unit measures 140mm X 140mm X 125mm.

The Orthrus is a departure from the Janus, and does not follow the conventional C-type CPU cooler design. It starts with a conventional copper base with HDT, and seven 6mm-thick heat pipes, with the central ones going to a large aluminum fin stack, while the peripheral ones go to a smaller fin stack located below the larger one, and arranged in an incline. The larger one is ventilated by a 25mm-thick 140mm PWM fan which spins from 800 to 1600 RPM, and the smaller one uses an 80mm fan spinning at 2000 RPM. The entire top of the cooler is covered by a black ABS shroud. The entire unit measures 146mm X 200 mm X 165 mm.

Colorful Debuts GeForce GTX 780 Kudan and GeForce GTX Titan Ultra Edition

At Computex, Colorful unveiled two new graphics cards. The iGame GeForce GTX 780 is their top-of-the-line card featuring a non-reference PCB design and a mammoth Kudan cooler that occupies three expansion slots. The card makes use of a GK110 core that is equipped to a non-reference PCB making use of higher-quality components compared to the reference design. That, in combination with being powered by two 8-pin PCIe power connectors, should allow the card to have a lot more overclocking headroom than reference models.

The GTX Titan Ultra Edition, on the other hand, is a reference model of the GTX Titan with a water block on it and a factory overclock. Colorful has not yet made pricing information available.

AMD Announces Radeon HD 8000 Graphics Cards Will Have Better Coolers

AMD is preparing a new type of cooler for the Radeon HD 8000 series. AMD revealed this information at Computex, but did not show the cooler there. The new coolers will be better than the reference coolers on the Radeon HD 7000 series graphics cards, although some add-on-boards (AIBs) will likely make cards with better coolers than the Radeon HD 8000.

Lian-Li Puts a 240 mm Radiator on Top of Motherboard

Lian-Li has introduced a case with a liquid cooling radiator placed at the most obvious place: along the plane of the motherboard, right over its top half. A 240mm X 120mm radiator can be screwed onto a hinged frame, which can easily be moved to access parts of the motherboard right under it. This case was unveiled at Computex 2013.

Other than the hinge for the water cooler, the Lian-Li PC-V360 is a typical PC case, and can house Micro ATX motherboards and smaller ATX boards. It has five 3.5″ drive bays, three 2.5″ drive bays, and a single 5.25″ optical drive bay. Cooling is taken care of by up to three 120mm fans and one 80mm fan, on top of which sits the radio.

Pricing and availability information was not yet released.

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Sunbeamtech Rheosmart 6 Review

June 13, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Sunbeamtech Rheosmart 6 Review

Front and side view of the Sunbeamtech Rheosmart 6.

The Sunbeamtech Rheosmart 6 (PL-RS 6) fan controller is, as you might have guessed, a 6-channel fan controller which supports a wide variety of fans. Each channel can handle a maximum of 30 watts. The controller fits in a 5.25-inch drive bay, and its solid construction and overall look and feel make it an attractive choice for hardware hackers. It does not have a fancy digital readout – in fact, it doesn’t have an LCD panel at all – but for those who value power over dazzling displays, the price of this controller (about $30) will make it appealing.

The Rheosmart 6 ships in a box that contains the controller itself, along with four mounting screws (you will need these, as the controller will not stay in place otherwise). a small badge, a manual, and six different cables (all contained in small, plastic zip bags). These cables are: [1] a 4-pin PWN cable, that plugs into the motherboard at the CPU or SYS_FAN header on one end and the controller on the other, which gives the Rheosmart its “Smart Cooling” feature and enables it to receive temperature data from the processor’s temperature sensor so it can adjust the fan speed when in automatic mode; [2] 2 3-pin monitor cables, which enable the user to link up to two fans with additional motherboard fan headers to provide RPM monitoring (these cables are Y cables, and if the one branch of the Y is not plugged into the motherboard, then the cables could be used as extension cables as well); [3] 2 3-pin extension cables, and [4] 2 4-pin Molex to 3-pin adapter cables.

The fan controller itself is contained on two PCBs; one has the 6 potentiometers mounted onto it, and the other has the controller circuitry, as well as the 6 fan headers, a header for the PWM cable, and a Molex connector to connect the controller to the power supply. Each channel gets its own voltage regulator to vary fan speed. The front panel has a knob for each 6 channels and an LED for each channel that switches between red (if the fan controller is varying the fan speed with temperature) and green (if the fans are under user control). There are buttons below each knob for switching between manual and automatic modes.

Sunbeamtech Rheosmart 6 Review

Rear view of the Sunbeamtech Rheosmart 6, including the PCB. Note the seventh header for the 4-pin PWM cable.

Installation of the Rheosmart 6 is easy. Just open a 5.25″ bay on your case, put the panel in place, attach the screws, and make the connections. It will fit best with cases that allow the user to put screws on both drive rails, but even with tool-less cases that have tool-less drive rails on one side should accommodate the Rheosmart 6 if the user puts 2 screws on one side. Connecting the controller should be simple as well: just connect the power, the fans, and, most importantly, the PWM cable to the CPU fan connector (and to the CPU cooler fan).

The Sunbeamtech Rheosmart 6 is an easy-to-use, powerful budget-priced controller. On the negative side, there is no way to completely turn off a fan, and because there is no display, there is no indication of any of the fan’s actual states. Moreover, the force required to turn the knobs is not consistent, as the middle knobs require less force than the outer two. This controller is not always easy to find, although a spot check revealed that both Amazon and Newegg has this item in stock at the time this article was published. This controller may not have all the features of some of the more expensive controllers, and the lack of a display may be a deal-breaker for some, but it’s ability to handle 30 watts a channel along with its low price makes it worthy of consideration.

Sunbeamtech Rheosmart 6 Specifications:

Part Number:  PL-RS-6
Main Function:  PWM/Manual Fan Controller
Color:  Black
Material:  Aluminum and Mesh
DC Input:  +12 V (Standard 4 -Pin Connector)
DC Output:  0V – 12 V DC
Max Output:  30W*6
3-Pin Fan Connectors:  6
Fan RPM Knobs:  6
Compatibility:  5.25″ Drive bay
Dimensions(W*H*D):  148mm *42 mm * 82mm

External Links:

Sunbeamtech’s product page for the Sunbeamtech Rheosmart 6

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Logisys FP600BK Review

June 12, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Logisys FP600BK Review

Front view of the Logisys FP600BK.

The Logisys FP600BK is a 6-channel, 36 watt per channel manual fan controller. It fits into any 5.25″ drive bay. With its extremely moderate price (as of this writing, it was selling on Amazon for $19.50 U.S.D.), the Logisys FP600BK will undoubtedly be on the short list of users who have heavy power requirements but do not want to spend a lot on a controller.

The FP600BK comes in a white box with an image of the controller on the front. Inside is the controller itself; the fan and power cables are already connected and bound together with a zip tie. The controller itself is made of brushed aluminum; the front panel is anodized black aluminum and should look good in any black or dark-colored case. The FP600BK is designed to fit into both traditional cases, so if you are planning to install this unit in a tool-less case, you may need to add a screw or two to stabilize it. The fan cables are labeled “FAN1” through “FAN6”, making it easy to keep track of which fan belongs to which channel. Once the fans are connected, you can connect the controller to the PSU via the 4-pin Molex connector cable and power up the computer.

Once the unit is running, the blue LEDs on the front panel are a little bright. It would be nice if there was a way of shutting off the lights, but there isn’t. In any case, a little electrical tape over the lights will resolve that issue. When the computer starts up, the fans are put on full speed for a few seconds until the controller adjusts them to their proper speeds. The specifications for the FP600BK state that fan speeds are controllable from 30% to 100%, but a couple of caveats are in order. First, some of the older fans need a higher voltage than 30% of 12V (3.6V) to run, and you will not have as much control over those fans. Second, this controller is not designed to work with pulse-width modulation (PWM) fans, and if plugged into the FP600BK, these fans will run at one of two speeds: on and off. Another issue is that although the specifications state that this controller supports 4-pin fans, in fact you will need to supply your own adapters in order to plug a 4-pin fan into the FP600BK. Even then, this unit is not designed to work with 4-pin PWM fans, and those users who want to control PWM fans would likely be better off purchasing a different product.

Logisys FP600BK Review

Rear view of the Logisys FP600BK, showing the fan and power cables.

Another concern is that although this controller can output a maximum of 36 watts per channel, there is only one Molex power connector on the FP600BK, and the wires are not particularly thick. If you are going to come close to using the maximum power output of this unit, you will do well to make sure it does not overheat. And the usual caveats about making sure you have a powerful enough PSU to provide power to the controller and other components applies (600 watts or higher would be ideal).

These concerns aside, the FP600BK is a solid product and should work well if you have all 3-pin fans in your system. The overly bright LEDs and the fact that it does not install easily into tool-less cases are shortcomings, but they are relatively minor points, and if all you need is a budget-priced manual controller, the FP600BK could be for you.

Logisys FP600BK Specifications:

Requires one open 5.25¡± bay for installation
Power input from PSU using 4-pin Molex connector.
Support fans with 3-pin power connector.
Each individual dial controls fan speed from 30%~100%
Control range from 5v~12v.
Indicator light will be on when the fan is connected.
Size: 149.2 x 42MM (5 13/16¡± x 1 5/8¡±)
Weight: 0.65LBS

External Links:

Logisys’s product page for the FP600BK

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