MODTHEBOX.COM - Canada's Premier Case Modding Source - Reviews

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The rear portion of the Ultimate Controller securely houses the most important piece of the unit, the Printed Circuit Board. One aspect that I immediately noticed was the overall size of the PCB is much smaller in comparison to other units I have used and reviewed in the past. The compact design is safely housed and allows for the fan headers to be easily accessed. A total of six 3-pin fan headers run the course of the PCB along with a single power header located to the left. Each channel is capable of handling fans rated to a maximum of 10 Watts which should accommodate most user needs. One slight drawback is the rated minimum of 7 Volts which effectively cuts the fans speed in half. As previously mentioned, the Ultimate Fan Panel features unique LED knobs that will be demonstrated later in the review. The overall construction of the PCB was very clean with no poor solder joints or flaws noted.

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The front portion of the Ultimate Fan Panel features a total of 6 clear main control knobs which take on a rather detailed design and are quite small in size. A series of indents on each knob allow for easy adjustment yet the overall appeal of this design boils down to personal preference. Each channel is clearly labeled accordingly with small print indicating both the low and high level settings. Using the included Allen key changing faceplates is a simple procedure and can be completed less than 2 minutes time. Each faceplate is translucent in order to allow for the printed text to be visible. Users with aluminum cases will appreciate the aluminum front facia that will blend in nicely.

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A series of 12 blue LEDs are pointed in pairs towards the inner spacing present behind each port to provide an impressive amount of illumination to the six front control knobs. One great aspect is the functional usage of this lighting technique in which the intensity of the LED will decrease or increase from high to low speed settings respectively. In order to test the Ultimate Fan Panel, I attached a series of four assorted 80mm fans and ran them at several different speeds for the course of 12 hours. The Ultimate Fan Panel ran slightly warm to the touch yet no performance issues were noted during the testing period.

Conclusion:
The Ultimate Fan Panel is an easy to use and effective product for those seeking a new fan control solution. The all aluminum construction will appeal to users with aluminum cases along with the ability to easily color match the unit by a simple change of included faceplates. The total of 6-channel fan control rivals the majority of common seen 4-channel fan control units currently available. While the rated voltage per channel may be slightly lower at only 10 Watts. This design allows for more effective usage of each channel in comparison to a greater rating with fewer channels. The Illuminated LED knobs are a welcome addition and are well executed; the overall design of the control knobs is rather bland but can be classified as a personal preference. I was pleased to see that the knobs also incorporate the lighting as a visual cue in representing fan speed. Unfortunately, there were no substantial heatsinks present at the rear along with the lack of included cables to cover all channels. The rated minimum of 7 Volts may detour some users who are seeking maximum control for their fans. Aside from a few minor issues, I'm rating the Ultimate Fan Panel an 8 out of 10. If you have any questions regarding this review be sure to visit the Xoxide website for more information or discuss them in our forums.

Pros:

Aluminum housing
Interchangeable faceplates
LED knobs
Functional use of lighting
6 channels
10 Watts per channel
Price
Cons:

7 Volt minimum
Lack of fan cables