Posts in "REVIEWS"

Cases, Cooling & PSU

Aigo C5 RGB Led Fans Review

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Aigo C5 RGB Led Fans Review

  • No remote controller
  • You’ve to open the case to access controller
  • Colors not accurate
  • Great feature for this Price
  • Fans are quiet
  • Colors are bright and plenty of option
  • have changeable speed from the controller

When it comes to fans a lot has changed over the past few years, while the core designs have remained unchanged a lot of research and have gone into making them run quieter and with the maximum amount of airflow by making changes that are all but invisible to end users.

Today most gamers enjoy frequently changing several aspects of their system, especially the color and external aesthetic of their PCs, with case modding, painting and other modifications becoming popular among most PC building communities.  Now, the drive to make PC modding easier has resulted in a lot of companies changing their designs to more neutral aesthetic to take advantage of RGB LEDs, allowing your PC hardware to be colored to best suit your desired aesthetic.

Aigo C5 series of RGB fans PC builders can change their PCs color scheme between a wide range of color options at the mere click of a button. Aigo C5 features rubber vibration dampers on each corner and fan speed control. Fans can be controlled using a three-button fan controller and 10-way RGB fan hub, but cannot be controlled through your PC or software package.

Color and Speed Modes

Aigo C5 have beautiful rainbow color effects. Colour wise these fans have 7 different modes, Skyblue, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, violet and an additional mode which cycles through all the colors.

Product 5x Aigo C5 120RGB + Controller 3X SP120 RGB + Controller 3x HD120 RGB + Controller 3x Ring 12 RGB + Controller 2xNZXT Aer RGB120+ Controller
Fan Size 120mm 120mm 120mm 120mm 120mm
Connection cable 6-pin 3-pin 4-pin PWM 4-pin PWM 4-pin PWM
Bearing type Hydraulic Hydraulic Hydraulic Hydraulic Fluid Dynamic Bearing
LEDs – 4 12 – –
Speed (RPM) 1300RPM 1400RPM 800-1725RPM 800 ~ 1500 R.P.M 500-1,500 RPM
Bundled controller unit Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Price (US) $67.08 $69.99 $89.99 $95.99 $79.99

The controller also offers color mode options like Breathing rotation, Rotation Gradient, Color chasing, Rotating Water, Colorful rotation, and breathing.

The LEDs and the fan motors are powered separately, with the LED connections being powered by RGB controller unit, which can be used to power up to 10 separate fans. This unit has 3 buttons on it for modes, fan speed, and effect speed.

Rainbow
Violet
Color Chasing
Color Chasing
White
Rainbow

Fans are silent and have a max speed of 1500RPM. Even 5 fans all together are quieter than the Corsair H80iGT’s 2 radiator fans. You can change speed from the speed controller, It has 2 speed options. The lower speed is somewhere near 1300RPM. You can use it with liquid cooler radiators but at the high workload, temperatures will be slightly higher due to comparatively low fan speed.

Temperature Test

I installed these fans on the radiator replacing the stock fans came with Corsair H80i GT Liquid Cooler. Fans run quiet and have decent fan speed to maintain the temperature around 60-68C at full load. While temperature stays around 57C using Corsair H80iGTs dual fans.

Conclusion

Fans overall look excellent and have a lot of color modes to offer at low price point. Although you’ve to open the side panel to access the fan controller. There is no remoter or additional button control to keep outside the case. You get 5 RGB fans with one controller that supports up to 10 fans in only 68$.

 

Displays and Projectors Gaming Monitor

Benq Zowie RL2755 Console Gaming Monitor

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Review of BenQ ZOWIE RL2755

We live in an age where PC gaming has no boundaries and considered superior in many aspects. Gaming tournaments mostly feature PC gaming but there is also some room for esports on consoles these days.

Console gaming is still alive and although it is not as popular as before, many people still play with console games at a competitive level. Now, most console gamers use a TV to play their games but they are oftentimes left out on some gamer-centric features.

BenQ is a popular brand that specializes in PC gaming monitors. But, the company wants to expand their reach so that console gamers will also get some love.  Console gamers rely on TVs to play their games. Although there are high-definition TVs already, they do not have specific features that can help improve the console gamer’s life.

Because of this, BenQ and ZOWIE created the BenQ ZOWIE RL2755. The “RL Series” of gaming monitors are specifically designed for console gaming. In this article, I am going to review this particular gaming monitor. I picked it due to the capability to support multiple consoles. I’ve used Xbox One and PS4 with it. While I also play some pc games as it supports multiple inputs. 60hz is a bit low for PC gaming but Its decent refresh rate for 1080P display.

Display

The BenQ ZOWIE RL2755 is a gaming monitor that is specifically designed for console games. It is a 27-inch, TN panel monitor with a refresh rate of 60Hz. On the package, it says that this monitor can be overclocked to 75Hz refresh rate but that is only possible if you set the resolution much lower than the monitor’s native resolution.

Speaking of native resolution, the BenQ ZOWIE RL2755 has a resolution of 1920×1080 (1080p). I do not know why the company opted for a TN panel considering that this monitor’s refresh rate is just 60Hz. It would’ve been nice if the monitor comes with an IPS panel so that you will be presented with a display with better color accuracy. To be fair, having a TN panel monitor will always assure you that the refresh rate stays consistent no matter what.

One interesting feature of the monitor is its bezels. The bezel at the bottom of the display is ingeniously crafted to reflect unwanted glare from the screen. This makes sure that distractions from screen glare will never be present.

Out of the box, the quality of the display is horrible. That is because its default mode produces washed out colors. Fortunately, this issue can easily be corrected by just cycling through the different preset modes. One good thing about the monitor is that you can set the display mode based on the genre of games you are playing. There is a mode for FPS games, RTS games, Fighting games, and other popular gaming genres available on consoles.

The BenQ ZOWIE RL2755 has a maximum brightness of 327 nits but it only has a darkness level of only 0.65 nits. In other words, the contrast ratio is pretty low at only 503:1. But, this is to be expected given the display panel used in this monitor.

BenQ also incorporated a smart scaling feature that allows you to scale down the display according to your liking. You can scale down as low as 17 inches if you want.

The monitor comes with two (2) HDMI ports (both of them are only HDMI 1.4, by the way), one (1) DVI-D port, and one D-Sub/VGA port.

Since this is technically a monitor, you can actually use this one for PC gaming, although, you have to remember that this monitor is a TN panel with only 60Hz refresh rate.

Design

This gaming monitor has an impressive design and some nifty physical features. One interesting thing to take note here is that there is actually a foldable headphone holder at the back of the monitor. Some console gamers prefer using headphones while playing their games and it is nice for BenQ and ZOWIE to incorporate this nice headphone stand in the rear of the monitor so they can conveniently rest their headphones when they’re not using them.

Aside from the headphone stand, the BenQ ZOWIE RL2755 also comes with a 3.5mm headphone jack and some audio connectors so you can hook up a dedicated sound system. Personally, the sound from the monitors when using a pair of headphones is pretty decent but I would still prefer a discrete sound system plugged in for a much better listening experience.

The monitor also comes with a triangular stand that also serves another purpose. You can put your console’s controllers on top of the stand and they wouldn’t slip thanks to its matte rubber padding. It is pretty convenient and it is a nice addition to the gaming monitor.

The BenQ ZOWIE RL2755 gives you the ability to tilt the monitor forward or backward but that’s just about it. There is no option to adjust the height nor the option to put the monitor in the portrait orientation.

On the actual monitor, there are physical buttons on the side so that you can control the OSD settings. When navigating through the settings, people might be put off as some of the menus take quite a while to load. In other words, some display settings have some lag before they actually come to the fore.

Performance

Despite its lack of color accuracy and contrast, the BenQ ZOWIE RL2755 does not disappoint when it comes to performance. When playing console games, you will get a consistent 60 frames per second performance and you get to play them at 1080p native resolution. Gameplay is smooth and no visible stutters and visual artifacts can be seen. This monitor also has an impressive 1ms response time, so ghosting and blurry images will never occur. Input lag will also be non-existent because of it.

Aside from that, there are also some neat features that you can enable as well. First-person shooting games are quite popular on consoles and it is frustrating if you come across an area which is just too dark to see anything. This is a perfect hiding spot for enemy players and if you cannot see them, you cannot kill them. This puts you at a serious disadvantage.

To help you see clearer in dark areas, the BenQ ZOWIE RL2755 has the company’s Black eQualizer technology that adjusts the screen’s gamma by a bit; just enough for you to see the enemies lurking in the shadows.

There are also some preset modes that allow you to change the color of the display easily. There is a preset for fighting games, FPS, RTS, photos, movies, and there is even a preset mode for low-power consumption. Despite the bevy of preset modes, only a few of them are worth using. These preset modes being the FPS, Movies, and the Standard mode.

The FPS preset makes the screen a bit brighter. As previously mentioned, there are certain areas in FPS games where it is pretty dark to see. The FPS mode allows you to see clearly what is lurking in the depths of the dark (couple this with the Black eQualizer technology and you’re in for an unfair advantage against your foes).

The movie mode is probably the best in terms of color quality. This mode was made for when you want to stop playing games and just watch movies for the time being. The standard mode is a mix of both of the aforementioned preset modes. For all other intents and purposes, use the Standard mode.

Then, there’s the Fighting game mode that is, well, underwhelming.  Although I understand that this helps console gamers who play fighting games, you will not be able to enjoy the said genre if all you can see are the two fighters fighting on the stage. I guess it is a trade-off but is that something you’re willing to take?

This gaming monitor also comes with the Zero-Flicker technology which significantly reduces eyestrain and headaches when playing for hours. That is because the technology eliminates screen flicker which is usually the cause of the aforementioned problems. It also comes with a low blue light filter that helps reduce blue light emitted by the screen. Prolonged exposure to strong blue light will cause irreversible eye damage, so it is nice for BenQ to give a blue light filter for console gamers to use. The blue light filter has a lot of levels and it is up to you which one you’re going to use.

In the BOX
Headphone Holder
Controller Support
Stand
User Interface

Conclusion

Although this monitor’s color accuracy is below par, the BenQ ZOWIE RL2755 is still quite a good gaming monitor if you are into console gaming. It has nifty features such as a foldable headphone flap so you can rest your headphones here; a handy stand that allows you to rest your controllers when you’re not using them, and two HDMI inputs so you can hook two consoles to it.

This gaming monitor comes with a lot of features. It has the company’s Black eQualizer technology that ensures that you see details despite poor lighting conditions. Smart scaling which allows you to scale down the display according to your preference. Preset picture modes that help adjust the monitor’s display without you having to tinker any other setting. Amazing eye care technology which includes a flicker-free screen as well as a bottom bezel that reflects unwanted glare. Add to that the low blue light technology that protects you from eyestrain when staring at the monitor for hours.

The BenQ ZOWIE RL2755 might not be groundbreaking but it does offer some welcome features for console gamers. The cost of Benq RL2755 is 249$.

Gaming Mousepads Mousepads

Razer Firefly Hard Mousepad Review

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Razer Firefly – Chroma Enabled Mousepad

Most of the time you don’t need a mouse pad if you have a gaming desk or some smooth surface to place your mouse. And even if you need one you can get the cheaper mouse pads from the market. But what about a mouse pad with RGB lighting in it, Surely it will look cool but you’ve to spend more on it for just the lighting plus you also have to power it up so there will an extra cable on your desk. In the end, you’ve to do the cable management for the cool piece of equipment.

Gaming mouse surfaces do affect mouse performance, though. Razer offers some gaming mouse mats for different budgets and needs. One of their two top mats is the Razer Firefly Hard Gaming Mouse Mat. The Firefly boasts Chroma lighting, a generous 14 x 10-inch size, and a hard surface made especially for gaming – all for sixty bucks. if you live in Pakistan it will cost around 7500/- PKR.

Here is the full review of Razer Firefly Hard Gaming Mouse Mat.

Size is important

The Razer Firefly measures 14 x 10 inches, placing it in the “Medium” category of mouse surface sizes. If there is less room on your desk you can use it in a vertical orientation. The Firefly is made of hard plastic though it does have a minor “give” if you bend it. So you can’t simply fold it and take to LAN parties, unlike cloth mouse pads. The top features a micro-textured surface engineered to provide a balance between speed and control play styles. The bottom of the Firefly is coated entirely in textured rubber.

Feel

I personally like the cloth mouse pads. I was using a cloth mouse pad with Logitech G302 before I got this with Razer Deathadder elite. The Firefly’s hard surface feels surprisingly different to use than a soft pad. This one is engineered partially for speed, and it does have a significant impact on the speed of mouse movement.

The actual micro-textured surface provides a couple of benefits. The microscopic crystalline specks used to create the surface actually increase reflectivity to mouse sensors. This boosts the precision of the mouse, making impressively precise movement possible.

Another welcome advantage of the Firefly: it’s super easy to wipe clean. There is no problem even if you clean with a slightly wet cloth.

Lighting 

The Razer Firefly features Razer’s Chroma lighting with 16.8 million color spectrum lighting technology. The mat features lighting along its left, right, and front edges, as well as a light-up Razer logo on its top-right corner. The back edge is without the lighting and also have a hump in the middle where USB cable is connected. A six-foot braided USB cord extends from a raised area at the back of the mat. When plugged in, the Firefly lights up (lighting can also be disabled in software). When not plugged in, you obviously get no lighting.

Razer Synapse

To customize the Firefly’s lighting, you’ll have to use the downloadable Razer Synapse software. This requires the creation of an online account with Razer (a minor hassle), after which any lighting changes made will be saved to the user’s account on the cloud. Synapse is really easy to use, particularly for the Firefly due to the relative simplicity of a mouse mat. No wading through multiple tabs to set up your colors here.

The Firefly offers five lighting effects (plus the option of no lighting), each with varying degrees of customization such as brightness and speed. A brief overview:

  • Breathing: All of the mat’s lights pulse up and down in intensity. You can’t have one light pulse a different color than the others, but you can set the lights to alternate between two different colors.
  • Reactive: This feature requires that you use at least one other Razer Chroma-supported device (a mouse or keyboard) in tandem with the Firefly. When enabled, any keypress or mouse click from the compatible device will cause the Firefly lights to flare up. If you want your mouse mat to flash when you fire in a game or whatever, the Reactive effect will make it happen.
  • Spectrum Cycling: The mat cycles between various colors.
  • Static: The Firefly stays lit up with a single color of the user’s choosing.
  • Wave: A series of colors flow around the edges of the mat.

 

Demerits of Razer Chroma

  1. Mousepads don’t normally have a USB cable coming out of it but this one has lighting effects so it must require power.
  2. You’ve to manage another cable accessory on your desk.
  3. Sometimes the wires of mouse and mousepad are entangled and cause trouble while gaming if there is no proper cable management.
  4. Unlike normal mousepad, you can’t fold Razer firefly due to its plastic nature.
  5. That bump at the back looks ugly and it shouldn’t be there. I sometimes collide my Deathadder elite with it when I’m so emersed in gaming.

Conclusion

There is no doubt Razer Firefly looks cool on the desk and it also offers some great features apart from a normal mouse pad. You can have it light up in any color, thanks to chroma lighting. Razer synapse works fine and helps you sync your gaming setup to one color. That fancy lighting might be for showing off, but the Firefly has practical purposes too. It’s roomy, has a surface that legitimately enhanced speed, precision, and feel, and it’s also easy to clean. There are some other things you can do if you are tight on budget, Get a cheaper mousepad and get an even better Gaming mouse. Lights don’t help in speeding up the mouse or response time. They are just for show off your build online in forums. There are a lot of pc upgrades that you can go for instead of spending 60$ on a mousepad.

Razer firefly is now available on Amazon for only 45$.