| Fractal Design Adjust 108 Fan Controller |
| Reviews - Featured Reviews: Accessories | |
| Written by Mark Pedersen | |
| Tuesday, 19 March 2013 | |
Fractal Design Adjust 108 Fan Controller
Manufacturer: Fractal Design Full Disclosure: The product sample used in this article has been provided by Fractal Design. Fractal Design brings simplicity and style together with the Adjust 108 fan controller. This accessory has a beautiful brushed aluminum face and 6 individual slider controls. Each fan channel can power up to 36 watts of enthusiast level performance. The only component of a pc that creates any substantial noise at full capacity is the fans, and eventually it becomes the next thing on the list to find a solution for. Benchmark Reviews will examine the Adjust 108 model FD-FC-ADJ-108-BL for quality, performance, and how capable it is of toning down the white noise from fans during the times when its least desired or needed. A desktop computer doesn't have to be just a box tucked away under the desk somewhere out of sight and out of mind. Fractal Design is a company dedicated to creating all their products with quality components and a professional centerpiece appearance. With the Adjust 108 installed the desktop computer isn't just a box its something to behold and marvel at again with a bold, brushed aluminum face plate, slider controls with white/blue LED lights and stealthy silent case fans when turned down.
The Adjust 108 was not just made to handle the typical 3-5 watt average 120 mm case fan, it was built for enthusiasts in mind too. With up to 36 watts per fan channel it can take control over a high air flow 5200 rpm case fan with no problem, and it doesn't stop at just one, it can command six at a time. Adjust 108 Features
FD-FC-ADJ-108-BL Specifications
Package Contents
Closer Look: Adjust 108.Fractal Design did a nice job creating a timeless unique look that has style but is not overly complicated to use. Their company concept is designing quality products without compromises. As we see here the Adjust 108 comes with easy to use sliders, stylish aluminum front and LED light indicators for each fan control. The sliders are a soft rubber that grips fingertips well and the sliders are grouped into two sets of three for easy control.
Above the halfway point the LED turns blue and below the halfway point it turns white. There is no off function for the Adjust 108, if the slider is all the way down the power to the fan is reduced to 40%. The fan speed is controlled by voltage so when the slider is all the way up the power is at 12v, and all the way down is 5v.
40% power should keep the fans still running although very silently compared to 100% power. It is a good idea to check all your fans to make sure that they can still run at the lowest setting because this fan has no off feature. If your fan isn't spinning there is still power going into the fan, just not enough to make it spin which could lead to a burnt out fan over time.
Although the Adjust 108 fits into a normal 5.25 inch bay it only takes up half the depth a cd rom drive. All the circuits are on the front plate so it really only needs enough depth to be mounted into a computer case. The empty space behind the front plate is a good place to tuck away excess wires if you don't yet have six fans to plug in.
The option is provided for either a SATA power connection or a Molex power connection. Either will work just the same for the fan controller and only one needs to be plugged in at a time. In this case you can choose your preference or availability of power connectors and if you happen to accidentally break one then you have a backup as well.
Adjust 108 Detailed FeaturesFractal Design uses a black PCB which is great for manufacturing massive quantities with little chance of errors. The Adjust 108 is primarily made of metal, there are a few plastic parts that the rubber sliders connect to, but they feel firm and built to last.
All the cables for the Adjust 108 use 3 pin connectors. If you have fans that only have Molex connections then you are on your own to find an adapter for it to work with the Adjust 108, which unfortunately does not include any connector adapters.
I only have four fans connected to the Adjust 108 but I figured there's no point in unplugging the two remaining loose wires because they tuck away so easily behind the board and I would not want to lose any of them. Plus it would just be a pain in the neck to locate the wires in a desk somewhere 3 months down the road and fiddle with trying plug a small wire in a cramped place.
The sliders and construction of this fan controller is sturdy. The sliders move smoothly up and down providing precise control. The fan controller itself doesn't make a sound during operation.
The cables are 2ft in length, this barely made it to some of the fans in my computer case, and with a side window it took a little bit of effort to get the case closed while concealing the wires at the same time. Another thing about these wires is that they are not very malleable, when you straighten them out they curl right back up to their originally packaged position, which also complicates concealing wires and not cause them to curl up and collide with a spinning fan.
It would be nice if the fan controller indicated the ambient temperature inside the case but not necessary. Its really up to what your running, turn it up for gaming, rendering or benchmarking or down for just about anything else. Also keeping it down when its not needed may save a few cents on the electric bill at the end of the month.
Fan Controller Final ThoughtsI like that this fan controller is made thick solid aluminum and metal all around, it feels strong and sturdy to the touch. The brushed aluminum doesn't show fingerprints as much as polished aluminum would either. The adjust 108 stands out from other fan controllers with its performance, simplistic and elegant appearance which is exactly what Fractal Design was setting out to achieve. I do feel that they overlooked the fact that some fans use Molex connectors and could have included 1 or 2 converters. Also one of the product features is supporting 36 watts per channel however when purchasing a fan or checking the fans currently installed in your computer, most fans don't say how many watts they are. Instead they state voltage and amperage ratings, a quick reference chart in the manual or side of the box would have been helpful to know that watts is simply voltage multiplied by the amperage.
Adjust 108 ConclusionThe Adjust 108 really pushes the limit with 6 case fans up to 36 watts per channel, this allows for plenty of room for adding additional case fans or looking into high powered fans with noise control. The fans audibly react instantly to being turned up and down which provides precise control and the LED changes colors above and below halfway point of the slider. Instead of filling in every space of the box with ratings and specs, Fractal Design kept it simple. The fan controller looks professional and the brushed aluminum face is both elegant and presentable. As far as the construction of this fan controller and the materials chosen to build it with, they fit together well. The frame does not bend under pressure during installation, and the front aluminum plate is generously thick. The power wires behind the board are spaced out enough to easily remove wires that are not in use which is beneficial those of us that appreciate tidy computer setups. The sliders are spaced out into two sets of three, which makes it easy to control three sliders at once. The sliders are also made of a soft rubber which grip well to fingers and they glide smoothly. Compared to other fan controllers the Adjust 108 offers higher wattage with no compromises for appearance and quality. Its a fairly new product and its on sale for $32.95 (Amazon), which is only a few dollars more then other brands that do not bring high wattage control or professional looks. A fan controller is an essential computer component, the motherboard has a few fan plugs but its not going to give you six without a series of splitters, and they will not be easily adjustable on the fly like they are with the Adjust 108. Pros:
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