RGB

[Mr G]

I recently purchased quite a few Razer products with the customizable RGB and it's really grown on me, I'd like to move onto installing some RGB products into my PC?

What do you folks recommend is the best for customizable RGB lighting? Got to share some love for Razer Synapse software... it's darn good and links up all my products in my unique colour scheme.

Would like pretty much the same customization and flexibility in software but with fans and stripes just not sure what is the best out there in terms of this?

 

[ttaskmaster]

There really isn't much, despite RGB being used in so many products.
A couple of motherboards have nice RGB accents and you can get lit reservoirs, tube collars and RAM, but that's about it. Maybe RGB fittings, if you're hardlining...
The majority of it is all fans and strips, which tends to look naff and over-lights the PC, turning it into a blinding, messy mass of lights, which is what has resulted in so much RGB hatred of late.

The only way to get anything properly decent is to make your own, really.

 

[Resistance]

https://www.overclockers.co.uk/search?sSearch=RGB+cables

 

[orbitalwalsh]

razer and lian li doing a razer PC-O11 Dynamic

will use razer software

 

[Mr G]

razer and lian li doing a razer PC-O11 Dynamic

will use razer software

This I may wait for, any news on release etc?

 

[orbitalwalsh]

This I may wait for, any news on release etc?

No idea

@ChugNorris is best staff person to ask

 

[tnx]

I just put my sons rig in the Corsair Obsidian 500D RGB.

Compared to some cases where you have a remote control or controls on the case this case uses software. It was easy to put together and it looks really nice with 6 LL120 RGB fans cycling round.

And I have been asked to put a rig together with RGB and I have picked a Lian-Li Alpha 330X and I am going to marry this with the Corsair LL120 RG fan kit which comes with the control units. Plus three extra LL120's.

 

[Mr G]

I was just looking at the Corsair LL120 fans and case, undicided whether to buy the 570X or the 500D can't find that RGB version though.

Does the iCue software allow you to create your own colour variations like the Razer Synapse software? I have my own retro rainbow effect and looks stunning!

 

[WantoN]

Corsairs beta I-Cue is what I’ll be going with. But then I already control all my fans, lights and pumps with a Commander using Link. I use their CUE for my keyboard too, I think it’s excellent. I think Link and CUE are combined in I-Cue.

I believe it’s compatible with a few of the motherboard manufacturers etc too.

 

[tnx]

I was just looking at the Corsair LL120 fans and case, undicided whether to buy the 570X or the 500D can't find that RGB version though.

Does the iCue software allow you to create your own colour variations like the Razer Synapse software? I have my own retro rainbow effect and looks stunning!

My son bought the case direct from Corsair. All the way from Holland,To Belgium to UK.. Two days, which aint bad.

 

[WantoN]

My son bought the case direct from Corsair. All the way from Holland,To Belgium to UK.. Two days, which aint bad.

I've had a good experience with Corsair direct shipping. I find their customer service for softare appaulling, but they make good kit and ship it fast. I'd always buy from OC if they have the stock mind.

 

[Mr G]

I'm considering the PC-O11 Dynamic with Corsair LL fans. Can you customizes each LED with a different colour using wave?

 

[WantoN]

I'm considering the PC-O11 Dynamic with Corsair LL fans. Can you customizes each LED with a different colour using wave?

As far as I’m aware the individual arrays can be customised, there’s 16 of them. If I didn’t already have MagLev whites that’s what I’d be buying.

The fans ship with a controller, which can connect straight to USB iirc. However for me, it’s worth investing in their Commander Pro and maybe Lighting Node Pro. With I-cue it’s a very complete solution.

There’s plenty others out there. Just because it suits me, doesn’t mean that it’s the right one for you. Just watch plenty of reviews so you understand each eco system, and choose the most appropriate one for your needs. I want granular fan control, and I already own an h100i v2, pwm fans and a Corsair peripheral, so I-Cue makes sense to me. Corsairs system can include a lot of wires, so bear that in mind.

I made my own RGB strips to use with my, now obsolete, Commander Mini. It’s worth investigating if the same can be done with the CP (it’s just 3pin RGB as far as I’m aware) because the LED strips are my least favourite part of the system. .Though sll the systems’ strips aren’t great imo.

None of these companies sell connectors and LEDs on a roll, which is mad to me. I suppose they make much more margin if people don’t realise how cheap and easy it is to knock out a strip with the right wiring and connector.

EDIT : Video demonstrating the fans and all the other gubbins.

 

[Mr G]

I also own the ML120 white fans, quality bit of kit and not sure if I'll be making a mistake if I swap these out for some RGB LL fans!

Choices, decisions... lol?

 

[WantoN]

I also own the ML120 white fans, quality bit of kit and not sure if I'll be making a mistake if I swap these out for some RGB LL fans!

Choices, decisions... lol?

ML120s are very good fans, damned pricey too. For me, it’s not worth changing, I’d rather spend the money on other things.

Tbh I’m not that fussed about RGB. It’s nice so I can switch colours up once in a while, but I tend to go for one or two and leave it for ages; been white with blue accents for months. For me it’s just the convenenience of setting all lighting for all my gear in one program, having pre-sets I can launch at will, with temperature and flow alerts. From my experience most people play with their RGB kit for a few days then leave it as is most of the time; I think they love the idea but realise that they don’t really want their £2,000 setup looking like a unicorn has vomited on it.

Assuming you go with the Commander Pro and Lighting Node Pro, that’s already device monitoring, pwm fan control, and lighting for your desk / PC interior. Not to mention other potential colour opportunities; motherboard, ram, cpu cooler, graphics card, peripherals etc.

Just gotta decide if you want to buy into a single brand for the most part; whilst the market is finally starting to coalesce, with cross-platform control slowly being a thing, we’re still far, far away from a unified API / standard.

Serendipitously I have a fair few Corsair items already, more because that’s what I liked at the time rather than any urge for RGB or brand loyalty. Plus I’ve used Link and CUE for years; it makes sense to buy into the ecosystem where applicable.

If you’ll be using all the rainbow effects or want lots of different colours then it’s probably for you. If, like most people, you’ll set the colour scheme then leave it alone for the most part then don’t bother.

The only real benefit is single software and effect synching, but it ties you down to very specific products if you don’t plan ahead. If you can live without effect synching, then you can have one app for fan control, one for lighting and one or two for peripherals, with more freedom to pick and choose what products you integrate.

 

[Mr G]

Thanks for all the advice, going to leave the RGB life to my peripherals rather than swap out perfectly good fans. Although might consider it again in the future.

 

[WantoN]

Thanks for all the advice, going to leave the RGB life to my peripherals rather than swap out perfectly good fans. Although might consider it again in the future.

Good choice mate. It's nice and all but really, really not ncessary, and can become very expensive. My computer is inside a cabinet these days. I only have RGB strips on the monitor and desk, with white led maglevs on the cabinet intake. Aside from my keyboard that's the only RGB I use.

When I build the new desk I'll probably add some other bits, but I like the clean look of simple lighting and my computer hidden away. All fans, pumps, lighting and peripherals controlled from a single software suite.