NZXT Sentry LX

First Impression

Having been looking into fan controllers a few months prior to this, I had been underwhelmed by what I perceived as a stagnant design philosophy that manufacturers had applied to this utility. The most dominant thing that I was seeing back then were dials and lights… and even those were not done with very much enthusiasm. To some, a utilitarian design philosophy may play with their plans, but I wanted something to just tell me that the fans were good, working well, and throw a temperature at me. Then suddenly, a few came out that were just too busy! Oddly shaped windows, and cluttered interfaces and gauges… *head slap*, and the design pendulum had appeared to swing to the other side… so I waited. Now, it seems the honeymoon has subsided, and manufacturers are starting to release functional fan controllers with distinct displays…. YAY!! Been waiting on these things to calm down a bit and get their displays a bit less garish. I had looked at the MO’s for a long time, but just could not stomach the price point for 2-4 lines of characters, and all of those utilities that you could program in… Would someone please just make a visually appealing fan controller and not price it out of reach? Please?

Then I hear that NZXT has this “Sentry LX” that they would like reviewed… 
-“NZXT?? The case maker?” 
Yep folks, one and the same. Designed in America, and built overseas, NZXT has been designing enthusiast products since 2004. Here is a snippet from their website:

“NZXT, a company built upon gamers dreams, hopes to create products that put consumers first. With the objective of designing unique products catered for hardware enthusiasts and gamers, NZXT has grown into a globally renowned brand recognized for dedication towards creating the next great gaming product. NZXT has won numerous awards from media and publications from across the globe with a product line spanning from gaming chassis, power, and gaming input devices. As a corporation formed by gamers, NZXT continues to expand into new horizons and push the limitings further with each product unveiling.

Our dedicated sales and customer service team will also work diligently to earn your trust and loyalty. All our products are built with high quality material and engineered in the best conditions.

NZXT products are designed and engineered in the United States and manufacturered overseas in China and Taiwan.

NZXT was established in 2004 in Los Angeles, California.”

Now NZXT enters the market with it’s Sentry LX. A solid and good looking product that does what I want it to, help me manage and control my fan noise, show me that all of my fans are working, and assure me that everything is “under control”. I’m a visual guy, and “at a glance” functionality is something that I look for. Hitting buttons to cycle through screens to get to the info I want means taking my mind off of my gam…erm… work.  Kinda messes with the flow. Kinda like driving in a car and talking on a phone, it’s just not safe! ;)

Pulling this thing free from it’s well padded box, I was immediately struck with the clean design philosophy on the front, and the brushed aluminum black bezel on the front is a nice and classy touch. The front edge beveling surrounding the screen adds a classy touch to the screen.