NZXT Sentry-2 5.25" Touch Screen Fan Controller

Pros: It is stylish no doubt, great LED display. Easy to use and looks worth more money than it's sold for except... read cons.

Cons: This controller was cheeped out on a bit and in fact can cause your fans to become more noisy even on low rpms. Cooler Master Sickle Flow fans for example, have a strange ticking noise that emanates from them even on 40% power. It is quite annoying and you search around you will see these common issues with this controller.
I can not recommend this controller for that reason alone seeing as the whole purpose is to make your computer quieter.
Also its a pain to install and doesn't feel solid due to the fact that is only half a bay long. It took some screwing around with my CM Storm Scout II.

Pros: The touch screen is nice for me, because my case has a door that closes over the front. I would not have had room for a fan control with manual buttons or knobs. The touch screen is responsive, and easy to use once you get the hang of it, and installation was easy.

Cons: The instructions on how to USE the controller once installed were almost non existent. I had to look to Google and YouTube to find other people to explain it for me. Once you KNOW how to use the device, it is easy, but can be a bit confusing if you have no experience using a fan controller. Would be nice if the Manufacturer would include written instructions on HOW to use the fan control, and where the best placement for the temp sensors would be. Speaking of temp sensors. The tape that comes with it, is garbage, but electrical tape makes for a good substitute.

Other Thoughts: I know it seems like a lot, but am only knocking ONE egg off for all of this, because all said and done, this IS a good product, and I recommend it to anyone who needs a good 5 fan controller.

Manufacturer Response:

Dear Customer,

Apologies that you weren't able to get access to instructions on initial installation! The link for our manual/guide for the Sentry 2 can be found here:

http://www.nzxt.com//uploads/downloads/manuals/manual_sentry_2_english.pdf

As always, we are always available via our online Helpdesk at URL: http://nzxt.com/support, either via Live Chat or the Submit A Ticket option. If you have any questions about any of our products, please let us know and we'll do our best to assist.

Sincerely,
NZXT. Staff

Pros: This fan controller is pretty easy to install and simple. It looks great and works very well. Does what a fan controller should do and doesn't break the bank.

Cons: None.

Other Thoughts: Worth the price, and works great.
Buy it!

Pros: I know there are motherboards that offer a feature that allows you to access the fan speeds and stuff, but this is much more convent

Cons: Wish the wiring looked a little more "flashy" but I cant dock an egg for that

Pros: Is a great add-on to my desktop, seeing live temperatures and even being able to set alarms at certain temperatures all are great features.

Cons: The major problem with this is that there are so many wires, for someone who spends as much time as possible on cable management it was a disaster. Trying to figure out a way to neatly run all of these wires across my case defiantly took me way too long. The other issue i faced, which can be easily fixed is the fact that the temperature sensors would not stay in place with the provided tape that they gave you, but like I said you can easily fix that problem.

Pros: excellent. never failed on my and im in total control of my fan speeds.

Cons: n/a

Pros: No delay in response time, bright, good viewing angle, works (for now...)

Cons: The capacitors literally fell off before i got it out of the bag! It doesn't fit in all cases due to it having a very short and tall backside.

Other Thoughts: Its absolutely crazy how they can sell this and the capacitors just fall right off... I mean literally just FALL OFF! No force needed! Common sense told me not to use it... So i put it in my computer and its working fine for now.

Manufacturer Response:

Hello there!

Sorry to hear you had an issue with you NZXT Sentry 2, If you could please visit our support site at http://www.nzxt.com/support/ and create a ticket about this, or you can also contact us directly at 1-800-228-9395, we are also available to be contacted at our live chat at http://www.nzxt.com/ under the support tab.

We are looking forward from hearing from you!

Best Regards,
NZXT Support.

Pros: interactive screen

Cons: Screen is touchy and hard to understand. Thermal sticks have very week tape and tend to fall off

Other Thoughts: This might be good for a case that doesn't have a cover pannel, but for cases with a cover panel, this is a horrible product. The screen is touchy and it's hard to use it correctly. I prefer the manual fan changer.

Manufacturer Response:

Dear Customer,

The Sentry 2 is recommended for people who prefer a touchscreen fan controller, and usually fit the unit into a case that would allow unobstructed access with the touchscreen. Have you been able to contact us through our online Helpdesk at URL: http://nzxt.com/support? Our customer service representatives would be happy to provide you with recommendations and more details about NZXT fan controllers that can be used with your case, such as the Sentry Mesh or the Sentry Mix 2.

Please let us know of any questions!

Sincerely,
NZXT. Staff

Pros: Bright display.
Good response to touch.
Straightforward design.

Cons: Build quality is a little frightening. Ordered two, both inspected by same QA person(s) as indicated by sticker on circuit boards, however one unit came with three unsoldered capacitors rolling around in the bag the display came in. And no they weren't extras as I had initially hoped. (see "Other Thoughts")

Other Thoughts: Luckily having ordered two I was able to compare boards side by side to see the obvious places where the missing pieces came from saving me who knows how long trying to debug the situation not knowing for sure if the unit was DOA or not.

Pros: Easy Controls, great display. Handles all five fan's with ease

Cons: None