If you’re like most builders and gamers, it’s a safe bet that you spend more time picking components based on price and performance than determining how each one will impact your system’s overall cooling profile. And that’s okay, as long as you eventually take an active role in managing your temperatures. One of the best ways to do so is to install a fan controller, and Thermaltake’s Commander FT is an option with tons of extras.
The Commander FT fits into a single 5.25-inch drive bay and features a unique 5.5-inch touchscreen surrounded by a narrow black plastic bezel. The backlit display features blue, green, and red illumination, which manages to convey a lot of information without looking busy or gaudy. It’s also very intuitive to operate. For instance, in manual mode, press one of the numbers on the right to select the desired channel, and that channel number appears in the Commander FT’s central hub, after which you can move your finger across the fan speed slider on the left to lock in your desired speed on a zero to 100% scale.
Touch the Auto icon to let the fan controller rely on temperature data gathered from the included thermal probe. There are two icons below the fan speed slider that look like a trio of dip switches in the off and on positions. These correspond to silent (fans running at their lowest speed) and performance (fans running full tilt) operating modes. Each of the channels supports up to 10 watts per fan. Although the five fan connectors support 4-pin fans, the PWM function isn’t supported on this controller; the Commander FT relies instead on temperature control or your manually input settings.
When you select any given channel using the numbers on the right, you’ll also see that fan’s current RPM as well as the temperature being registered by the thermal probe. The Commander FT also has a temperature warning, which you can adjust, to help you balance temperatures and noise output. Other features include built-in short circuit protection and support for temperature display in either Celsius or Fahrenheit.
If you’re looking for an affordable, attractive 5-channel fan speed controller, then the Commander FT is a solid choice. The touchscreen also adds a coolness factor that few other fan controllers can touch (pun not intended). BY ANDREW LEIBMAN
Specs: Channels: 5 (10 watts per channel); Interface: 5.5-inch touchscreen; Temperature sensor: Yes; Speed range: 0 to 9,990rpm; Temperature Range: 0
to 90 degrees Celsius; Mounting: 5.25-inch bay; Supported fan type: 3- or 4-pin; Power: 4-pin Molex