Fractal Design Adjust 108 Fan Controller Review

Today we are going to take a look at the Fractal Adjust 108 Fan controller which can manage up to six different fans simultaneously. It is designed to comply with the sleek aesthetics of Fractal Design's cases, featuring a brushed aluminium front bezel. Fractal Design have been around for a few years now and have made a name for themselves in the PC chassis market. They have a reputation for producing high-quality steel cases which feature extensive sound-proofing material. They have expanded their range over the last few years, though, to include cooling products, power supplies and more mainstream case models. Features A stylish and minimalistic aluminum front covers the fan controller The Adjust 108 is equipped with six (6) fan channels One bi-color LED per channel, where white describes a low RPM and blue a high RPM Intensity jumper for the LEDs, with options of 100% and 50% intensity and an OFF feature Uses only one 5.25" bay Technical specifications Specification 6 channels One LED per channel Uses only one 5.25" bay Intensity jumper for the LEDs Vertical sliders 36W per channel Shifting LEDs SATA power connector The Adjust 108 is supplied in a very attractively designed cardboard box which features a black livery. The front of the box features a large Fractal Design Logo as well as some very basic information about the fan controller within. Turning the box over reveals some more detailed information alongside a short blurb describing the product. The box itself feels very good quality and should provide a good deal of protection for the unit within. Inside the box, the only separate items supplied are four screws for installation. It's quite clear that Fractal Design have put a lot of effort into the aesthetic design of the Adjust 108 ... it is very sleek indeed. The front panel of the controller is made from brushed aluminium which looks fantastic. The unit is finished entirely in black which will help it to fit in aesthetically with most cases. There is only a small Fractal Design logo in the centre which is quite subtle and shouldn't make the Adjust 108 look out of place in other manufacturer's cases. On the front of the unit there are six slider switches which let you set fan speeds independently for the six channels. There are small LEDs below each slider which indicate the speed of the fan. White indicates low RPM and blue indicates high RPM. We are very impressed with the build quality of the unit, which is second to none. The brushed aluminium faceplate is supported by a steel chassis which feels very sturdy indeed. The unit itself will fill less than half of a drive bay, meaning it can be squeezed into bays where there may not be room for an optical drive, perhaps due to a large radiator filling the top of your case for example. Behind the faceplate there is a black PCB which features all the components. Unlike some fan controllers, the Adjust 108 features removeable cables which can be easily detached when not in use. This can makes cable routing much easier. The cables themselves are 600 mm in length and terminate in 3-pin sockets, although they are still compatible with 4-pin PWM fans. They are all clearly labelled, making it easier to work out which slider controls which fan. There are two options for powering the unit. You can either hook it up via a SATA power connector or a standard molex connector. We would recommend using the SATA power connector as they tend to be easier to attach than molex connectors and don't break as easily. Installing the unit is very easy indeed. In the Antec GX700 case we didn't even have to use the provided screws as the tool-less clips were enough to hold the fan controller in place. Overall we are very impressed with what the Fractal Design Adjust 108 has to offer. It's clear that Fractal Design have put a lot of effort into the design of this unit as it's one of the best fan controllers we've seen. It features a brushed aluminium faceplate which gives it a beautiful visage that will fit in aesthetically with most cases, including those from Fractal Design themselves. Build quality is also excellent and we have no doubt that this unit will last many years. The detachable cables make it very easier to route cables and the inclusion of a SATA power connector is ideal if you're planning to install optical drives alongside it. Additionally, it only takes up about half the drive bay so it will not foul larger radiators which might intrude a little into the top drive bay. At a price of £25 from Scan, the Adjust 108 offers good value for money. There are cheaper options out there but this offers sleeker aesthetics and better build quality than any, making it a must have in our opinion. Pros Sleek design. Top-notch build quality. Six channels. Detachable cables. Cons £19.99 would make it an even better buy. KitGuru says: Another excellent product from Fractal Design.

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Fractal Design Adjust 108 Fan Controller Review

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