Kingwin Thermal Center (TC-02S)

The fan speeds unfortunately on the Thermal Center cannot be adjusted manually.  Their speed is governed in increments differently for the CPU, HDD and SYS probes.  The CPU range is the fan is run at 50% power at 25-29 degrees Celsius up to 100% at 60 degrees Celsius.  HDD is 50% power at 25-29 degrees C up to 100% power at 50 C.  SYS runs 50% at 25-29 C up through 100% at 40 C.  So if your CPU is reading 45 degrees C, the fan will be running at around 60% power.  If you change your max temperature trip to say 46 degrees; when the Thermal Center hits this mark on the respective probe, a VERY audible alarm goes off and the fan automatically runs at 100% power.  Here are a few shots of the unit running in one of the boxes here at the Penthouse Labs.

  

Conclusion

Overall the Kingwin Thermal Center does a great job.  It is very noteworthy that it does this for $30.  I mention this because the Thermaltake Hardcano 12 is without question, the best thermal monitor / fan controller money can buy anywhere, BUT the thing prices out at just under a $100.  This clearly rules it out of the range of what the average Joe is willing to spend.  Kingwin has produced an excellent product with all the features and functions you may want/need AND priced it affordably. 

At first thought, being able to only handle three fans I saw as a detriment but the more thought I gave it, the more I realized very few people will have a need or want to control more than three fans.

The ease of set up and product quality were first rate.  Our only two issues with the Thermal center were the lack of a manual fan speed control and Kingwin going with the larger gauge thermal probe wire.  Neither of these are faults but do unfortunately keep the Thermal Center from reaching its potential.  The Kingwin Thermal Center in current form will not fail to impress and given it's $30 price tag should be at the top of your list for Thermal Monitors.  The unit is on sale at XPC Gear for those of you interested.

Pros

• Automated fan control for three fans.

• Very intuitive to setup and program.

• Clean lines.

• Blue backlit LCD display makes things easy to make out.

• Alarm functions.

• Inexpensive

Cons

• No manual fan control.

• A bit more thermal tape please.

• Standard thermal probe lines.

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