BitFenix Unveils Alchemy 2.0 Magnetic LED Strips
BitFenix built new magnetic LED strips that should shine bright and be easy to use.
An easy and cheap way to add some flare to your system is by adding some lighting, and if you do it right, it can turn a dull PC into something that's -- well, quite the opposite. With its Alchemy 2.0 LED strips, BitFenix intends to make the process even easier.
The idea behind BitFenix' Alchemy 2.0 strips is simple: build easy-to-use lighting that requires minimal effort to install and is easy to expand. The LED strips therefore have a magnetic substrate, which will stick to the steel frames of most cases. Because they are flexible, it is also easy to install them over uneven surfaces and around corners.
Additionally, the Alchemy 2.0 strips are daisy-chainable, so with multiple sets you can light up your entire case with one long strip. The power cable is 50 cm long, so you'll be able to reach any part of your case as a starting point for the lighting. The power plug even has a little magnet built in so that it doesn't pull down the LED strip if you start in the top of the case.
Color options are white, red, purple, blue and green. For the green color, BitFenix deviated from the standard hue and adjusted its tone to match that of the GeForce lighting on the side of Nvidia's graphics cards, which is a sort of yellow-green. The LEDs used are TriBright 5050 SMDs.
The strips will be available in lengths of 12-, 30- and 60 cm. They are 10 mm wide and about 2 mm thick.
We actually used a couple of samples that BitFenix gave us in this water cooling build, and our experience was exactly as BitFenix intended: quick, easy, and effective.
BitFenix did not reveal pricing.
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Niels Broekhuijsen is a Contributing Writer for Tom's Hardware US. He reviews cases, water cooling and pc builds.
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Larry Litmanen About time, the adhesive on most LEDs is not that good, this is a perfect solution.Reply -
alidan ReplyWill be buying ASAP. I've battled with crappy adhesive for too long!
Release date?
double sided foam core tape... it keeps leds my brother had attached to his desk. -
RazberyBandit "daisy-chainable"Reply
Someone should have checked if chainable was even a word. (Pro tip: it's not.) Even my browser's built-in spell check flags it. The term daisy chain isn't hyphenated, either.
Correction I would have made: can be daisy chained
Thinking back on the time I spent as a freelance editor for Tom's News, I can honestly say that if the pay had equaled the time and effort required to edit articles here, I might still hold that position.
Larry Litmanen: I would agree, but there's one caveat: aluminum cases.
CROOKID & alidan: I prefer to use 3M/Scotch #4010 or #411/DC tape. -
InvalidError Reply
Some people like having flashy rigs.16257650 said:Why do you guys put lights in your boxes?
Personally, my PC is just a dark box sitting under my desk. Out of sight, out of mind, except for the air filter cleaning every other month or so. The fewer the superfluous case opening and lights, the better for me. The ideal case for me would be an Antec 300v1 with the v2's motherboard tray, the v2's drive trays, blank side panels (no vents or windows), blank top and a front-accessible air filter. -
thundervore RGB or GTFO!!Reply
After setting up the Corsair Commander Mini with RGB LED strips to change colour according to my GPU temps I will nevre go back to a single colour theme rig.
I like the magnetic solution though, I had to use my own 3M tape to hold up me LEDs. -
Pat Flynn These will be great for folks with steel cases. I feel sorry for the Aluminum case folks though. The adhesive's don't stick to matte paints too well either.Reply -
RazberyBandit Reply16261000 said:These will be great for folks with steel cases. I feel sorry for the Aluminum case folks though. The adhesive's don't stick to matte paints too well either.
The 3M tapes I mentioned stick to damn near everything. I've even used them on brick. They're pliable and peel off easily, too.