Nexus Multi-Fan Controller - NXP-205-BK/NXP-205-SL - Vantec, Continued
The NXP-205-SL is the only device we reviewed that mounts in a 3-½ drive bay. If you need to or want your fan bus to be located in a 3-½ bay, your options are pretty limited, and the NXP-205-SL fits the bill in this instance.
The NXP-205-SL is mounted using a full 3-½" frame design with two mounting holes on either side. This means that if you get a good fit in your case with a standard floppy drive, the NXP-205-SL should fit just as well.
A close-up of the front of the NXP-205-SL.
The NXP-205-SL, like the NXP-201-BK that we reviewed above, enjoys four fan channels that are able to support up to 18 watts per channel. The NXP-205-SL also offers back lit, blue LED control knobs. The action of the control knobs is smooth; however, if you have large hands and fingers you may bump into the knob next to it, due to the space constraints of the 3-½" space that Vantec had to work with.
The rear of the NXP-205-SL is a little more cramped than its 5-¼ sibling.>
We liked the NXP-205 series as well as the NXP-201. Our test unit performed flawlessly during our testing, but as with the NXP-201 the NXP-205 offers no pass through cables to the motherboard for monitoring the fans. Again, this could spell trouble for inexperienced users who are unfamiliar with the thermal limits of their systems. Overall, Vantec presents a unique design, as it is the only device that can be mounted in a 3-½" bay, clearly an advantage if you have an application that requires this mounting.
