In Use:

The NZXT Sentry LX is rather easy to use. After powering up the system with it for the first time, a bit of initial setup was required. The left side of the display provides information unrelated to fan control, but useful to every day life. You get the day, time, and date in a field that also indicates whether the temperature alarm is on and whether the fans are in automatic or manual mode. In automatic mode, the fan speeds are adjusted to try to maintain target temperatures, while in manual you can set the speeds where you would like them.

The screens below provide a look at the display with the temperature read outs switched from Celsius to Fahrenheit. Everything is laid out nicely, and all the data is easy to read. If it were up to me, I might reduce the size of the clock / calendar and make the fan speeds and temperatures larger, as that is the information I am most interested in with the Sentry LX.



Each fan speed is represented by a four digit display, and the values are all rounded to the nearest 100RPM. When in manual mode, adjustments can be made in 100RPM increments, and you can turn fans off by going down to 0RPM. Just below the speed indication is a bar that provides a relative indication of speed, and to the right of the temperature is an animated fan graphic that provides a rough indication of fan activity (fast for full speed, still when stopped).



The promotional image above, and the pair of images below take a look at the panel from wide angles. If you are on the same level as the display (below left image), the data is easy to read even from extreme angles. But, if you are above or below the display (below right image), the data can become a blur as the whole LCD panel can look like it is filled with the number 8 in each location.



If your system is placed on a desktop it will be easy to read, but if it is sitting on the floor right next to where you sit, you may find yourself leaning back to get a clear view of the display.

Overall it is easy to setup and configure the NZXT Sentry LX, and I found it to be an effective fan controller that let me tune the performance of each fan to minimize noise and optimize cooling performance. There are some additional notes on the use of the Sentry LX that are worth mentioning, though.

The first would be that the reset button is right there with the other buttons, and one quick bump is all it takes to wipe out your settings as well as the date/time. Perhaps this button should be reconfigured to require a longer push to activate, or it should just be moved.