The PC mod community is similar to the auto modding communities of the 1960s and 1970s. While growing up I remember seeing muscle cars torn apart and rebuilt with custom paint jobs and shiny new chrome parts. Today we have pc builders and their shiny chrome equivalents; comprised of clear side panels, LED lights and dremeled designs galore.
In my estimation, there are two types of case modders, those who can build a computer to look like almost anything; (see Dracos Mystery Machine case mod for reference), and those who will swap out mundane components like case fans and replace them with something with more pizzazz. I unfortunately fall into the latter category, since I will only cause much physical damage to my pc and myself when I use a dremel.
Luckily for folks like me, there are companies like Bluegears and the b-flexi-line of case fans. For this second opinion review, I will take a look at the b-flexi80 and what it offers the pc modder.
Bluegears b-flexi80 Case Fan Second Opinion
Reviewed by: DarthOverlord
A Better Look at Things
/Specs:
The Bluegears b-flexi-80 features:
# Changeable Lighting Colors simply by a switch
# Titanium Chrome Coating
# Colors option of Red, Blue, Green, or Turn the LEDs light Off
# Comes in 80mm and 120mm
# Low Noise Level with High Airflow
# Include 3 pins connector and 4 pin molex connector
# Switch color – LEDs Off – Red – Blue Green
The b-flexi80 comes in the standard case fan packaging a clear plastic shell, with cardboard backing touting its features. The packaging contains the fan, four fan mounting screws and two switch mounting screws, a switch bracket and a generous length of wiring from the fan running to the switch and two separate molex connectors.
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The fan has a striking titanium chrome coating and looks very different from most generic fans. There are three molex connectors presents. One set is for powering the fan and can be connected via the 3 pin fan connector to the motherboard or directly into a molex connection from the PSU. The second molex connector which has a pass-through connection is used to power the fan lights. The third set of wires ends at the switch which can be attached to a pci adapter with two screws.
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Installation, Testing and Comparison
Setup was straight forward; attach the fan to the case with either the fan mounting screws or with the clips in your case. Then, just plug in the LED molex and either the 4 pin molex or 3 pin connector for the fan. Finally, attach your switch to the pci plate or if you are handy with the dremel, you can attach it to the front of your case.
The main problem with the b-flexi-80 is the generous amount of wire attached to the fan. Bluegears gives you a run of 24 for the LED power, 20 for the fan power and another 18 of wire for the switch.
This becomes a problem if you are attaching the fan close to the switch due to the redundancy of the wire. I originally mounted the fans on the back of my case, but I had too much extra wire that would have had to been rerouted behind the motherboard. So I ended up placing the fan in the front of my case.
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When comparing the b-flexi80 to a Coolermaster Blue LED and Antec Green LED case fan, there was no significant change in case temperature or noise while under load.
The fan itself worked as advertised. The switch allowed changing the fan colors from red to blue to green to off without any problems. My chief complaint is the fans LEDs were rather weak compared to single colored LED fans such as the Antec and Coolermaster which I have in my case. The red color is particularly weak when compared to the other two colors.
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Find more Bluegears products at ShopZilla!
Summary:
The b-flexi-80 case fan is an affordable option for the case modder who would like to add a little color to their case and are not sure which color they want to commit to use. It does its job admirably and looks good while doing it.
Pros
-Good looking fan
-Multiple color options
-Simple installation
-Excellent cooling capabilities
Cons
-Extraneous length of wiring
-LEDs not as bright as other LED fans.
For the Second Opinion, I give the the Bluegears b-flexi80 a 4/5.
Find more Bluegears products at ShopZilla!