Zalman ZM-MFC3 Multi Fan Controller review

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Verdict:

It may be expensive, but the MFC-3 can monitor power consumption as well as controlling four fans.

Review Date: 12 May 2010

Price when reviewed: £40

Buy it now for: £42
(see more store prices)

Supplier: http://www.quietpc.com

Reviewed By: Jim Martin

Our Rating 5 stars out of 5

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Review
Specs

Unlike the cheaper MFC-1 Plus, the MFC-3 is a complex fan controller. It may look a little like a 1980s car stereo, but it does a lot for £40. It comes with an external power supply which connects via a special USB port on the bundled backplate.

The reason for this is to monitor your PC's power consumption – you plug the mains cable into the MFC-3's box, and then the MFC-3 passes power to your PSU. The wattage is then shown prominently on the decent LCD display, which has wide viewing angles.

You can connect three three-pin fans, and one four-pin fan, which offers finer control over RPM than by using voltage (as with the other three fans). There are also four temperature probes so the fan speeds can be adjusted automatically. The speeds and temperatures are displayed in each corner of the LCD.

Our only gripe is there's no direct control over fan speeds – you have to use the single knob. However, if you can justify the expense, the MFC-3 is a fantastic controller.

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