At first we would like to thank CORSAIR for offering us their Commander PRO for testing and reviewing.

 

About Corsair:

"Founded in 1994, Corsair has grown from pioneering the high-performance DRAM market to one of the world’s leading providers of enthusiast-grade PC components and peripherals. Our groundbreaking technology and innovation can be found in our high-performance memory, ultra-efficient power supplies, PC cases, PC and CPU cooling solutions, and solid-state storage devices. Under the Corsair Gaming brand, launched in 2014, we provide gaming keyboards, mice, headsets and mouse mats to eSports professionals and anybody who is passionate about competitive PC gaming.

 

Corsair hardware is regularly featured in showcase “dream systems,” and we have earned the adulation and respect of the press, professional gamers and overclockers, high-end system integrators, and PC enthusiasts worldwide by delivering leading-edge technology backed by renowned service and support.

 

Corsair has developed a global operations infrastructure with extensive marketing and distribution channel relationships, and our products are available through leading distributors and retailers in over sixty countries worldwide."

Product Features:

 

The compact heart of your CORSAIR LINK system

 

The CORSAIR Commander PRO grants superior and accurate hardware control with a compact, all-in-one device. Fully compatible with CORSAIR LINK devices, it supports up to six fan connectors, four temperature inputs, two RGB LED channels and multiple USB devices through two internal USB 2.0 headers.

 

Absolute command of your system

 

Accurately monitor how your system reacts when you push it to the limits. Manage your fans without pressing knobs or switches through the intuitive CORSAIR LINK software.

 

Six 4-pin fan ports with voltage and PWM control

 

Control 3-pin and 4-pin fans with ease from a complete stop to max speed.

 

CORSAIR LINK software support

 

Manage and control the devices connected to the Commander PRO through our intuitive CORSAIR LINK software.

 

Two USB 2.0 internal headers

 

Connect your CORSAIR LINK devices while only occupying one USB 2.0 header on your motherboard.

 

Four thermistor inputs

 

Monitor temperature in different locations throughout your system.

 

Dual channel lighting

 

Conduct a symphony of RGB lighting with individually addressable RGB LED strips (sold separately) and unleash the full RGB potential of the HD RGB and SP RGB fans (sold separately).

 

Low profile design

 

Slim form factor allows installation nearly anywhere in your case.

 

A Symphony of Color

 

Synchronize your RGB lighting effects with HD RGB fans, SP RGB fans and individually addressable RGB LED strips to light up your build.

 

 

Product Specifications:

 

 

 

Commander PRO from Corsair, paired with CORSAIR LINK is a complete solution for controlling and taking readings of your entire LINK-compatible ecosystem: fans, LED strips, AIOs, PSUs and more. A few months back, we did a separate review on the CORSAIR Lighting Node PRO, so we won’t discuss about this component in detail; we will begin our project description with the HD140 RGB fan set, that also comes with a controller of its own and thanks to the independent 12 RGB LEDs it is able to deliver quite a show!

 

 

 

On the back side of the box, CORSAIR has noted the main product features, but also the in-depth technical specifications; we are seeing the rated current of each fan as being 0.30A with the LEDs off, 0.47A with the LEDs on, a rated speed between 600 and 1350RPM, does come with a CFM of 74, while the sound level was measured as 28.6 dBA:

 

 

 

In the box, we are able to spot the fans packaged separately, but we will also get a separate accessory enclosure:

 

 

 

The HD140 RGB fans do come with nine blades, while a CORSAIR logo is placed in the middle:

 

 

 

On the sides, the manufacturer has placed rubber pads, in order to help with vibration dampening:

 

 

 

The independent RGB LEDs are placed on the frame, in order to create an interesting effect while the fans are running:

 

 

 

The semi-transparent frame layer can be seen on both sides, while the inner frame is black:

 

 

 

The back side of the fan does feature a similar construction; in the middle area though, CORSAIR has placed the power rating specifications:

 

 

 

The HD140 RGB fans do come not with one, but two separate connectors: one is the regular PWM (4-pin), while the other gets plugged to the RGB fan hub:

 

 

 

Here is the rest of the fan bundle we are receiving inside the box:

 

 

 

The extra cable allows the user connect the assembly to an external source, for controlling parameters such as mode, color or speed:

 

 

 

The said cable connects to the HD Lighting Controller:

 

 

 

 

The HD Lighting Controller is connected to the fan RGB Fan Hub; this Hub allows us to connect HD/SP RGB fans to it and becomes an essential component when used along with the Commander PRO:

 

 

 

 

The Fan Hub does need to be powered independently and we can do so via a SATA Power cable:

 

 

 

The supplied installation manual does show exactly how the assembly should be performed:

 

 

 

Next up, we’ve got a set of the CORSAIR HD 120 RGB fans; these are similar to their 140mm counterparts, only that they do come with a bit different tech specs:

 

 

 

For these we’ve got a rated airflow of 54.4 cfm, a rotational speed between 800 and 1725 RPM, a sound level of 30 dBA, while the power consumption remains the same:

 

 

 

In this kit, we will find not two, but three fans, along with a separate enclosure with the bundle:

 

 

 

Some photos of the fans do reveal the exact same construction type:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Even the supplied bundle remains the same:

 

 

 

 

 

 

CORSAIR does also have expansion components for the full kits that include the RGB LED controller:

 

 

 

 

These expansion elements only include one HD 120 RGB fan, along with the mounting screws:

 

 

 

 

Next up, we’ve got the HX850 PSU, which will be mounted inside the CORSAIR ecosystem setup:

 

 

 

This particular model has the ability to switch between single and multiple +12V rails, can assure Zero RPM fan operation when low or medium loads are applied and at the same time it is rated 80 Plus Platinum in terms of efficiency:

 

 

 

The list of modular cables is also present on the box:

 

 

 

CORSAIR really gets into lots of technical details on the back of the PSU box! Here we will learn of the main product features in detail, the I/O ratings, but can also take a look at the 80 Plus Efficiency graph, along with the Fan Noise Level measurements:

 

 

 

After removing the top packaging layer, we will get to see that the PSU along with its bundle are held in a separate cardboard enclosure, with the manufacturer logo in the middle:

 

 

 

By lifting the top cover, we’ll get to see the documentation, bundle and more!

 

 

 

The documentation is written in multiple languages and provides the user with lots of details:

 

 

 

We are also offered a “Important Safety Information” and “Warranty Guide” leaflet:

 

 

 

We do get a power lead, mounting screws, a nice case badge, cable ties, but also a carry bag which contains the modular cables:

 

 

 

 

In more detail, we are getting one 24-pin ATX cable, two EPS/ATX 12V 8-pin (4+4) cables, three PCIe 8-pin (6+2) cables, two regular SATA cables (each having four connectors), two 90 degrees SATA cables, also having four connectors per cable, two peripheral cables with four pins (four connectors per cable) and finally one floppy adapter (4-pin):

 

 

 

The PSU is individually packaged inside a good quality cloth bag:

 

 

 

The included fan does sport the usual CORSAIR colors and is covered by a protective grill:

 

 

 

On the side of the PSU, we will be able to spot a frame with the manufacturer logo, along with the product logo:

 

 

 

In the back area of the power supply, CORSAIR advertises the silent operation mode again:

 

 

 

The frontal PSU area does come with the usual connectors, but also descriptions in order to find out quickly where each cable should go:

 

 

 

The Single/Multiple rail function can be activated by just flipping a switch:

 

 

 

The top cover of the PSU does contain a sticker with the technical specs:

 

 

 

The next setup component for the CORSAIR ecosystem is the H115i AIO from the Hydro Series; this one does also come with LINK compatibility out of the box and uses a 280mm radiator:

 

 

 

While AM4 compatibility is not listed on the box, this can be attained with a separate accessory kit supplied by the manufacturer:

 

 

 

The box contents is also listed on the enclosure, together with the features:

 

 

 

 

 

 

More technical specifications can be found on the bottom box area, in multiple languages:

 

 

 

After unsealing the box and lifting the top cover, we will get to see the documentation:

 

 

 

The lower layer comes with the actual AIO setup, together with the bundle:

 

 

 

The user manual does describe the installation steps in detail, for both Intel and AMD platforms; the removable aluminum ring around the pump can be easily removed by rotating it counter-clockwise, in order to easily switch from one socket type to another:

 

 

 

The H115i AIO does ship with its own set of fans, but we will use the supplied HD 140 set we have just described earlier:

 

 

 

 

We get accessories for mounting the radiator onto the case, for installing the fans onto the radiator, mounting items for the pump, the AMD socket ring, the Intel plastic backplate but also an USB cable for the LINK functionality:

 

 

 

Here is a quick look at the 280mm radiator:

 

 

 

On the sides, CORSAIR has placed some nice frames, in metallic grey paint, with the usual logo:

 

 

 

This design element is also retained for the pump, while the logo does come with RGB backlighting:

 

 

 

On the side of the pump we will observe the LINK USB port:

 

 

 

The pump along with the fans are powered by a single SATA Power port:

 

 

 

The single-pin connector goes to the CPU_FAN header for RPM monitoring:

 

 

 

We will not use the dedicated fan connectors from the pump on this setup:

 

 

 

CORSAIR was also nice to supply the AM4 compatibility kit for the H115i cooler:

 

 

 

 

 

The main attraction here is obvious: the CORSAIR Commander PRO, which simplifies fan and RGB settings between all compatible LINK devices and more!

 

 

 

More details on the product are listed on the back side of the outer packaging layer:

 

 

 

The product does sit secure inside the cardboard compartment, along with its accessories:

 

 

 

Speaking of accessories, it does ship with fan extension cables, thermistors for monitoring temperatures inside the case but also extension cables for the two RGB channels:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Optionally, the controller can be fixed onto the case chassis with the supplied double-sided adhesive tape:

 

 

 

The controller needs to be powered by a SATA Power connector coming from the power supply, but must be also plugged in to a single USB 2.0 motherboard header:

 

 

 

On one of the Commander PRO sides, we can spot four thermistor channels, but also two USB 2.0 headers (that is right, two USB headers, even if we only use one from the motherboard!). This type of setup is great because we can plug to the controller both LINK-compatible AIO and PSU, without the need of actually using two motherboard USB 2.0 headers (some motherboard models do not even have two of those, such as the ASUS Crosshair VI Hero):

 

 

 

The opposite side does come with six PWM fan headers, but also two separate RGB LED channels:

 

 

 

On the bottom area of the controller chassis, we will get to see its serial number:

 

 

 

A manual is also included, which explains the installation procedure:

 

 

 

We will perform the installation procedure inside the Crystal 570X White RGB mid-tower case, also coming from CORSAIR; since it comes with removable tempered glass panels on all sides (except the I/O back area):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The installation went pretty smooth until we decided to fit the H115i radiator plus fans on the top: the fan assembly was hitting the VRM heatsinks of the ASUS Crosshair VI Hero board, so we have decided to only mount the HD 140 fans here. In order to preserve the originality of the Crystal 570X, we have mounted the three HD 120 fans in the front and afterwards we did attach the 280mm radiator; thanks to the removable top and frontal aluminum frames, the installation was a breeze!

 

 

 

In the press presentation, we have seen that the installation example had the 2.5’’ drive bays removed; we have tried to mount the Commander PRO in such a way so all drive bays would remain usable. We have concluded that the best area to fit the unit is in the vicinity of the PSU; we have also installed the RGB Fan Hub between the second 2.5’’ drive bay and the 3.5’’ drive bay. Thanks to the aluminum cover, most of the cables can be hidden from sight, which results in a much cleaner cable management; this is a must, considering that we are dealing with clear side panels:

 

 

 

Thanks to the space in the back side of the motherboard, we could hide most of the cables:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After mounting the shields and side panels, we went ahead and powered on the system, only to admire the LED light show:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After installing CORSAIR LINK software, we are able to fully control the Commander PRO setup; LINK does also take readings from the other hardware components inside the case, but the dedicated Commander PRO section can be seen on the right side. Depending on how many thermistors we have installed, their live readings will appear on the dashboard:

 

 

 

 

For an easier identification, we can position the sensor readings on the case sample photo:

 

 

 

Each fan can be assigned to a specific group and its curve can be altered depending on our needs:

 

 

 

For a quick setup, we can choose one of the pre-defined fan profiles:

 

 

LINK does also list the CORSAIR hardware and also prompts for firmware updates when needed:

 

 

Inside the RGB LED lighting setup menu, we can configure the channels depending on which hardware we have connected to it:

 

 

Make sure to choose the correct hardware for each channel!

 

 

Different RGB LED setups are available for us to choose from:

 

 

Rainbow Wave

 

 

Rainbow

 

 

 

Color Shift

Color Pulse

Color Wave

Static

Temperature

Visor

Marquee

Blink

 

Live graphs are also drawn when the respective option is enabled:

 

 

 

The CORSAIR Commander PRO controller makes your live easier if you want to connect lots of compatible RGB fans inside the case, LED strips, but also control the LED light show in detail. The device permits monitoring of system temperatures from the included thermistors, but also connect other LINK-compatible hardware to the dual USB 2.0 headers. It measures 133mm x 69mm x 15.5mm so its slim form factor allows installation in most computer cases.

 

The Commander PRO gives us two separate channels to work with, so in order to get control over more fans, we also need to our disposal the RGB Fan LED Hub; fortunately, the Crystal 570X case already comes with one pre-installed, but you also have to keep in mind that HD 120/140 fan kits are already bundled with such a device, which is really great! The second channel can be used for the CORSAIR RGB LED lighting strips, in order to make your system even more interesting.

 

Now, to sum it up, we do have pros and cons ->

 

Pros

 

-if the instructions are followed correctly, the installation is a breeze;

-all components were thought as modular, so we can create all kinds of configurations;

-we do use one motherboard USB 2.0 header, but the Commander PRO puts to our disposal not one but two extra headers for connecting even more devices to it;

-thermistors included with the Commander PRO do allow us to monitor temperatures inside the case without extra costs

 

 

Cons

 

-the RGB setup includes quite a bit of extra cables (for the fans, LED strips, SATA Power for the hub and Commander PRO), which makes cable management a bit more difficult.

 

CORSAIR Commander PRO is Recommended for:

 

 

 

We would like to thank again to Corsair for making this review possible!