Coolers Guide

Compare This

Bluegears Cooling Fans

27 Aug 2006

Tags: (none)

Filter by Manufacturers

<div id="product-review" class="article">
			<h2 class="header-green">First Looks: Bluegears Cooling Fans</h2>
		<span class="byline">Reviewed by Francis Yeo on Sunday, 27 Aug 2006</span>
		<div class="share">
	<div
		id="addthis_div_519a292ff2b39" 
		class="addthis_toolbox addthis_default_style"
		addthis:url="http://www.hardwarezone.com/review-first-looks-bluegears-cooling-fans"		addthis:title="First Looks: Bluegears Cooling Fans"	>
		<a class="addthis_button_google_plusone" g:plusone:count="false"></a>
		<a class="addthis_button_facebook"></a>
		<a class="addthis_button_twitter"></a>
		
		<a class="addthis_button_email"></a>
	</div>
</div>
<script type="text/javascript">
//<![CDATA[
	window.addEvent ('domready', function ()
	{
 		//AddThis thing
		addthis_share = window.addthis_share || {};
		addthis_share.url_transforms = {
			add: {
				utm_source: 'addthis',
				utm_medium: 'referral',
				utm_campaign: 'addthis',
				utm_content: 'First%2BLooks%3A%2BBluegears%2BCooling%2BFans'
			}
		}
		
		addthis_config = window.addthis_config || {};
		addthis_config.data_track_clickback = true;
		addthis_config.data_ga_property = 'UA-166763-1';
		//window.addthis && addthis.toolbox (".addthis_toolbox");
		 
	});
//]]>
</script>		<div class="content resizeable">
						<div id="page-1" class="page">
		 		<h2 class="page-title">Modding Made New</h2>
		 		<h3 class="page_title">Modding Made New</h3>
<p>After years of watching radical cooling devices come and go, it is only a matter of time before consumers grow skeptical and become more wary of new cooling devices that continue to boast better cooling property, especially in the area of case-modding. However Bluegears, a company entirely dedicated to PC accessories and gadgets has persevered and might just have what it takes to resuscitate a stagnant industry stacked with stale ideas.</p>
<p class="rtecenter"><img width="700" height="400" alt="" src="/files/images/Bluegears_Cooling_Fans_Main.jpg" /></p>
<h4 class="page_sub_title">Bluegears b-COOL</h4>
<p class="rteleft">Measuring 80x80x25mm, the transparent blue b-COOL fan is coupled with an exciting propeller-shaped PCB beneath its fan-guard, making it look the part even before it's powered up. When plugged in, the whisper quiet b-COOL immediately lit up in a splendid fashion with its 'Freezing White' LED lights hitting the spinning blades like a blanket of snow. What's sure to grab your attention is a series of blue LEDs that sign the background with the prevailing system temperature (such as 22&deg;C in our case) along with the word 'COOL' that corresponds in a literal sense. Without a doubt, this eye-catching visual display is sure to take a hardcore case-modder's breath away.</p>
<p class="rteleft">To make sure that the b-COOL fan works as intended, we took out the perfect benchmark to be used in such situations - a hairdryer. Funneling heated air directly at the fan promptly generated a chorus of 'oohs' and 'ahhs' as the LED wordings changed from 'COOL' to 'WARM' at 35&deg;C and subsequently 'HOT' at 40&deg;C. Obviously, to have a cooling device that not only looks wicked but also works in a cool way to provide critical information is always a boon for any practical overclockers.</p>
<p class="rteleft">With our curiosity fired up by the innovative and somewhat elaborate LED reading, we proceeded to lift the fan-guard off for a closer look and were instantly greeted by a peculiar 'motor-like' device on the PCB.</p>
<p class="rteleft">Initially passing off the 'motor-like' device as a stabilizer of sort for the fan, we discovered that it was actually a dynamo that powers the LEDs and temperature probe from the motion of the main fan. Needless to say, we were duly impressed by the ingenious engineering effort put in by Bluegear for a mere cooling fan.</p>
<h4 class="page_sub_title">Bluegears b-ice</h4>
<p class="rteleft">While cooling fans with LEDs have been around for a while now, few if not any has managed to inject fresh ideas into these modest devices in the same manner as Bluegear. Designed to dazzle, the b-ice follows the basic PC fan design but stands out with four chrome blades and four strategically positioned LEDs pocketed at each corner for maximum bling.</p>
<p class="rteleft">When tested, the sleeved bearing B-ice fan glimmered brilliantly as designed, with bright blue LED lights bouncing off the chromed surface in a 120 by 120mm dazzling spectacle. We also noted just how impressively quiet the B-ice was in pushing air at a rate of 63.05CFM. Without a doubt, the b-ice has what it takes to make the cut as a visual accessory for case-modders and it does so without compromising cooling performance at all.</p>
<h4 class="page_sub_title">Our thoughts</h4>
<p class="rteleft">On top of hitting the sweet spot for modders who require cooling devices that function quietly with good performance and engaging aesthetics, we're glad to report that Bluegears does offer something different for case-modders and the likes. Ultimately, as a company that prides itself as an innovative PC accessory company, Bluegears does not disappoint with products like the b-COOL and b-ice cooling fans. The Bluegears b-COOL and b-ice fans are available for approximately US$16 and US$20 respectively.</p>			</div>
		</div>
			<div class="pagination" style="visibility:hidden;">
		<span class="desc">Page 1 of 1</span>
		<ul>
			<li class="prevnext prev"><a href="/review-first-looks-bluegears-cooling-fans" class="disabled">&lsaquo; Prev</a></li>
			<li class="skip">
				<form id="PageAddForm" method="post" action="/go"><fieldset style="display:none;"><input type="hidden" name="_method" value="POST" /></fieldset>					<select name="data[Page][url]" class="page-selector" disabled="disabled" id="PageUrl">
<option value="/review-first-looks-bluegears-cooling-fans" selected="selected">Modding Made New</option>
</select>					<input type="submit" class="submit" value="Go" />				</form>			</li>
			<li class="prevnext next"><a href="/review-first-looks-bluegears-cooling-fans" class="disabled">Next &rsaquo;</a></li>
		</ul>
	</div>
<script type="text/javascript">
//<![CDATA[
	window.addEvent ('domready', function ()
	{
 
		var container = document.getElement ('#product-review'),
			content = container && container.getElement ('.content'),
			pagination = container && container.getElement ('.pagination'),
			form = pagination && pagination.getElement ('form'),
			menu = form && form.getElement ('.page-selector'),
			links = {
				prev: pagination && pagination.getElement ('.prev a'),
				next: pagination && pagination.getElement ('.next a')
			},
			page = -1,
			desc = 'Page {curPage} of {lastPage}'
		;

// Tag as Javascript-enabled
		pagination.addClass ('js');

menu.addEvent ('change', function (e)
		{
			var curPage = this.selectedIndex + 1,
				lastPage = this.length,
				url = this.get ('value'),
				pageContent = container && container.getElement ('.page')
			;

// Disable controls
			menu.set ('disabled', 'disabled').blur ();
			if (pageContent) pageContent.setStyle ('opacity', .5);

new Request.HTML ({
				'url': url,
				'method': 'get',
				'link': 'cancel',
				'update': content,
				'onSuccess': function ()
				{
					// Update controls
					menu.erase ('disabled');
					links.prev
						.set ('href', menu.getChildren ('option')[(curPage > 1)? curPage - 2: curPage - 1].get ('value'))
						[(curPage > 1)? 'removeClass': 'addClass'] ('disabled')
					;
					links.next
						.set ('href', menu.getChildren ('option')[(curPage < lastPage)? curPage: curPage - 1].get ('value'))
						[(curPage < lastPage)? 'removeClass': 'addClass'] ('disabled')
					;
					pagination.getElement ('.desc').set ('text', desc.substitute ({ curPage: curPage, lastPage: lastPage}));

captureIntraLinks ();
					new Fx.Scroll (window).toElement (container);
				},
				'onFailure': function ()
				{
					// Restore controls
					menu.erase ('disabled');
					if (pageContent) pageContent.setStyle ('opacity', 1);
				}
			}).send ();
		});
		$$([links.prev, links.next]).addEvent ('click', function (e)
		{
			e.stop (); this.blur ();
			if (!this.hasClass ('disabled'))
				menu.set ('value', this.get ('href')).fireEvent ('change');
		});
		form.addEvent ('submit', function (e)
		{
			e.stop (); this.blur ();
			menu.fireEvent ('change');
		})

// Capture all intra-page links and hook to js
		function captureIntraLinks ()
		{
			content.getElements ('a[href^="#"]').flatten().each (function (link)
			{
				var target = link.get ('href').substr (6).trim ();
				if (target && target.match (/^\d+$/) && target <= menu.length)
					link.addEvent ('click', function (e)
					{
						e.stop (); this.blur ();
						menu.selectedIndex = target - 1;
						menu.fireEvent ('change');
					});
			});
		}
		captureIntraLinks ();

// Trigger initial pagination state
		var target = location.hash && location.hash.substr (6).trim ();
		if (target && target.match (/^\d+$/) && target <= menu.length && target != page)
		{
			menu.selectedIndex = target - 1;
			menu.fireEvent ('change');
		}
 
	});
//]]>
</script>
				</div>

<script type="text/javascript">
//<![CDATA[
	window.addEvent ('domready', function ()
	{
 
		var section = $('tab-product-content-review'),
			dropdown = section.getElement ('#reviews-list'),
			tId = 0
		;

if (section && dropdown)
		{
			var list = dropdown.getElement ('ul'),
				links = list.getElements ('li a')
			;

dropdown.addClass ('js');
			list.set ('morph', { 'link': 'cancel' });

$$(dropdown, list).addEvents ({
				'mousemove': function ()
				{
					$clear (tId);
				},
				'mouseenter': function ()
				{
					list.set ('morph', {'duration': 'short'}).morph ({ 'opacity': 1 });
				},
				'mouseleave': function ()
				{
					tId = function () { list.set ('morph', {'duration': 'short'}).morph ({ 'opacity': 0}); }.delay (1000);
				}
			}).fireEvent ('mouseleave');

links.addEvent ('click', function (e)
			{
				e.stop ();
				//unescape the 'alt' prooperty
				var o = new Element('i', { 'html': this.get ('alt')});
				new Request.HTML ({
					'url': o.get('text') + '&as=ajax',
					'method': 'get',
					'link': 'cancel',
					'update': section.empty().grab(new Element('div')
						.addClass ('waiter')
						.grab (new Element ('span', {
							text: 'Please wait while we load your article ...'
						}))
					)
				}).send ();
			})

section.getElements ('.footer .comments a').addEvent ('click', function (e)
			{
				e.stop ();
				new Fx.Scroll (window).toElement ($('tab-product-details'));

var href = this.get ('href').match (/#.+$/), target = href && href[0];
				if (target)
					(function () { new Fx.Scroll (window).toElement ($(target.substr (1))); })
						.delay (3000);

$('tab-product-comments').getChildren ('a')[0].fireEvent ('click');
			})
		}
		if( $$('.image-caption-container').length < 1 )
		{	
			$$('.article .content img[title]').each (function (img)
			{
				// skip if title is empty
				if (!img.get ('title')) return;
			
				new Element ('span', {'class': 'image-caption-container'})
					.addClass (['left', 'right'].contains (img.get ('align'))? img.get ('align'): '')
					.set ('width', img.get ('width'))
					.replaces (img)
					.grab (img)
					.grab (new Element ('div', {
						'class': 'image-caption',
						'html': img.get ('title').trim ()
					}))
				;
				img.erase ('align');
			
				var link = img.getParents ('a');
				if (link) link.addClass ('captioned');
			});
		}
 
	});
//]]>
</script>

Coolers Guide

Bluegears Cooling Fans

Filter by Manufacturers

You may also be interested in...