Antec – Tech Raman

Antec C20 CPU Cooler

Lakshmi Rajan — Thu, 02 Jan 2014 09:31:10 +0000

When Antec send me its C20 model CPU cooler for review, I was bit hesitant. At TechRaman, we love fiddling and testing out gadgets be it mobile devices, audio devices or any personal gadgets but when it come to hardware it is a different planet. It requires a whole gamut of testing software and equipments and frankly we are not equipped with it at this stage. Though we do not rule it out in future, since I am addicted to everything technology, its a long call right now. So what do we do with the Antec C20 CPU cooler at our disposal? We can’t resist opening the package either. Then we thought what the heck, we might have some readers who might not be aware of the Antec product and might be assembling computers now or later. So why not atleast showcase the product to them? Agree? So go ahead check out what the Antec C20 CPU cooler is all about. There are so many cooling components products in the market, last time when I assembled my computer I am not sure if I even seriously took note of it but went by the words of the guy who manned the store. But for serious geeks out there, good cooling performance and low-noise levels are a big factor. The C20 box is nondescript unlike the Antec A20 that comes in an attractive packaging with cartoon print on it. Open the box and you find the heat sink, Antec fan and accompanying nuts and bolts to put them together. Antec C20 cooler is a 115mm tall thermal solution built around 6mm diameter two heatpipes and featuring one 80 x80 x25mm Antec fan. Antec’s C20 heatsink stands 115mm tall and has a footprint of 66x86mm in the single fan configuration. There is a provision to add a second fan, that will bump the size. Weighing 350 grams, Antec C20 is feather weight in cooling department. The heatsink has a copper base and features nickel fins. There are two 6mm heat pipes. Antec uses rubber grommets to keep the fans in place which reduces vibrations. The fans works on liquid state spindle bearing. The PWM fan has a 80x80x25mm dimension and rotates on 800 – 2200RPM and makes between 10-25 dba noise. The heatsink can be either used with one fan on either side or two fans can be added to the heatsink for a push-pull configuration. Antec C20 heatsink is compatible with Intel sockets LGA 1366/1155/1156/775 and AMD sockets FM1/AM2/AM2+/AM3. To ensure good thermal conductivity, the heatpipe, base and nickel fins are seamlessly joined to decrease the thermal joint resistance between the fins and heatpipes and heatpipes and base. Antec C20 comes with a sticker price of Rs 1850 but can be availed for around Rs 1500 in market.]]>

Antec Advance Accent Lighting Kit Review

Lakshmi Rajan — Wed, 06 Nov 2013 11:08:39 +0000

Antec Bias LED lighting kit we reviewed sometime back. Honestly, except for the On/Off switch and the color of LED lights there is nothing to differentiate between both the kits. Peel the cover and you get the unassuming small strip of 6 LEDs with a long power chord. The chord is quiet long measuring a good 4 feet. In case you would want to cut down the strip for shorter length, there are two cut points shown with a scissor mark. You can cut the length for reduced length. Each cut length removes two LEDs from the strip. A power on/off button is a good addition. Behind the LED strip is a 3M glue base. Peel the glue cover and paste the strip on your electronic device. When we tried to peel the cover though, it was not a smooth affair. It didn’t come off smoothly and I have to scrap it to get the cover to get the glue face exposed. May be it was an issue with just this unit as I did not face such problem when I reviewed Antec bias lighting kit which uses a similar glue base. Now time to stick the LED strip on your device. I have used it on the front edge of my keyboard and plug the power chord on the USB port. Hit the On button and comes the light. In dark ambience, it gives a very dramatic visual provided you like such lighting effects. You can use a USB hub and use many LED strips to light up your monitor, cabinets etc for more sci-fi effect. There is nothing much to talk about the product, it enhances the visual impact and apart from that offers no value addition. So what is my final take on the product? Honestly, these type of products can’t be reviewed as we do most other gadgets. Antec Lighting kit is a very niche product targeted at those who would like to soak themselves in funkily decked up workstations or gadget bay. Additionally, it also makes a good gifting option if you are wondering what to gift a gadget freak.]]>

Antec Bias LED Lighting Kit Review

Lakshmi Rajan — Sun, 02 Jun 2013 19:56:33 +0000

In case your monitor is small and you want to cut the length of the strip, there are two scissor indicators where you can cut the strip. Spacing is roughly 4 inches between the two cut points that puts two LED lights in each segments. So if you are doing away with one segment, you will have to sacrifice two LEDs. The length of the USB cable is 4.3 feet. A reasonable length to reach to the USB port. No driver is required for installation, since the modus operandi is simple. Draw power from the USB and light up. No rocket science require for mounting the strip too. Just strip off the adhesive backing and stick the strip to the monitor back. So here is the warning. 3M adhesive is quiet effective and so make sure you get the positioning right before you stick it. Else, you will have to literally peel the strip out that not only leaves a ‘sticky’ situation with the sticky goo but also once removed, the adhesive strip may not be effectively reusable, so you have to use other additional adhesives. Also make sure you clean the surface from dusts before you stick the strip. This is how the strip looks at the back of the monitor. Let there be lights….! A sore note? The USB cable that protrudes out of the sides especially if you like less of messy wires around your table. Not a big deal otherwise if you have a messy table like mine. Here is a snapshot of the backlight of the monitor. Especially when working at nights or in darker room Antec Bias lighting kit seems to provide enough ambient light that does not distract you nor strain your eyes. I am no eye expert to go into technicals but what I can confirm with my practical test is the light is soft on eyes. Antec Bias Lighting LED kit could be exciting for hardware modders and might give lot many cool and crazy ideas when custom building a PC. Against a light colored wall, the lighting kit for sure is cool on eyes especially on very low-lighting environment. The product is decent but I feel can be improved. For instance, a power on/off switch near the strip would have been handy instead of each time plugging in and out the USB cable. Also, LED brightness adjustment could have been a good addition. Antec Soundscience bias halo 6 LED kit is priced at a MRP Rs. 600 in India and at around 12 US $ in US. On a concluding note, Antec Soundscience Bias Lighting LED kit is a fun product to try, it also makes an interesting gift option in that price range for any gadget freaks. [pros]

Easy and simple to use.
The halo moon-lit is soft on eyes.
Fun to try.

[/pros] [cons]

Cable sticking out from the side of the monitor
A 6 feet cable could have been better.
Lack of power on/off switch

[/cons]]]>

Antec 3X Cleaner Spray – Review

Lakshmi Rajan — Sun, 24 Feb 2013 23:27:57 +0000

The package includes:

240 ml spray bottle
60 ml spray bottle
Microfiber cloth (30 cm x 30 cm)

The small spray bottle comes handy while traveling or you just have to fit into your bag when you on the move. You never know when you would get your smartphone or tablet oil fudged during your food indulgence! Hey you can also sneak it into your personal bag and not expose it to your that miser colleague or friend who thinks your stuff is his stuff for granted.

Key features of Antec 3x clear spray

Anti-bacterial. I am no scientist nor do I own a microscope to put my screen under it but if Antec has to be believed it says the spray kills 99.9% of bascteria for over 24 hours. It also validates its claims by mentioning that it passes SGS testing by killing 99.9% of staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli bacteria. I have never been a bright student of science, so I leave it to you to do the bacterial study.
Unique non-drip formula
Anti-static
Alcohol and ammonia-free

Usage experience

So if you ask me what was the life-changing or eye-popping experience having used the 3X clean spray on my screens? My answer nothing. It worked the way it should. It cleaned my screen neat. I was assured that I would not smear my hands with bacterial pad. Nor expose myself to alcohol or ammonia. The screen was bit finger print resistant but then hey even antec says its resistance not complete finger-print proof. So you do get the finger prints after quiet a usage but then if it is very annoying just dig into you bag, pull out the spay, clean. You are good with your screen again. So that’s it, my review of Antec 3x cleaner spray, hope I came clean with my review. ]]>