Whether you’re brand new to the experience of building your own PC or you know your way around a motherboard with your eyes closed it’s always exciting to start putting together a new rig. You meticulously plan out your components, studying the ins and outs of every individual part so that you can be certain it is going to be compatible and find the perfect case for it all to fit into. No matter how well you plan your build, though, there’s always one wild card: cable management.
Planning for cable management can be a bit of a dice roll. The more tech and RGB lighting floating around in your system the more wires you’re likely to have flailing about. Pretty LEDs have become a staple of gaming PCs and high end rigs, and Corsair has done their part to streamline the process of managing the woes that come with those pretty lights. If you’ve already built a PC and used Corsair products in the past you’re probably already familiar with the Corsair iCUE system that streamlines RGB software so all of your Corsair RGB components can be controlled from one application. Corsair is now expanding iCUE from software to hardware with the iCUE LINK, an entire ecosystem designed to simplify and streamline the dreaded cable management phase of DIY PC builds.
Up to 14 components, seven on each side, can be connected to a single smart iCUE LINK hub using a single cable connection from component to component that is capable of transferring both power and data alike. Corsair’s iCUE LINK compatible fans require no cabling at all and can simply link directly to one another, effectively eliminating cord clutter that would either be visible at the front of your build or need to be managed via velcro or cable ties in the back behind a panel. Once your components are connected to a hub they will be automatically detected by the iCUE software where you have the option to adjust settings including fan curves and synchronized lighting effects.
The iCUE LINK compatible components from Corsair aren’t just for looks, each iCUE LINK smart component features a built-in sensor to track air temperatures in your PC and can communicate with the System Hub via a built-in microcontroller for more detailed system monitoring. Because the iCUE LINK smart cable is capable of transferring data as well as power these sensors can help you determine the best iCUE system settings such as fan curves and unique lighting modes while also serving as a system monitor so you can easily detect problems early before they can cause actual mayhem.
Corsair’s one-connector-to-rule-them-all approach with the iCUE LINK system can help ease the anxiety new builders may experience with trying to cable manage their PC and feel secure knowing that their build is going to look and perform at its best without any extra hassle. More experienced builders can similarly breathe easy, knowing they can throw out that baggie of cable ties and that they’ll never again have to text their bestie to come over and help hold down wires while they replace their case panels.
The iCUE LINK ecosystem currently includes Corsair QX120 and 140 RGB fans, an RGB and LCD AIO option, and Hydro X custom cooling components for water cooling your CPU and GPU with a simple, clean looking cabling solution. Additional hubs, splitters, and cables are also available.