Phobya MaxGuide 6 Dualbay Fan Controller Review

Phobya’s MaxGuide 6 Dual Bay fan or pump controller is currently retailing at £54.44 in the UK and €60 in Europe. This actually makes it quite a pricey fan controller given the functionality it offers. Now at the price we can see we have a decent looking fan controller with support for up to six 36W channels. The addition of the card readers and USB 3.0 ports is another value added feature – although not something everyone will want or need and you have to consider that one USB 3.0 header on this fan controller gives only one USB 3.0 port when on a case you’d get two. This is certainly shooting to be a high-end fan controller and it does offer up a beefy size and a lot of channel wattage that’d make you happily use it with a high-end system.

Though a few things let it down. Firstly the fan control knobs move about too much and make the unit feel poorly finished. Secondly, the screen is reflective and as a result you get reflective glare. Thirdly the green PCB stands out like a sore thumb and should of been black like the rest of the controller. Additionally I feel like there should of been some longer fan/temperature cables and that there should be an option to buy a MaxGuide 6 without the USB port/ card readers for those who prefer simplicity, it’d also be nice if this “simpler” unit was a bit cheaper too to reflect the saving of materials.

Pros

• Up to 36W a channel
• Aluminium construction throughout, front bezel is brushed
• Black cables
• Six temperature sensors
• Hardware level on/off for speaker
• 1 or 2 year warranty (depending on retailer)
• Precise fan tuning
• Stable voltages

Cons

• Green PCB
• No extension cables – 60cm for all cables, may be a stretch to reach the back of cases
• Wobbly fan control dials
• Some glare on reflective screen
• No included molex cable
• No temperature target responses

Subjective Issues

• USB 3.0 port and card readers

eTeknix says: We like the Phobya MaxGuide as an overall fan controller although I think it is let down a bit by a lack of build quality and finesse that I would of expected for a fan controller at this premium price point. Despite using high quality materials and having a solid metal frame the wobbly fan control dials and green PCB aren’t acceptable for the price. Furthermore, we are still undecided as to whether the USB 3.0 port and card readers on this device are really a good idea and whether consumers really want them or need them. This is by no means a bad product but I certainly feel there are better value for money options out there and the dual 5.25 inch bay size may not be to everyone’s taste. However, the MaxGuide 6 is still worth a buy if you aren’t too fussed by internal aesthetics and would actually find the “bonus” connectivity useful.

Thank you to Aquatuning for providing this review sample.