Test – NZXT Grid + – Board Config : Specs | CPU | Hashrate | Review | Config

Hi all!

We are continuing the tests of NZXT products today with an accessory that could delight fans of silence and those who like to have their hands on the ventilation of their PC, I named the Grid +! This small rheobus will have the heavy task of managing all the fans of the box and can be controlled via the CAM software that I was able to show you in detail on the Kraken X441 test (see more details here. 6 controllable fans program, possibility of adjusting the latter via the temperature of the GPU or the CPU, consumption control etc.
Offered at around € 30, let’s see what the NZXT Grid + has in its belly!

The box is rather sober, we can see a profile photo of the Grid + as well as its dimensions, the maximum power delivered (30 Watts) as well as the 2 year warranty.

At the back there is a small description which highlights the CAM software of the brand as well as the strengths of the small box, protection against short circuits, 6 controllable fans, 2 extension cords etc.

Inside the box a plastic mold in which are the bundle as well as the small Grid + box, nothing very exceptional here!

The bundle consists of:

• The Grid + box
• 1 USB 2.0 cable
• 1 molex power cable
• 2 extensions 4-pin -> 3-pin
• Some cable ties
• 2 pieces of double-sided tape

As you can see the bundle has everything you need to plug in and run the Grid +, plus some cable ties and 3-pin extension cords. The adhesive pieces will come in handy for placing the Grid + without it moving in the tower when traveling.

The Grid + is a small black box 7.3cm wide and 1.8cm thick, the plastic is of very good quality and we only see a Grid + engraved in its center. At the back 3 screws close the case.

We can connect 6 fans, 3 on each side, on the other hand a small disappointment here it will only be possible to connect 3-pin fans, too bad 🙁

One side is reserved for the ventilation of the animal, with a maximum power of 30 Watts it is still necessary to see to cool the thing!

The USB connector for control via the motherboard on the left and the power connector on the right.

The white PCB is very clean, we feel that the quality is there.

As we can see the NZXT Grid + is a very discreet case with 7.3cm sides and 1.8cm thick for a weight of just over 100g, which means that it will not weigh down your tower or spoil the view!
6 channels are available for as many fans but in 3-pin only, it will be possible to control the voltage from 0 to 12V, i.e. the fans can be stopped if the temperatures set in the software are not reached, great for a quiet PC!
The NZXT Grid + is available at a price of around 30 €, which could be interesting for those who do not want to invest in a 5.25 ″ or 3.5 ″ rheobus and who prefer to manage the ventilation via the operating system, by the software CAM in our case.

I won’t give you a complete presentation of the CAM software again, since I made it for the Kraken X41 (you can see for yourself here) but rather a small zoom on the part reserved for the Grid +. As we can see when opening the CAM software, a small insert is reserved for the Grid +, it will be possible to change the mode among the predefined settings (silent, performance, manual) or even custom profiles that it will be possible to make in the Grid + tab:

Here NZXT has worked so as to have a clear interface, which is not unpleasant, quite the contrary! As I just said, several modes are available, Silent, Performance, Manual or even custom profiles. As you can imagine each mode has a different ventilation profile, the manual mode leaves the fans at a constant value. Where the Grid + is interesting and the possibility of setting the fans on the temperature of the CPU, or of the GPU! On the other hand the only problem is that it is only possible to choose one or the other, it will unfortunately not be possible to take some fans to put them on the temperature of the GPU and others on the CPU 🙁
On the other hand, and this is where the main attraction of the Grid + is, it will be possible to adjust the fans as we see fit, and even to stop them, see instead:

On this profile the fans will not turn before the graphics card reaches 60 °, this can be really very practical if you want to make the PC as quiet as possible at rest, really very practical!

Points to remember about how the beast works:

• All fans are controlled at the same time, no individual settings
• Only a check on the temperature of the CPU or of the GPU
• No 4-pin fans directly on the box, possible via 4-pin -> 3-pin adapter

Here we are at the end of this test, what about the NZXT Grid +?
NZXT decided to update its Grid which was very basic to a Grid + which has some rather nice features, stopping the fans, managing the ventilation with small onions going up to stopping the fans below a certain temperature using CAM software.
However, a few small features are still missing to make the Grid + the “must have” for anyone who wants to control everything with a single rheobus, such as individual management of fans according to X or Y temperature, as is the Grid + only manages one single temperature (CPU or GPU) for all fans. Another point that can be disappointing is the inability to connect 4-pin fans directly to the box, it is possible to do this via a 4-pin to 3-pin extension cable but not directly, when it would have simply been necessary to expand the interstices on the case, it’s a shame and may put off some.

Offered at a price of around € 30, the Grid + is despite everything a very nice little accessory that will be forgotten inside the tower and will be able, for example, to turn off and on fans depending on the temperature of the graphics card and thus allow to have a very quiet gaming PC at rest and very well ventilated in action.

A big thank you to NZXT who allowed me to do this test.

Where can I find the NZXT Grid +?

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