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Logisys Liquid Neon Thunder Kit |
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Written by Mikhail Ivanenkov
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Sunday, 01 July 2007 |
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Thanks to Sidewinder Computers for the product sample.
After taking a peak at (and being thoroughly impressed by) Logisys' CCFL kits we decided to have a look at one of their more innovative products, the so called Thunder light. Unlike common cathodes, this kit uses patterned liquid neon that reacts to its surroundings and creates some very cool effects. It's a bit more expensive ($9 as opposed to $6 for the CCFL kit), but as we'll see shortly well worth the price.
The retail packaging is similar to that of their cathodes. You get the light, an inverter capable of running two bulbs, a 4-pin pass-through molex connecter to provide power, pre-cut velcro strips with adhesive backing for mounting, and a PCI slot with an on/off switch. The switch is removable via a pair of screws so you can mount it anywhere inside or outside of a case. Instead of having cubic ends, the Thunder kit comes with elongated tips that are round on one side and flat on the other.
The tube of the light is thicker than those found on cathodes and has a very thin black wire spanning its length (most likely to provide electricity at the other end). There are quite a few choices in the series. The spiral pattern (which I received) comes in green, blue, red (more like pink), and RGB. There are also switching patterns where the tube changes color; these are available in blue/purple and green/yellow. Finally we have the lava pattern that comes in red (more poppy red) and blue. There may well be other color combinations available that aren't listed on the package.
Like other lights the Thunder kit is plug & play. While it's not as bright as cathodes, it more than makes up for it with its coolness factor. The tube has a steady green glow while brighter spirals go crazy within. These spirals don't have a constant pattern, but instead react to the presence of nearby objects. Holding the tube up in the air will create a very slow moving effect; gripping it in your hand will make the spirals move a lot faster. It's very entertaining to see them speed up and slow down as you move your hand closer or farther away. It doesn't seem to be reactive to sound or light though, so don't expect any synchronization with games. Here's a short video showing the light in action.
Heat wise the inverter stays barely above ambient temperature and the light gets only a tad bit warmer (still not nearly as much as cathodes). There's no sound emanating from the inverter either. As I mentioned earlier, relative to cold cathodes the Thunder kit isn't very bright. That's ok though, since its purpose is to be shown out in the open. CCFLs, in my opinion, shouldn't be seen in a case. They're there to light up the interior but if you see the actual bulb it looks tacky, similar to most neon jobs on cars.
The Thunder kit on the other hand is meant to be displayed. It won't light up your case that much but it will give it a very unique appearance. Furthermore, because it's not so bright and distracting it'll look even better outside of a case, perhaps mounted atop a monitor (a couple on either side would look even better). Thanks to the length of the cables, you won't have to worry about it not stretching far enough. The tube is the same length as cathodes but only about 9" of it is active.
Pros
- Complete package
- Has removable on/off switch
- Very bright
- Very low heat emission and inaudible
- Very neat effect from the reactive liquid neon
- Well designed exterior makes it great for external display
- Inexpensive ($9 per kit)
Cons
- Only 9" of the 12"+ is active
I'm curious to see what the other patterns are like, but as it stands I'm very pleased with the Thunder kit. While slightly more expensive than the cathodes, a combination of the two is a great way to spice up any computer for under $20. Having a well built and durable external casing and being reactive to the touch also makes this a great candidate for exterior placement. And of course the price is right, a deciding factor for many users. You can pick some up here.
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Last Updated ( Friday, 20 July 2007 )
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