Date: April 22nd, 2008
Article by: Jackie Mueller (Hardware Reviewer)
Edited By: Nathan Glentworth (Owner / Head Editor)
Product was submitted by: VIZO
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CONCLUSIONS AND AFTERTHOUGHTS
Vizo's Master Panel II takes many commonly used ports found on the back of a PC and provides additional access at the front, creating a convenient way to plug and unplug peripherals without having to fiddle with wires at the back. Not only that, it also includes a dual fan speed controller and memory card reader that is compatible with most of the typically used cards found in today's electronics. All of this fits right into an open 5 ¼ bay for a centralized point of access.
While not really a huge deal, I did want to point out the fact that the panel sits slightly recessed inside the bay – maybe about a quarter of an inch. I tried adjusting it by using each set of mounting holes but was unsuccessful in getting it to sit flush with front bezel of the case. Now this could very well be due to the design of my case, but I will have to install the panel in a different case to be sure of that. It doesn't affect functionality in any way but is just a cosmetic imperfection to be aware of.
I am a big fan of products that make life easier, and the Master Panel II is definitely one of them. It has been getting lots of use on my main rig and I plan on using it through at least a couple more upgrades. I'm not sure I'll use the audio ports so much though; running cables through the case and out the back creates a bit of a cabling mess that I would rather not deal with.
Pros:
- Wide variety of ports
- Card reader
- Dual fan speed controller
- Lots of cables included
- Good value
Cons:
- Not a perfect fit in some computer chassis
- No headers for plugging in audio to motherboard
If you have any other questions, please post the HERE.
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