Software and Lighting

With iCUE in the name, it's a fair assumption that these CORSAIR iCUE Link QX120 RGB fans need iCUE for software customization. You could get away with just relying on the default fan curve and the lighting effect if you want to call it a day of course, but CORSAIR would no doubt like you to adorn your entire PC build with iCUE Link products and use the software on offer. Find the latest version of CORSAIR iCUE on this page and install it after the iCUE Link system hub and fans are connected already. Else it will take you a few iCUE program and system restarts before both the hub and the fans are detected by the software. The video above goes over the software customization available, including changing the lighting on a per-LED basis as well as simply choosing between several pre-programmed lighting effects—note the new time warp effects here. The temperature sensor also helps make sure everything is working as expected while also allowing you to force shut down the system in case of an emergency. There are also three fan control profiles pre-programmed although you can easily make your own too, even though I suspect most people will just leave it on the default "Balanced" preset which works well enough while keeping the fan inaudible during idle scenarios once installed inside a PC case, ramping up as needed.


Seen above are all three fans powered on and lit up so you get a better idea of what to expect from the LEDs on board. The translucent rotor and frame cutout helps diffuse the light quite well from the whopping 34 LEDs placed on each fan in two lighting zones (front and back). As I mentioned before, I am fairly certain the white frame version of the fan will be brighter given the higher reflection there but otherwise you are in for an impressive light show either way. I was especially impressed with the time warp effects which can be used when the fans are spinning below 2000 RPM. These give an illusion of the fans not spinning at all or rotating clockwise/counter-clockwise slowly as seen in the video. At lower brightness levels you can still see the individual LEDs although the fans do feel more uniformly lit up with the blades rotating and the LEDs at max brightness. I also appreciate the side lighting on offer since there will no doubt be many PC builds which have the fans installed such as you won't be able to really see the blades themselves. It's not as cool as having a front-on view but still gives you something to look at.