Hardware Management Software for PSU, AIO & Fans?

ReveurGAM

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Hi,

I'd like to know about HMSes to monitor and optimize performance of PC hardware. I'll be running Windows. I'm aware that my Corsair iCUE case has an HMS that can manage my fans as well as the HX1000i PSU and the HR150i AIO. I also have an ASUS TUF H670-Pro MB, and I believe they have the Ryujin II 360 AIO, maybe another and a PSU that can be controlled by the HMS, although I'm not sure about fans. As a note, Asus Thor is Seasonic Focus+. (360mm AIO is the largest that can fit my iCUE 5000x case, although I don't know if that would be true of ALL brands or just Corsair's.) I would definitely prefer to get a 3-fan AIO.

Unfortunately, each has pros and cons. I'm not interested in a visually-interesting PC, since I look at my screen, not my case, so I don't see the point of stickers, RGBs, or an LCD on a water block if software can give me the same (and more) data. Worst of all, the options that support HMS from these 2 seem to be a compromise between appearance and performance. The ASUS ?? LC II 360 AIO, for example, vs the Ryujin II: the LC II is relatively plain looking (and cheaper), with better stats than the Ryujin, but the Ryujin has a water block fan (and a damned LCD and RGBs) with a higher price-tag. Sigh.

My thought is that one of these two choices would be the best to minimize the number of apps running, and that the ASUS HMS would be better, since I think of support for a case as secondary to that of a MB. Does that make sense?

Note: iCUE supports Lenovo, Nvidia and ASUS ROG, as well as an array of software companies.

Someone mentioned a few other options, but didn't give much in the way of details:

Arctic Liquid Freezer II - water block fan, no HMS?

DeepCool MEG Coreliquid - water block fan, HMS?

NZXT, Lian Li and Cooler Master - HMS

So, again, looking for HMS that can help control a PSU, fans and an AIO, if nothing else. Need suggestions on which to look at and which to avoid. If that means Corsair, so be it, I'll just have to save up a lot more money before I get it all.

Thanks!

Unfortunately, each has pros and cons. I'm not interested in a visually-interesting PC, since I look at my screen, not my case, so I don't see the point of stickers, RGBs, or an LCD on a water block if software can give me the same (and more) data. Worst of all, the options that support HMS from these 2 seem to be a compromise between appearance and performance. The ASUS ?? LC II 360 AIO, for example, vs the Ryujin II: the LC II is relatively plain looking (and cheaper), with better stats than the Ryujin, but the Ryujin has a water block fan (and a damned LCD and RGBs) with a higher price-tag. Sigh.
 
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Inthrutheoutdoor

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So basically, if you don't want rainbow lite 'em up merry-go-round puke, don't buy it :)

Get what works for you & be happy, there's no real point in asking US to chose YOUR cooling options for you, unless you want opinions on stuff other than what you mentioned in your post....
 
HWInfo64 is exceptional at what it does.

All kinds of customizations. I suppose over 100 sensors. I customize mine to display only about 70 of them and pay a lot of attention to maybe 15 or 20.

It displays current STATUS, but offers no CONTROLS as far as I know. I guess you want control ("managment").

But I don't know if it provides any insight into liquid cooling stuff.
 
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ReveurGAM

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HWInfo64 is exceptional at what it does.

All kinds of customizations. I suppose over 100 sensors. I customize mine to display only about 70 of them and pay a lot of attention to maybe 15 or 20.

It displays current STATUS, but offers no CONTROLS as far as I know. I guess you want control ("managment").

But I don't know if it provides any insight into liquid cooling stuff.

Thanks, Lafong. it looks like you're right that it provides info, including failure predictions. I will definitely keep that in mind, especially since it seems like it supports a wide array of hardware - something I'm not sure that the propriety stuff like iCUE does. My understanding is that, yes, HMSes do control the hardware to a degree, such as altering fan speeds to optimize the temperature, so that would be ideal, don't you think?
 

ReveurGAM

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So basically, if you don't want rainbow lite 'em up merry-go-round puke, don't buy it :)

Get what works for you & be happy, there's no real point in asking US to chose YOUR cooling options for you, unless you want opinions on stuff other than what you mentioned in your post....

So basically, when I created my message, part of it went into the ether, and didn't show up here. Since then, like a good dog, it has returned so you can see the full OP. I'm collecting data, not asking people to chose for me, and soliciting opinions on this topic. If that's not for you, just don't write anything. :p
 
My understanding is that, yes, HMSes do control the hardware to a degree, such as altering fan speeds to optimize the temperature, so that would be ideal, don't you think?

For fan control, all I've ever used is native BIOS controls (adjustable fan curves) and PWM fans. BIOS controls vary by motherboard but they all have the same principle.....as heat rises, fan speed can be forced to rise to meet it. Maybe your curves say "half fan speed till 50 degrees, 3/4 fan speed from 50 to 65 degrees, full throttle fan speed above 65 degrees"....whatever suits you.

I like "quiet", so my case fans are always near 500 rpm and my CPU fan is usually near 800. I'm not very nervous about temps. If I was, I'd get different fans and set them to run at or near full throttle at all times.

You can easily get case fans that spin up around 3000 rpm. It would be speculation as to how much that would improve your situation.

It would help you temp-wise if you were either half deaf or indifferent to noise. Or both. Or if you could sit 8 feet from the PC rather than 4 feet.

I've never heard of PSU control beyond whatever is built into the PSU itself...some of them don't spin the fan at all if temps are below X.

Nor have I ever heard the term "Hardware Management Software". Must be something I don't need.
 
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ReveurGAM

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LOL! I was just watching him last night, but didn't see this one. If you find some from other self-professed IT experts, please let me know. Fantastic! Fan Control by Remi Mercier @https://github.com/rem0o/fancontrol.releases
Too bad it doesn't do failure prediction but, still, this is great!
 
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ReveurGAM

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Don't think anything like that is around. That's the thing with hardware, it can just turn bad on you. Keeping software updated and pc clean when also abit of monitoring with tools like hwinfo is about all you can do.

Actually...If you reread my OP, there are a few, although I'm not sure which provide failure prediction aside from iCUE.

And...
On a whim, while I was at work I searched for "hardware management software" and came up with a bunch of stuff having to do with keeping track of inventory (which had a slightly different name than HMS) . Since it seemed that I came up with a very practical - but unused - term, I decided to search for alternatives to iCUE. That resulted in hits for software to control RGBs, of which there apparently are many, and some whining towards the author about the inclusion of some software that doesn't do RGB but does other stuff.

So, I modified my search terms a bit more to "software to monitor and control PC components." That got me a few hits, including the Time Doctor blog's "10 Excellent PC Monitoring Software". Then there's Comparitech's "14 Best PC & Hardware Monitoring Software & Tools for 2022" and Windows Report's "7 Best PC Performance Monitoring Software for Windows 10/11". I also looked at Tech Spot's "HWMonitor Alternatives". And there are other articles. Software mentioned includes these...And this still isn't an exhaustive list! I'm not convinced that every one on this list is relevant, just like I don't consider the RGB-only programs to be relevant (to my search). Several do WAY more than what I was searching for, and some would be great in a business or other network setting.

  • AIDA64 Extreme
  • Alexander Berezkin's HMonitor 4.5.4.2
  • AMD Ryzen Master
  • Atera
  • Auslogics System Information 2.2.0.0
  • ASUS Armoury Crate & Aura Creator
  • Corsair iCUE
  • CPUID HWMonitor
  • Datadog Infrastructure Monitoring
  • FirstWave Open-AudIT
  • Gabriel Topala's SIW (System Info) 2022.12.4.0817
  • HMonitor 4.5.4.2
  • IObit Advanced SystemCare
  • IOLO System Mechanic
  • LogicMonitor
  • ManageEngine Endpoint Central
  • MSI Afterburner
  • NinjaOne
  • NZXT CAM
  • Open Hardware Monitor
  • Paessler PRTG Network Monitor
  • Piriform Speccy
  • Real User Monitor
  • REALiX Corp. HWiNFO 32/64 v7.26
  • SolarWinds Server & Application Monitor
  • SpeedFan
  • SysGauge
  • TeamViewer Remote Management
  • Zabbix
Sorry, I don't have time to hunt down links right now. Start with those four article links at the top if anyone is curious.
 

Vic 40

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Actually...If you reread my OP, there are a few, although I'm not sure which provide failure prediction aside from iCUE.
Even ICUE i doubt can truly "predict" failure. If you for instance don't use an "I" version of a psu like a RM 1000i can it maybe still read data from the motherboards sensors, but they can be wrong as well and by the time things fall apart and signs are showing is likely the only solution or still only solution replacement and hope a failing psu didn't hurt any other part.
 

ReveurGAM

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Even ICUE i doubt can truly "predict" failure. If you for instance don't use an "I" version of a psu like a RM 1000i can it maybe still read data from the motherboards sensors, but they can be wrong as well and by the time things fall apart and signs are showing is likely the only solution or still only solution replacement and hope a failing psu didn't hurt any other part.
First of all, you're confusing "prediction" with 100% accuracy. Only "psychics" claim that, and they're liars.

Secondly, if the software has the drivers, it can read the sensors - multiple apps have already been demonstrating this for a long time.

Thirdly, the quality and accuracy of the predictions depends on multiple factors but having SOME suggestion of a problem is better than nothing at all. Unlike humans, quality programs can detect anomalies long before there's any evidence we can pick up on, except for in major problems like a lightning strike where it goes from 100% functionality to non-functioning in a heartbeat. Software, thus, gives you a BETTER chance of catching a problem before it impacts other parts of your computer than you can, sometimes immensely better.

What you're implying is that it'd be better for me to explore a cave with a candle than with a waterproof flashlight. I appreciate that you've shared your thoughts, but I really feel you should think this through.