That $40 RGB fan controller was a total scam on my build

Bought a cheap RGB fan controller off eBay last month for $40, thought it would sync my 6 fans easily. Turns out the software was buggy as heck on Windows 11 and it bricked after 3 days, now my fans just spin at max speed constantly. Lost $40 and had to manually rewire everything to my motherboard instead. Anyone dealt with a fake or faulty fan controller that just ruins your airflow setup?

3 comments

3 Comments

alex_coleman2mo ago

Was it really a scam though or did you just get unlucky with a dud? Most cheap controllers work fine if you know what you're getting into, and $40 for 6 fan control isn't terrible if it's actually the software that's the problem. Did you try it on a different PC or just immediately toss it?

wade5581mo ago

My buddy had the exact same thing happen with a $30 Bluetooth adapter from Amazon last month. It straight up stopped working three days before his power strip started smoking, which made me wonder if these cheap electronics just have a built in self destruct timer. I've noticed a pattern where if something fails, something else in the same power chain usually follows within a week. It's like bad wiring or cheap power supplies just create a chain reaction where everything connected to them slowly dies. Either that or our houses are trying to tell us something.

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betty_scott182mo ago

Has anyone else had a fan controller die on them same week as their surge protector, or is that just my special brand of bad luck? In my experience, $40 for anything RGB on eBay is playing tech roulette, your mileage may vary. I've learned the hard way that cheaping out on fan control just means more noise and headache later.