Thermaltake has been experimenting with RGB for years now, and It looks like they’re doubling down in 2019. Their CES showroom was packed full of beautiful builds showcasing Thermaltake’s focus on customizable lighting options, and it was hard to look away.
Among all the rainbow fans, power supplies, peripherals and desks…yes, desks, we’ll get to that in a moment, was an emphasis on hardware unity, and that’s an exciting step forward for lighting enthusiasts.
Too Many Choices
As RGB lighting has exploded in popularity over the last few years, the software and hardware that control that lighting have splintered into proprietary options developed by the biggest hardware manufacturers. Competition is usually good for consumers, and there’s no doubt that companies like TT, Corsair, ASUS, Razer and more have created some compelling products that integrate lighting in meaningful ways…but it also means there is no unity across brands.
If, like many, you have products from more than one company, say a Razer mouse, Corsair headset and Thermaltake CPU cooler, getting them all to play nicely together can be a challenge.
This is done to encourage a single brand ecosystem, meaning all of your hardware can be controlled and modified with one software suite, like ASUS’s Aura, or Razer’s Synapse. While this is potentially good for the companies developing the peripherals, it’s not necessarily ideal for people who want to choose particular hardware without sacrificing synchronization options.
It looks like that paradigm is finally changing, and Thermaltake appears to be on the forefront with their Adressable RGB initiative. By working closely with companies like Razer, ASUS, MSI, and GIGABYTE, Thermaltake is attempting to bring together unified lighting control regardless of brand. That means no more picking and choosing your hardware based on what you already own. ASUS motherboard, Razer headset and Thermaltake mouse? No problem at all. This is potentially a huge deal in the peripheral and hardware market.
Full Desk RGB
This unified front was on clear display with Thermaltake’s setup in the center of their showcase. Just about every product’s lighting was synced, including their new RGB standing desk. Because the lighting software can support Razer’s integrated game specific lighting, every action made in Overwatch produced hypnotizing lighting results. Seeing all the peripherals, from the power supply to the mouse perfectly synced across brands was immensely satisfying, and we’re hoping to see more of this sort of cross platform support in 2019.
Bring out the RAM
Thermaltake’s also kicking off 2019 with an exciting announcement: they’re getting into the RAM market in a big way with custom designed modules. Not only are they offering this DDR4 RAM at 3200MHz speeds, they’re also bundling it with a rather intriguing addition: an RGB cooling block called WaterRAM.
This fully customizable block uses dual G 1/4 connectors for easy integration into your custom cooling loop, and full lighting customization via Tt RGB PLUS.
Though overheating RAM isn’t usually a huge concern for most builders, there’s no doubt that it adds even more flair to a cooling loop. For now there is no way to get this new Thermaltake RAM without the cooling block, but that could change in the coming months.
It’s neat to see Thermaltake taking steps into new hardware markets, and we’re looking forward to testing it out when we get our hands on it.
A Bright, Colorful 2019
There’s plenty more on Thermaltake’s plate as well.
They have a new line of coolant called T1000, and its been engineered to eliminate residue in your pumps and reservoirs. They’re pursuing an even more intimate partnership with Razer by adding Razer switches to some of their keyboards, alongside their previous Cherry options. Their new standing desks will allow PC users more freedom of movement, and the consistent hardware and peripheral refreshes mean Thermaltake is keeping up with what’s worked for them in the past in addition to the new offerings.
