Although the small manual included with the Sentry 2 provides information regarding installation of the device and the identity of the cables, it does not give any information on how to use the device. The Sentry 2 by itself is quite straightforward, anyway, and the intuitive interface of the Sentry 2 provides an easy way of learning how to use the device. Nevertheless, a manual on how to operate the device is available on NZXT’s website:
Link: Manual - Guidelines on how to operate the touchscreen on Sentry 2
An extract from NZXT’s manual on how to operate the device
As you can see from the previous picture, the Sentry 2 basically has six touch sensitive areas. The manual pretty much explains how the device works. The touch and control areas are also very responsiveness with little to no lag between input and a response on the screen. The screen itself is very clear and bright enough to be read in the dark and at an angle. The screen is not bright enough to light a room and become bothersome if you plan to sleep near your computer case. In the situation where the screen’s brightness might bother you, you may turn it off by pressing and holding the “E” button.
By default, the Sentry 2 is set so that all fans are working on the automatic fan control mode. The interface shows the selected fan (1 through 5) to configure, its temperature from the temperature diode with matching number and the fan speed percentage. The fan speed percentage is also shown by the blue meter at the bottom of screen. At the right, we can see a circular shape with a fan fins in the middle. These fan fins will spin when the selected fan is spinning, and the fan fins on the screen will spin faster with increasing fan speed percentage.
The temperature setting for the alarm is set by default at 70°C. Pressing the “A” button once will allow you to modify the temperature at which the alarm will ring. The range for the threshold temperature for the alarm is 30-90°C. Also, when the alarm rings, it will beep loudly five times and the fan exceeding the threshold will blink on the screen. The alarm may be disabled by pressing the “E” button. Notice that by pressing this button, all sounds will be disabled.
Fan 1 working on the automatic fan control mode
As mentioned earlier in the specifications, the Sentry 2 features two types of control modes: automatic and manual. Switching between the manual and automatic modes is done by pressing the “B” button. In the manual mode, the fan speed percentage can be modified by pressing the “F” buttons and the settings include 0, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90 and 100%. It is unfortunate that the fan controller cannot bring down the fan speed percentage to 10-30%. For a silent enthusiast, it is quite disappointing. Indeed, at a fan speed of 40%, I felt that the Noctua NF-P12 was not running at a voltage below 7V. For silence, the Noctua NF-P12 would have to run at about 5V, which the NZXT Sentry 2 does not allow.
Fan 1 working on the manual fan control mode at 100%
In automatic mode, the fan speed percentage will be modified accordingly to the fan’s matching numbered temperature diode. The fan speed percentages used by the automatic mode are
- 40% (for < 20°C);
- 50% (for 20-24°C);
- 60% (for 25-29°C);
- 70% (30-34°C);
- 80% (35-39°C);
- 90% (40-44°C) and;
- 100% (> 45°C).
Fan 1 working on the manual fan control mode at 40%
Pressing the “C” button will allow you to navigate to another fan on the screen. Each fan may have an independent manual setting and temperature threshold for the alarm. Nevertheless, in manual control mode, all fans will be set to manual. Consequently, if you set automatic control mode for one fan, all fans will be automatically controlled.
Each fan may be independently configured in manual mode
Although you may select fans 1 though 5, you may also select all the fans simultaneously. In this mode, you may set a temperature threshold common to all the fans. Furthermore, you may also set a common manual fan speed percentage to all the fans. Notice that in order to configure the manual fan speed when selecting all the fans, you will need to press on the area indicating the fan speed percentage. After a single press, the number will blink and then you will be able to configure it. I like to call this the Sentry 2’s secret seventh touch area. Elsewhere, when selecting all of the fans, no temperature reading will be displayed on the screen and no fan number will flash if ever one of temperature at a diode exceeds the threshold.
All fans may be selected and configured with common settings
In a nutshell, the Sentry 2 was very responsive with little to no delay between touching the touch areas and seeing a response. Each touch areas were also very large and sensitive. The Sentry 2 worked well with the three fans I tested it with and the alarm worked properly. No strange high pitch whine seemed to emit from the device. Also, the Sentry 2 had no trouble remembering the settings after a power off.
Link: Manual - Guidelines on how to operate the touchscreen on Sentry 2
An extract from NZXT’s manual on how to operate the device
As you can see from the previous picture, the Sentry 2 basically has six touch sensitive areas. The manual pretty much explains how the device works. The touch and control areas are also very responsiveness with little to no lag between input and a response on the screen. The screen itself is very clear and bright enough to be read in the dark and at an angle. The screen is not bright enough to light a room and become bothersome if you plan to sleep near your computer case. In the situation where the screen’s brightness might bother you, you may turn it off by pressing and holding the “E” button.
By default, the Sentry 2 is set so that all fans are working on the automatic fan control mode. The interface shows the selected fan (1 through 5) to configure, its temperature from the temperature diode with matching number and the fan speed percentage. The fan speed percentage is also shown by the blue meter at the bottom of screen. At the right, we can see a circular shape with a fan fins in the middle. These fan fins will spin when the selected fan is spinning, and the fan fins on the screen will spin faster with increasing fan speed percentage.
The temperature setting for the alarm is set by default at 70°C. Pressing the “A” button once will allow you to modify the temperature at which the alarm will ring. The range for the threshold temperature for the alarm is 30-90°C. Also, when the alarm rings, it will beep loudly five times and the fan exceeding the threshold will blink on the screen. The alarm may be disabled by pressing the “E” button. Notice that by pressing this button, all sounds will be disabled.
Fan 1 working on the automatic fan control mode
As mentioned earlier in the specifications, the Sentry 2 features two types of control modes: automatic and manual. Switching between the manual and automatic modes is done by pressing the “B” button. In the manual mode, the fan speed percentage can be modified by pressing the “F” buttons and the settings include 0, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90 and 100%. It is unfortunate that the fan controller cannot bring down the fan speed percentage to 10-30%. For a silent enthusiast, it is quite disappointing. Indeed, at a fan speed of 40%, I felt that the Noctua NF-P12 was not running at a voltage below 7V. For silence, the Noctua NF-P12 would have to run at about 5V, which the NZXT Sentry 2 does not allow.
Fan 1 working on the manual fan control mode at 100%
In automatic mode, the fan speed percentage will be modified accordingly to the fan’s matching numbered temperature diode. The fan speed percentages used by the automatic mode are
- 40% (for < 20°C);
- 50% (for 20-24°C);
- 60% (for 25-29°C);
- 70% (30-34°C);
- 80% (35-39°C);
- 90% (40-44°C) and;
- 100% (> 45°C).
Fan 1 working on the manual fan control mode at 40%
Pressing the “C” button will allow you to navigate to another fan on the screen. Each fan may have an independent manual setting and temperature threshold for the alarm. Nevertheless, in manual control mode, all fans will be set to manual. Consequently, if you set automatic control mode for one fan, all fans will be automatically controlled.
Each fan may be independently configured in manual mode
Although you may select fans 1 though 5, you may also select all the fans simultaneously. In this mode, you may set a temperature threshold common to all the fans. Furthermore, you may also set a common manual fan speed percentage to all the fans. Notice that in order to configure the manual fan speed when selecting all the fans, you will need to press on the area indicating the fan speed percentage. After a single press, the number will blink and then you will be able to configure it. I like to call this the Sentry 2’s secret seventh touch area. Elsewhere, when selecting all of the fans, no temperature reading will be displayed on the screen and no fan number will flash if ever one of temperature at a diode exceeds the threshold.
All fans may be selected and configured with common settings
In a nutshell, the Sentry 2 was very responsive with little to no delay between touching the touch areas and seeing a response. Each touch areas were also very large and sensitive. The Sentry 2 worked well with the three fans I tested it with and the alarm worked properly. No strange high pitch whine seemed to emit from the device. Also, the Sentry 2 had no trouble remembering the settings after a power off.
