Vantec Clear & Shielded Rounded Cables

Company: eXtreme PC gear
Product: Vantec Clear & Shielded Rounded Cables
Street Price: ~ $13
Date Reviewed: January 31, 2002
Reviewed By: Vinny D.

So What's The Scoop?:

We at Extreme Overclocking were lucky enough to get two of the newer variety of rounded cables the other day from Extreme PC Gear to review. They are 18" long and unlike the other hard plastic cables, these are shielded and covered in a nice clear plastic. The cables we received are only for one device but they make a number of other kinds which are talked about more in the conclusion. Below are some pictures of the the rounded shielded cable, notice the first picture how flexible the cable is and how it is able to stay bent on its own.

(Click on an image for a close-up)

You can see that the ends are covered in soft clear plastic, so you don't have to worry about snagging them. Some of the earlier rounded cables left the ends leave the wires exposed which I really do not like.

How Well Do They Work?

Now we know these cables look nice but how much do they effect the performance of the system?

Well as far as data transfer, these cables are rated for ATA 66/100/133 and perform exactly the same as other rounded or flat cables.  There is no change in transfer speed, and as far as I can tell, no sign of data corruption in the time they have been in my system. 

These cables were easier to fit than other rounded cables I have used. They also took very little time to install and position properly in the case, out of the way of the fan airflow and components. I have not noticed a change in air flow or case temperature since I installed them, but the case sure looks a lot neater now.

Compared to the other blue cables that you can see in the picture, these cables are a lot more flexible and did not kink up on me when I was getting them to fit in place. Also, they have a nice look to them and do a good job of reflecting the blue light that is in my case, which unfortunately the picture just doesn't do it justice.

(Click on an image for a close-up)

Conclusion:

Overall I think they look really good in the case and, although they are a bit pricey, they are well worth it if looks are important.

These cables are offered in three different lengths of 18", 24" & 36".  Each length also has one device and two device versions.  I really like the fact that they offer the one device cables, so those of us who have two drives in a RAID array like I do here, do not have to fight with that extra connector and cable length that will never get used.

Thanks again to Extreme PC Gear for sending us these cables to review. They are currently in stock and on sale for $12.99 each.

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