The inside of a computer case is often covered in dust. More importantly, dust can settle inside unoccupied PCI and RAM slots. Over time, the dust build-up can become significant enough to cause contact problems with newly installed PCI cards or extra RAM memory. With Vantec’s PCI/RAM Slot Protectors, you can easily prevent dust from settling inside your PCI/RAM slots. Additionally, the Vantec PCI/RAM Slot Protectors are UV-Reactive, a perfect accessory for systems with windowed cases and UV lighting.
The packaging is very simple, with the plastic products shown through clear plastic. The back hosts information about the product.
The kit comes with 8 pieces: three of which are memory covers, and five PCI covers. Most modders today will be using dual-channel memory, so you will use two memory slots (leaving one spare). If you have an older motherboard using single channel memory, you could feasilbly use all three.
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You may wonder if you actually need to keep dust out of your computer’s slots. I have cleaned enough computers in my day to tell you that the neglected PC can breed dust bunnies large enough to kill a small rat. If you’re a case modder, however, then you probably take care of your equipment, and have a can of compressed air within a five-foot radius.
This actually might be a good choice for a home theater PC, where it is not always feasible to clean it frequently. I have several HTPCs, and their air circulation is not as optimal as an upright mini tower. When I do clean them (usually once every few months), there are noticeable dust collections around the air vents.
I actually had trouble keeping the memory slot protectors in place: the memory connectors do not grip the plastic tabs, and the memory side grips pop over the slot protector. As a result, the memory slot protectors easily fell out, requiring me to put them back in place after I transported my rig to a LAN party.
The slot protectors are long enough to cover a PCI or AGP slot, and are notched to fit older AGP slots. The notches are gripped by the slots connectors, so if you absolutely want to insert a slot protector into it, just cut off the tabs that get in the way. Longer or shorter slots will have problems: 1x PCI slots are way too short for the tabs, and PCI-X slots are too long, and may require 2 slot protectors. This product is clearly targeted to the average gamer with a windowed case, but no 1X PCIe cover is included in this kit.
The Vantec slot protectors are molded from PVC plastic, and bends slightly. Special UV pigments are added to the clear plastic pellets upon molding to make the product UV reactive.
The UV works rather well, and positioning a UV light near the back of your PC should be no problem.
The Vantec Slot Protector kit works as advertised: they keep dust out of your PCI slots and add a custom look to your modded PC. This isn’t a product you should rush out and buy to protect your system from the evils of dust: your rig will be just fine without them. You knew if you needed this product before you even read this article, so you don’t need to be convinced by me…
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