Unboxing: ROG Front Base Dual-Bay Gaming Panel

The ROG Front Base is a control panel that fits in two 5.25-inch bays within your PC case. While the OC Panel is aimed at more extreme users, with its liquid nitrogen-styled support for features such as VGA Hotwire and Subzero Sense, the Front Base is aimed at gamers who want all this;

• Ultimate audio companion - Awesome front 3.5mm jack sound quality
• One-click overclocking - Press for instant extra performance
• Hit the button, hide your game - ‘Escape Mode’ instantly hides your gaming activity — any time
• Monitor your system and control multiple fans – real-time management of the CPU cooler and up to four other case fans. All of them can be controlled individually.
• Always-on USB charger - Quick charge in sleep, hibernate and shutdown modes

First things first though - on with the unboxing! If you're surfing the shop shelves you'll easily spot ROG gear in its red livery.

Pop the lid and take out the Front Base. Underneath you'll find the cables and manuals.

In the box you get:

• Front base panel
• User manual, quick start guide and safety info
• Driver disc
• ROG case badge!
• High quality front audio cable
• Internal connector to compatible motherboards

The internal connector cable is required to active the special features on the Front Base, and naturally you'll need a compatible motherboard (Maximus VI series or Rampage IV Black Edition) for them to function.

The internal cable that passes front audio/microphone between motherboard and front 3.5mm jacks are actually two separate high-quality, shielded audio cables strapped together beneath the cable braid, separating headphone audio from microphone input. Usually this cable is integrated into the PC chassis, but it's a low-quality, unshielded steel cable, which undoes the benefit of SupremeFX's high-quality audio. By using a high-quality, shielded cable the interlink retains the sound quality between motherboard and headset.

Around back and there's three connectors (left to right): (SATA) power, internal motherboard data cable, front panel audio cable.

Powered up and the Front Base looks like this:

Along the bottom there are the front headphone/microphone ports, (always on) USB port, three buttons for Escape Mode, One Click OC and power. The silver knob controls the settings such as fan speeds.

Read-outs include the time, motherboard in use, CPU frequency, fan speeds, temperatures, Sonic Radar mode (along the bottom) and whether the One Click OC has been activated.

We want to see your Front Base's installed in your case - so please share with us in the forums!