There was a time when a computer’s well-being received little or no thought from their owners; it was simply just the “box” in the corner. Various component operating temperatures, drive capacity usage, fan rotation or lack thereof, etc. all went by the wayside, never reaching the light of day until something started making odd noises or everything came to a screeching halt. Nowadays, it’s possible to easily and actively monitor your entire system, whether via software such as Motherboard Monitor or via hardware. With the feature rich BIOS environments found on modern motherboards, you often have an array of pre-configurable options to help automate system monitoring and have it act accordingly to particular events. While these BIOS options are a handy option, they leave a lot to be desired when it comes to troubleshooting a systems’ erratic behavior unless you’ve paired it up with software such as Motherboard Monitor. With a hardware interface, such as an LCD or thermal probe display, the user can take a more active role in monitoring and perhaps see a trend, such as above normal temperatures or a drop in voltage on a particular rail, and take action accordingly.

To that end, we’ll be looking at a graphical hardware interface from the folks at Matrix Orbital, more specifically, the MX322. When it comes to graphical interfaces for the PC environment, Matrix Orbital is second to none. They not only provide some of the cleanest and easiest to use displays on the market, they’ve got the support and software to back it up. The MX322 is basically the smaller relative of the MX512, designed for those who can’t commit to the use of two drive bays.

At first glance, one might mistake the MX322 for an older MX2 model due to its similar appearance. For the most part, you’d be correct in that assumption as the two units are very similar in look, but the defining difference comes in the technology involved in the actual screens. While the MX212 is based on LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) technology, the MX322 sports a VFD (Vacuum Florescent Display) display. VFD units are usually more expensive due to their higher quality, 180 degree viewing angles and a much more crisp/sharp display contrast. VFD's are more commonly found in outdoor applications (external security pads, etc.) due to their capability of filtering out direct sunlight through the use of optional color filters. Stealing from Bellerophon’s MX512 review, you can read up on all the facts and information you’ll ever need about VFD’s over at Noritake’s page.

o is there really a discernable difference between the MX322’s VFD and the MX2’s LCD? Let’s read on as we compare the two models head to head.