I've compared the cables to some generic flat IDE leads, just to see if there is any difference. I've not tested the Floppy cable other than to see that it works, as in my opinion the floppy cable is there more to finish off the set and complete the look. Having 2 Glow in the Dark rounded IDE cables and a flat grey floppy cable would look kind of silly...
Generic Cables
AKASA Cables
Well, the results speak for themselves. Whilst the benchmarks show that the AKASA "Glow in the Dark" rounded cables actually performed better than the generic flat grey cables, in everyday real world terms it's not like you will see a big increase in speed or anything. But this is fine, it's not like you would see a noticeable increase with any cables. At the end of the day, these cables work perfectly.
Conclusion
Glow in the dark cables are not going to be on the top of everyone's list, but for those of you with case windows looking for something new then these would certainly be something different. Maybe you have the window and the lights, but don't (or your significant other doesn't) want to have the lights on full time; you can still have some light in the form of these glowing cables. The glow isn't that distracting, being just bright enough. These cables are certainly different and would look great in say a water cooling rig with clear pipes, get a blacklight CCFT and some luminous water dye. CCFT on, the water glows; CCFT off, the cables glow : When there not glowing the cables look like they are silver braided which is a great look on its own. Those of you without a case window however are going to find the Glow in the Dark feature pretty pointless. They will still function perfectly well as normal cables, and being rounded they should help you achieve better airflow through your case.
Another bonus for those of you who just want to quickly check which drive is set to master or slave without having to get your head halfway into the case to inspect the jumpers, are the tags on each of the plugs. I couldn't personally say if the tags were there to be used as something to hold onto to remove the plugs, but they function that way and feel safer for it. If you are looking for rounded cables for your case, one thing that might be worth bearing in mind is that these cables are the same price or there about's as your regular rounded IDE cables. These cables are bit of fun and functionality and look great be it day or night. Thanks once again to for supplying the review samples.
AKASA UK:
AKASA Int.:
Pro's
They glow in the dark, how cool!
When it isn't dark they look like silver braided cables.
The tags on the plugs are great for removing them from sockets.
The tags also identify the plug.
Con's
The glow in the dark effect is pointless without a case window.
Bottom Line
If you have a case window and are in need of some round cables, then these will certainly go quite a way in providing that extra touch to "the look" of your case. If you don't have a window, the glowing effect will be lost on you.
