INTRODUCTION

   As some of you may be aware for well over a decade now many into overclocking have used compact external screens to monitor the frequencies, temperatures and voltages of both their CPUs and graphics cards. Of course, they are not alone in going to such lengths since online MMO players have also used such devices to monitor the health and status of their online characters (who here remembers the popular G15 and G19 keyboards by Logitech roughly a decade ago?). Today devices like the Stream Deck by Elgato allow people (streamers primarily) to even use several tiny LCD buttons as program shortcuts. Both solutions have but a single goal, to provide a faster and more convenient way for the end user to perform specific tasks. The just released iCUE Nexus Companion Touch Screen by CORSAIR, which I’ve been using for the past week, is a tiny device which actually does all of the above.

   Founded in 1994, CORSAIR has grown from pioneering the high-performance DRAM market into one of the world’s leading providers of high-performance gaming and streaming products. CORSAIR offers a complete range of products to equip gamers, enthusiasts, and esports athletes, including mechanical keyboards, precision gaming mice, wireless headsets, premium PC components, and the CORSAIR ONE fully-integrated gaming PC. With a company-wide commitment to quality, innovative design, advanced features and high-performance, CORSAIR products have won thousands of media and industry awards, earning their place in gamers’ hands and PCs following years of development and engineering by a team dedicated to building great products that they themselves would want to use. In 2018 CORSAIR acquired Elgato Gaming, a manufacturer of streaming products. In 2019 CORSAIR acquired Origin Computers, a manufacturer of custom high-performance gaming PCs and laptops, and SCUF Gaming, an innovator and creator of high-performance gaming controllers.

   The iCUE Nexus is basically an 5" inch 50:3 ratio LCD screen which is also touch capacitive (single point) and sports a resolution of 640x480p with a frame rate of 24fps and 262k colors. The screen is placed inside a piece of hard plastic which you can either mount on your CORSAIR keyboards via 3 bundled brackets (like the K70 RGB MK.2 and the K95 RGB Platinum – thus the companion part of the name) or on a plastic standalone base. You can place up to 6 virtual buttons and 256 different swipe-to-navigate screens on the iCUE Nexus from which you can launch games and applications, monitor the health of your system components, adjust settings of your CORSAIR iCUE compatible devices, create macros and finally you can also download graphics screens with specific in-game commands for various game titles. So, the iCUE Nexus is actually very similar to the Stream Deck series, only significantly smaller and the only thing left is to see if it's just as good.

SPECIFICATIONS AND FEATURES

PACKAGING AND CONTENTS

CORSAIR has once again used their yellow and black box so we see a two product pictures at the front right beneath their logo and above the model name and the iCUE logo.

Typically, a tagline is printed on the right side of the box.

The product serial number and barcodes are all located at the base of the box.

Turning the box around we see several product pictures and the product features printed in 10 languages.

Packing is sufficient with the entire bundle sitting between several layers of cardboard.

Along with the iCUE Nexus LCD screen inside the box you will also find the standalone base, 3 keyboard brackets, bracket removal tool, user manual and warranty guide.

THE ICUE NEXUS

Measuring 154mm in length, 35mm in width and 16mm in height the 60g heavy iCUE Nexus is indeed very compact (for good or bad).

The 5 inch screen has a maximum resolution of 640x480 pixels, 24fps frame rate and can display up to 262.000 colors.

CORSAIR has placed their logo at the rear of the device right over where the braided USB cable comes out.

At the end of the braided cable we find a plain USB connector.

The standalone base is also made out of hard plastic and has just enough room for the screen and the braided cable.

As expected, a USB-A port is located inside the standalone base.

By using the standalone base, the size of the iCUE Nexus increases to 155mm in length, 57mm in width and 32mm in height.

CORSAIR bundles not 1 but 3 keyboard brackets (3M adhesive tape) with support for CORSAIRs K70 RGB MK.2, K70 MK.2 Low Profile and K95 RGB XT Platinum models.

ICUE SOFTWARE

Just like with other devices by CORSAIR the moment you launch the iCUE software it will detect compatible peripherals and search for firmware updates.

Using the iCUE software is easy so from the main tab you can either create new buttons or widgets.

Among other things the virtual buttons can be programmed to launch macro commands, games, applications and a timer or to control media functions.

The widgets on the other hand can be used to monitor the temperatures, voltages and fan speeds of your system.

You can also import and export screens from the iCUE software.

From within the settings tab you can also adjust the brightness levels, set the display timeout, check for updates, change the iCUE software language and temperature units and more.

Here you can see a very basic use for the ICUE Nexus (viewing angles could be better).

CONCLUSION

   The iCUE Nexus is a very interesting concept and even though it's not exactly brand new this is the first time we've seen it in this form, meaning a device which you can attach onto a keyboard or use on its own. It can be programmed rather easily not only with a vast number of available commands but also widgets via which you can either keep tabs on the health/status of your system or use with specific games. Unfortunately, even though its compact size means you shouldn't have a hard time finding room for it on your desk it's actually way too small for my taste. I do realize that it needs to be compatible with keyboards but even twice the size (perhaps even 3 times) should be more than fine and would provide the end user with more surface either for extra or larger virtual buttons (who knows, perhaps we’ll see a Nexus XL next).

    CORSAIR just launched the iCUE Nexus Companion Touch Screen with a price tag of USD99.99 inside the USA (Amazon.com) and 99.99Euros inside the EU (Amazon.de) and even though it’s less than what I was expecting it’s still more than what most consumers will consider affordable. Long story short the iCUE Nexus Companion Touch Screen gives the end user not only the ability to check temperatures, voltages and fan speeds at a glance but also to launch games, applications and perform numerous commands via its 6 virtual keys. Yes, I can’t say that this is a must for all consumers out there but if you’d like something like that on your desk (or you just feel you could put it to good use) then I strongly recommend checking the brand new iCUE Nexus Companion Touch Screen.

PROS

- Touch Capacitive LCD Screen (24fps / 262k Colors)
- Up To 6 Virtual Buttons & 256 Screens
- Easy To Use
- Standalone Base & 3 CORSAIR Keyboard Brackets
- Plethora of Available Functions
- Compact Size

CONS

- Small Screen
- Price (For Some)