ASUS Armoury Crate vs NZXT CAM
ASUS Armoury Crate
rog.asus.com
NZXT CAM
nzxt.comSide by side
| Figure | ASUS Armoury Crate | NZXT CAM |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | — | Free |
| Free plan | — | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 0 | 1 |
| Spec score · RGB Lighting Software | 7.5 (#13) | 7.6 (#12) |
| Spec score · Keyboard and Mouse Customization Software | 7.5 (#77) | 7.9 (#41) |
| Founded | 1989 | 2004 |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Headquarters | Taipei, Taiwan | Monrovia, California, United States |
| Purpose | Armoury Crate manages a gaming PC from setup to RGB lighting and provides updates, drivers, manuals, offers, and gaming peer connections. | CAM monitors Windows PCs and controls compatible NZXT hardware. |
| Support | ASUS directs users with installation problems to its troubleshooting instructions and Armoury Crate Lite Log Tool, whose logs can be sent to ASUS customer service. | NZXT directs users to its Support Center and request form for help. |
| Windows support | ASUS says Armoury Crate supports Windows 10 (Creators Update/1903 or later) and Windows 11. | CAM supports Windows 10 and Windows 11; Windows 7 and 8.1 are no longer supported, and NZXT says it has no plans for macOS or Linux versions. |
Plans
In their own words
ASUS Armoury Crate
ASUS Armoury Crate is free Windows software for managing ASUS and ROG gaming PCs and connected hardware. It provides device lighting, firmware updates, macros, key or button assignments, fan control, audio and performance settings, with available controls varying by model. Aura Sync coordinates lighting across supported devices, while Aura Creator provides a video-editing-style interface for layered LED effects. Scenario Profiles can switch operating modes and system settings for individual games and apps. Game Library organizes downloaded PC games, and Game Deals lists rotating discounts and weekly offers for ROG VIPs. Users can create a profile, register products and download drivers, firmware and apps. ASUS lists Windows 10 version 1903 or later and Windows 11. Installation options include a device-detecting framework installer or a full package for manual and offline installation. Supported hardware includes headsets, graphics cards, power supplies, mice, motherboards, mousepads, CPU coolers, laptops, desktops, keyboards and monitors. Aura Sync no longer supports Xiaomi Light Strips.
NZXT CAM
NZXT CAM is free Windows software for monitoring PCs and controlling compatible NZXT hardware. It displays real-time CPU, GPU, memory, and storage readings, temperature graphs, and utilization; Mini mode docks a compact monitoring overlay on the desktop. For Kraken LCDs, CAM can show uploaded GIFs and images, live temperature or load readings, a built-in visualizer, and preset or user-provided webpages. Developers can build Kraken web integrations with HTML, CSS, or JavaScript and access CAM monitoring data through its API. Depending on the device, CAM can control NZXT fans, RGB lighting, Kraken LCDs, and other supported products. Monitoring works without NZXT hardware, but fan-speed changes require an NZXT fan controller. CAM supports Windows 10 and Windows 11; Windows 7 and 8.1 are no longer supported, and NZXT says it has no plans for macOS or Linux versions. When online, CAM sends anonymized usage and performance data, which users can turn off in settings. NZXT's privacy policy says CAM may collect system configuration, component details, installed games and applications, and software usage metrics. No account is required.