Set up aura sync: all about asus lighting system

We are living an unequaled time for the world of computing, especially oriented to gaming. It is no longer just about buying power and performance, but design and visual appearance. Systems like Asus AURA Sync, Mystic Light or Razer Chroma, are RGB LED lighting technologies that take the external appearance of simple plates and electronic components further, to reach the public also through their lighting and visual section.

Index of contents

In this article we will see in more detail the system created by Asus, the AURA Sync which has already a long history since its inception as AURA RGB. We will learn to manage it, customize it and of course to know what components it is compatible with and with which systems.

What is Asus AURA Sync

AURA Sync is a lighting technology created by the hardware and peripherals manufacturer Asus. The implementation is carried out by means of low consumption LED diodes capable of addressing 16.7 million colors (24 bits) thanks to the combination of the three primary colors red, green and blue in the same diode.

But it is not about placing a series of LEDs as if it were a Christmas strip, but a system with a controller with which a user can interact through the operating system, with a controller and software, as if from a peripheral concerned. So its true capacity lies in personalization, in being able to decide for ourselves the colors, animations and effects of the LEDs.

It was one of the first manufacturers to adopt a relatively intelligent lighting system for electronic components. We are talking about motherboards, mice, keyboards, etc. In the first instance, this system was called Asus AURA RGB, which allowed the user to interact with these LEDs integrated into the product through software, but over the years and progress in this area, the system has a greater number of functions and addressing ability, calling itself Asus AURA Sync.

But in addition to incorporating its own LEDs, AURA Sync is also capable of detecting and controlling external or third-party lighting strips, provided they are compatible. This is done thanks to a series of 4-pin headers installed on the motherboard or directly with a controller integrated in the product in question.

Difference between AURA RGB and AURA Sync and RGB vs. A-RGB headers

Currently, two variants of this technology coexist, which we have previously mentioned. Depending on the version we have, it will give us different possibilities, which are denoted as addressing capacity.

The main difference between the two systems is their " intelligence " so to speak. AURA RGB has about 9 preconfigured RGB lighting effects, and also does not offer the possibility of synchronizing with other AURA products, but the management must be done independently of the others.

AURA Sync vastly increases its effect capabilities and adds the ability to independently configure zone or even LED-to-LED lighting. That is the addressing ability, associating each LED with a logical address to apply a specific and different function to other LEDs. It can also be synchronized with other devices, to have the same effect, the same colors, and go in unison with them.

Currently this and other systems offer compatibility with certain games so that they manage lighting according to the actions carried out in the game, achieving better immersion, as we tested a while ago with Corsair and Metro Exodus . Systems like Corsair's or Razer's also offer this possibility. Likewise, all of them are capable of synchronizing with the audio of our equipment and with the temperatures of our hardware.

In turn, we can differentiate between two types of headers when configuring AURA Sync that Asus boards have and the rest of manufacturers:

• RGB headers: this will be the most basic and without addressing capabilities. They are headers with 4 in-line pins that supply a maximum power of 12V @ 3A, although the intensity will depend on each component. It will connect 5050 RGB LED strips, name given to the size of the LEDs, with 5 x 5 mm. All these LEDs will light up in the same color at the same time, being able to configure the color and brightness, but not animations or effects.

• A-RGB Headers: These headers are physically distinguished from the others by having a row of 4 pins, but only 3 operational. Currently all addressable headers are of this type at all manufacturers. Unlike the previous ones, these operate at 5V and a variable intensity, with smaller LEDs and lower consumption. In them we can apply lighting effects, although we can only direct LED to LED if the product controller allows it.

Without a doubt there are some important differences that we must know when buying a plate and know its possibilities. Later we will see that there are several programs to configure AURA Sync.

What components incorporate it

Currently we have a large number of products with AURA Sync technology, all of them manufactured by Asus although there is also compatibility with other brands.

• Motherboards: in addition to the ROG series, practically all current manufacturer's boards have integrated lighting or support for strips Graphics cards: in them we have lighting on the housing but no expansion headers Monitors: all of them from the ROG Strix series Laptops and PCs desktop: in the chassis themselves, fans and keyboard in the case of laptops Mice and mats: such as the ROG Chakram or ROG Balteus mat Keyboards and headsets: such as the ROG Claymore, Strix Scope or Strix Flare, and ROG Strix Fusion System headphones cooling: both in fans and in the pump head Power supplies and PC chassis: they are still few but the family will be increasing, having in this case the PSU ROG Thor and the Strix Helios and TUF GT501 chassis Including routers: like the ROG Rapture GT-AX11000 or the recent Rapture GT-AC2900

Compatibility with other lighting systems

In addition to Asus products, we will also be able to configure AURA Sync in hardware lighting systems from other manufacturers. This system is considered as one of the main ones for the assembly of lighting ecosystems. This means that it is possible to synchronize components of different natures to obtain the same effect.

Among these manufacturers with products compatible with AURA Sync we have:

• InWinNZXTDeep CoolCablemodPhanteksBitFenixCooler Master

For the most part, they even have their own lighting systems with their own management software, but they have decided to make their products compatible not only for AURA Sync, but also for Mystic Light by MSI, RGB Fusion 2.0 by Gigabyte or Polychrome RGB by AsRock.

Here it is important to differentiate between products compatible with AURA Sync and with AURA RGB, we have already discussed the differences. In addition to keeping in mind that many other lighting systems will not be compatible and must be managed separately with their own programs. Among them we have the previously discussed from MSI, AsRock and Gigabyte, along with Razer, Corsair or Thermaltake.

Programs to configure AURA Sync

After seeing what the lighting system consists of, it is time to configure AURA Sync, and for this we have a total of four programs created by the manufacturer itself. Each of them will offer compatibility with certain devices and different possibilities depending on the lighting implementation they have, as well as their version.

Asus AURA Lighting Control (previous)

We will be able to download this program from here in its different versions, and it is the most widely used by the brand to configure AURA Sync or AURA RGB. Regardless of the product we have, we can install it without major problem and the program will detect the compatible compatible ones.

We have an interface divided into three large sections, the upper part where we can link or synchronize the AURA Sync components that we have, the list of predefined effects on the left and the different sections in the central part.

The first section does not have much mystery but it is very important, since we will see all the installed AURA elements. The central axis will always be the plate if it is compatible, and the rest of the components will depend on its effects. We can link or unlink each element whenever we want. We can even configure the lighting sequence, and the effect will go through the products in that order. Imagine having monitor + keyboard + mouse + chassis in one sequence.

In this case we cannot create our own effects as if it supports Razer Chroma or Corsair iCUE, but we can configure color, area lighting, transition speed, and sequence. The order would be:

Choose if we want everything or by areas -> select area -> choose effect -> customize it.

In each area we can place a different effect, color, speed, etc. For example on the front of the mouse, wheel and rear logo.

In the configuration section we will have the possibility to recalibrate RGB headers, HUE ambient system to shoot external and synchronize effects in the game. Currently the list is very small, only compatible with COD Black Ops 4, but we trust that over time more will be added.

The final section is simply to create a transition effect when turning off the equipment, nothing especially important.

Asus Armory II (previous)

The second program that we will see is Asus Armory available in versions for peripherals (Armory II), somewhat older and for general control center (Crate).

For this first case we have the Armory II version, a program that saves an interface very similar to AURA Lighting Control, but specially designed for peripherals. We can download it from the peripheral support section that we have, keyboard, mouse, mouse pad, etc.

And it is a much more generic program, that is, we will not only be able to configure AURA Sync, but also manage the peripheral itself. By management, we understand the customization of functions, keys, mouse buttons, operating modes, battery and everything the controller allows us.

We can see in our example that unlike the other program, this one does not detect the motherboard, and also the number of lighting effects is lower and the management somewhat more basic. Even in the synchronization section it does not give us the possibility of linking it with the plate.

An interesting aspect is that here we can create operating profiles, and in each one make a different configuration of lighting and operation of the device. We would like AURA to be able to do this too, but wait.

Armory Crate (current and recommended)

As for Armory Crate, it is a resource management software so to speak, a program in which we see our peripherals, energy profiles, lighting of any Asus ROG product and many more elements. It is the software intended to unify AURA Sync and Armory II, and we can download it from the link we provide.

It is by far the most recommended due to the fact that it has all the drivers that we have seen in the previous programs, including all the lighting management and the complete configuration of our Asus products. In fact, the manufacturer recommends uninstalling the previous programs so as not to create conflicts.

It is precisely what Asus needs to unify all this, a single program with a renewed interface and scalable to as many devices as we have compatible. Similar to it we find for example MSI Control Center, Razer Synapse or Corsair iCUE.

You will hear the previous captures because they are very similar to what was seen in the AURA software, being able to synchronize the devices, apply effects and modify colors and colors. But an important option is added, which is the link with AURA Creator, the software that we will see next.

Asus AURA Creator (beta)

And we get to the last program, one that is meant to rank AURA Sync as one of the best systems for customization. This program is still in beta, although many of the products compatible with AURA Sync are also with AURA Creator.

With Creator, we can create a transition of effects and in different layers as if it were a video, with its own timeline and linking the products we have. The interface is somewhat similar to Razer Chroma Studio with a similar arrangement of elements, although this timeline is introduced as if it were a video edition.

In our case we have the compatible motherboard but it does not seem to have detected the ROG Chakram mouse, we do not know if it will also be integrated in the future. In this case we can only edit the lighting of the specific set and not in sections, for example EMI protector, buttons or M.2 heatsink. We trust that in successive updates we will be able to modify even LED by LED the lighting of all AURA Sync products and not only the most current ones.

We must know that this software is still in beta, so new functions and adjustments will appear until reaching the final version.

Conclusions on configuring AURA Sync

Finally, configuring AURA Sync will be as simple as installing Armory Crate, a software that the manufacturer needed to be on par with other manufacturers such as MSI, Corsair or Razer, whose systems we say were a little better integrated.

Much more complete software, with unified lighting and peripheral control options that will be perfect for anyone who owns at least one of these Asus products.

In addition, the incorporation of AURA Creator shows that there was still and room for improvement, especially to give that personal touch that the user always wants, with the creation of personalized transitions. Surely in the future this program will also be included in Crate, in order to have everything in one program.

In terms of aspects that can be improved, as LED-to-LED management of all products compatible with AURA Sync would be very good, or at least a guarantee that this new generation supports this option, something that, for example, iCUE is capable of doing in its products. newer (2019 onwards), being in this sense one step ahead.

Now we leave you with some interesting tutorials:

What ROG products with AURA Sync do you have? Tell us what you think about Asus technology and if it is at the level or exceeds its rivals. For any question, just leave it in the comments and we will try to help you.