lm-sensors as a Linux alternative to ASUS Armoury Crate
Updated
Our verdict
lm-sensors is not a direct replacement for ASUS Armoury Crate, but it fulfills part of the job—monitoring temperatures, voltages, and fan speeds—on Linux. It does not control RGB lighting, lacks performance mode switching, and offers no native GUI. However, for users who prioritize system monitoring and manual fan control via scripting, lm-sensors is effective. It works well on most hardware, not just ASUS. If your main need is visibility into hardware health and fan management, lm-sensors is solid. But if you rely on RGB control or one-click performance profiles, you’ll need additional tools or workarounds.
- License
- GPL-2.0
- Price
- Free
- Latest version
- 3.6.2
- Rating
- —
What works the same
- Monitors real-time system temperatures from hardware sensors
- Can read and display fan speeds where supported
- Supports manual configuration for sensor interpretation
- Provides access to hardware-level data without Windows
- Works across various motherboards and chipsets
What is different
- lm-sensors has no RGB lighting control, unlike ASUS Armoury Crate
- No built-in performance mode switching (e.g., Silent, Performance)
- Command-line only—no graphical interface
- Does not integrate with ASUS-specific firmware or features
- Fan speed control is limited and requires additional setup with pwmconfig
Opening your ASUS Armoury Crate files
ASUS Armoury Crate uses proprietary configuration files for lighting and fan profiles, which lm-sensors cannot read or import. There is no known method to convert or open these files on Linux. lm-sensors relies on system configuration in /etc/sensors.d/ and does not support importing Windows-side profiles. Users must manually recreate any fan or sensor settings using sensors-detect and pwmconfig. File compatibility between the two tools does not exist.
Switching from ASUS Armoury Crate to lm-sensors, step by step
- Install lm-sensors using your package manager (e.g., sudo apt install lm-sensors)
- Run sensors-detect and follow prompts to enable sensor modules
- Use the sensors command to view temperatures, fans, and voltages
- If fan control is supported, use pwmconfig to set up manual curves
- Optionally, install a GUI frontend like psensor for easier monitoring
Key features of lm-sensors
- Accesses kernel hwmon data
- Displays temperatures, fans, voltages
- Supports most motherboards
- Command‑line interface
- Can be scripted
- Configurable via /etc/sensors.d
- Provides raw sensor values
- Supports fan control on some chips
How to install lm-sensors on Linux
sudo apt install lm-sensorssudo apt install lm-sensorssudo dnf install lm_sensorssudo pacman -S lm_sensorssudo zypper install sensorsFrequently asked questions
Can lm-sensors control my ASUS GPU or motherboard RGB lighting?
No, lm-sensors only reads sensor data. It does not support RGB lighting control. You may need tools like OpenRGB for that.
How do I set custom fan curves with lm-sensors?
Run pwmconfig after installing lm-sensors to configure fan control. Not all hardware supports this, and manual editing of /etc/sensors3.conf may be needed.
Is lm-sensors safe to use on ASUS hardware?
Yes. It reads sensor data through the kernel and doesn't modify hardware state by default. Fan control requires explicit setup and is safe if used carefully.
4 other alternatives to ASUS Armoury Crate
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fancontrolfancontrol is a Linux utility for automatically adjusting fan speeds based on system temperature sensors.Open sourceFreeFlatpakfancontrol vs ASUS Armoury CrateTLPTLP is a command-line power management tool that optimizes battery life and system performance on Linux…Open sourceFreeTLP vs ASUS Armoury Cratepower-profiles-daemonA lightweight system daemon that manages CPU power profiles like performance, balanced, and power saver.Open sourceFreepower-profiles-daemon vs ASUS Armoury Crate