The CORSAIR XENEON EDGE 14.5” LCD Touchscreen is an excellent addition to any build, enhancing its overall capabilities and showcasing its full potential. It delivers crisp visuals and provides an alternative way to view and monitor system metrics at a high refresh rate of 60Hz.
This versatile device has numerous applications; it can serve as a dedicated monitor for chat, function as a calendar, or even play games. The possibilities are endless—whatever you envision for an extra monitor, the XENEON EDGE is the ideal solution.
The quick answer is no. You do not need iCUE to use the XENEON EDGE. Without iCUE, the XENEON EDGE will simply work as an additional monitor. (Though you will have to set it up as a touchscreen via Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Touch if you want to use the touchscreen to control it)
As mentioned earlier, the XENEON EDGE LCD functions as a standalone monitor using either USB-C or HDMI connections. That said, to fully tap into its full potential, you should consider using iCUE to enable additional features that the XENEON EDGE offers, particularly if you want to create custom layouts and organize a matrix of widgets.
So, regardless of how you choose to control it, The EDGE is capable of doing a lot, and if you do opt for the software approach then you're in luck as we've written a whole article that details some of the capabilities of the XENEON EDGE if you pair it with iCUE. So read that if you're after some inspiration.