Conclusion

The tested BlueStorm AX500-A power supply is in fact a continuation of the successful THN series with the maximum output wattage increased to 460W. The PSU is neatly manufactured and has good characteristics; it is powerful even for very serious systems with two graphics cards and a top-end processor.

On the other hand, the AX500-A is not an ideal product since it is rather noisy at work. You won’t hear the air stream from its fan only in relatively low-power systems, but why would you want a powerful PSU for a weak configuration?

Thus, the AX500-A, like the rest of PSUs from FSP Group for that matter, is what I would call a typical “workhorse”. It is a reliable and inexpensive power supply for users whose priorities are stable operation and good quality.

The results of my measuring the power consumption of the test computers show that the +5V and +3.3V voltages have in fact become auxiliary in modern computer systems. The load on these rails is negligible in comparison with the load on the +12V rail. It means that power supplies of the ATX12V 1.2 and 1.3 standards, designed for high loads on the low-voltage rails, are becoming obsolete. Their capacity is ineffectively distributed along the output rails, so you’ll need a 400-500W power supply of the older standard where a 300W ATX12V 2.0 unit would be quite enough. Unfortunately, some unscrupulous manufacturers are already “redesigning” their older power supplies by editing their labels. They put a 24-pin connector and declare two +12V rails with, say, 10 and 15amp currents, but also mention that a combined load on both +12V rails cannot exceed 216W or 18 amperes, while a true power supply of the ATX12V 2.0 standard must be able to output the full power on both +12V rails for indefinitely long. And this full power in this theoretical example would be (10+15)*12=300 watts. The difference is really big, as you can see.

So, a power supply that fully complies with the ATX12V 2.0 standard – like the reviewed AX500-A – must not only have a 24-pin power connector and two +12V rails, but also be able to yield much more power on these two rails than an older-standard unit. Keep this fact in mind when you go shopping for your new PSU!