X-bit labs

ATX Power Supply Units Roundup: 9 Powerful Models Tested (page 18)

Category: Other

by Oleg Artamonov

[ 02/28/2006 | 10:46 PM ]

Zalman ZM460-APS (460W)

We have already reviewed power supplies from Zalman on our site, but those were only ATX12V 1.2 and 1.3 models with 80mm fans (which was quite a strange thing considering Zalman’s overall policy of creating quiet PC components). It is only recently that the company has released a new model, an ATX12V 2.0 power supply with a 120mm fan.

Despite the skilful disguise (even the PCB bears the name of Zalman), one can immediately see a product of FSP Group here – the FSP460-60GLN model with active PFC, a full range of input voltages supported, and a 120mm fan. Moreover, the unit’s PCB carries “checkboxes” for the full range of wattages of the GLN series, from 250 to 500W, while Zalman has only released one model.

The power supply is designed alike to the above-described FSP700-80GLN (Epsilon FX700-GLN), but the number of semiconductors has been reduced according to the wattage: there’s only one diode bridge left in the input rectifier; the PFC includes two transistors instead of three; there are six rather than eight diode packs on the PSU’s output. The heatsinks have become simpler, too. The aluminum plate that used to be pressed to a side of the PSU case is missing now. Otherwise, there are no changes: a CM6800C-based PWM controller, active PFC, group voltage regulation, and a standby source on the FSDM311 chip.

Contrary to the FX700-GLN, the maximum power load on the +12V rail is lower than the overall wattage of the PSU. This doesn’t prevent it from complying with the ATX12V 2.0 requirements, though.

This PSU is equipped with the following cables and connectors:

• Mainboard power cable with a 24-pin connector (that has a detachable 4-pin part), 57cm long
• CPU power cable with an 8-pin connector that splits in two 4-pin parts, 57cm long
• One graphics card cable with a 6-pin connector, 57cm long
• Two cables with two Molex plugs and one floppy mini-plug on each (51cm to the first connector and 14cm more to each next connector)
• One cable with three Molex connectors (51cm+14cm+14cm)
• One cable with two SATA power connectors (36cm+22cm)

The cables are hidden in braided pipes. The PSU comes with a splitter from one PCI-E power connector to two for SLI configurations, an additional adapter from 1 PATA to 2 SATA power connectors, and a ZM-MC1 adapter to attach more fans.