X-bit labs

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

Category: Other

by Oleg Artamonov

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

MGE Magnum 500 (400W)

Well, this power supply kept me surprised from the very beginning. The name of this fan-less-like model (alas, it only pretends to lack a fan!) is “Magnum 500”, which seems to imply a maximum output power of 500W. The PSU’s label, however, declares an output power of 400W, while its box tells you three different numbers: the wattage of this PSU is 500W at an ambient temperature of 25°C, 450W at 40°C and 300W at 50°C. Since Paragraph 5.1 of ATX12V Power Supply Design Guide states that the power supply must be operable under the maximum load within a temperature range of +10 to +50°C, I have to consider the Magnum 500 as a 300W power supply.

This PSU has an aluminum case with some ribbing on the sides. This proved to be a pure decoration, however, because none of the heating-up elements of the PSU has thermal contact with the case. A heatsink consisting of thin copper plates is placed outside and is covered under a grid aluminum casing.

The most unexpected element of the PSU’s rear panel is the large LCD display located right in the center of it. When working, it shows the power consumption level and temperature of the PSU, and the voltage on the +12V rail:

The practical value of the display is rather dubious as you will probably have to use a mirror to see it.

The connectors for the power cables are on the other side of the PSU (all the cables are detachable, including the mainboard one). There is another diagnostics element here – a row of five LEDs:

According to the user manual, these LEDs are to indicate what voltages are being used by the computer. But according to my own eyes, these LEDs are simply connected to the PSU’s output lines and report that there really is voltage on them. All the voltages are always present in a working power supply, so all the LEDs are always shining. That’s why the diagnostic value of this illumination is rather dubious, too.