X-bit labs

Started by: Oklahoma Wolf | Date 03/01/06

Comments: 19 | Last Comment:  08/28/06

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1. Great job as always. I wonder just how my FSP600-80GLC differs from the 700W. From the pics in the review, it is apparently missing only one transistor (the one closest to the fan) from the PFC heatsink, and both the main PCB and protection PCB are marked "FSP700-80GLC."

2. From the article:

'Regrettably, the design of our testbed doesn’t guarantee high efficiency measurement accuracy at high load power which you should be aware of when you compare these numbers to those you get from other sources, especially if those sources don’t employ high-precision measurement techniques, either.'

which raises the following question: Does the test bed calculate efficiency using voltage at the rated load? This is an important factor because, power supply's voltage changes depending on current load, which affects actual power draw. For details see the following article:

http://silentpcreview.com/Sections+index-req-printpage-artid-269.html

"Does the test bed calculate efficiency using voltage at the rated load?"

Yes it is.

3. I was going to say exactly what Jolt said about. How can we get an accurate figure if your testing system isn't up for the challenge?

Another question I have is...why haven't I seen an indepent review on PSU always advertised in Maximum PC magazines. Can't remember the name of it for the life of me. But its suppose to pump out 1000w of nastinessness...

I found the PSU I was talking about...its called Turbo Cool. Here is a link http://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=3859

This PSU was used in ATi's attempt to break a speed world record today... http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ATI/RD580OC/2

Can you get us a review with this 1k or some of thier lower watt models?

4. I don't understand why in all your roundups you never tested Seasonic S12 500W/600W models.
They are supposed to be the best in silence, ripple, efficiency and cross-load characteristics.uh?

p.s. The Zalman 460W unit seems to me the old Fortron Blue Storm 500W (with 40W less declared), not a sort of "the new 700W model" :)

p.p.s. It'd be nice a roundup with Pc Power & Cooling PSUs, too :) (they are the best, but at a cost).

Ummm... because Seasonic didn't sent their PSUs to our lab yet?

5. p.s. Tha Zalman unit seems to me the old Fortron Blue Storm 500W (with 40W less declared), not a sort of "the new 700W model" :)

p.p.s. It'd be nice a roundup with Pc Power & Cooling PSUs, too :) (they are the best, but at a cost).

Compare photos:

1) ZM460-APS: http://www.xbitlabs.com/misc/picture/?src=/images/other/psu-roundup/7p2.jpg&1=1
2) FSP400-60GLN: http://silentpcreview.com/article280-page3.html
3) BlueStorm: http://www.xbitlabs.com/misc/picture/?src=/images/other/bluestorm/ax500-inside_big.jpg&1=1

ZM460-APS and FSP400-60GLN are almost identical, but BlueStorm uses completely different design: PCB, components and so on.

6. Where is Antec?

7. Yes, you are right, that was FPS Green, not Blue Storm. I saw it from SPCR, too (some weeks ago, when Zalman 460W was released). There are too many FPS units to remember...

8. This looks like an advertisers dream site. Looks like Enermax pays the most here.

9. (Lacking any decorations like LEDs, intricately-shaped fan grids, etc., the Noisetaker EG495AX-VE still looks pretty enough, mainly due to the coloring of the case. The photograph can’t convey it in full, but the PSU is not merely violet. Tiny spangles were added into the paint and they shimmer in light very beautifully.)
Wow forget what the box can do, what it looks like sold me ,I'll get a half a dozen.

10. I was wondering why the actual manufacturer(s) of the Enermax units wasn't mentioned as it was in most of the other reviews in this roundup. FYI: It is usually Topower or ChannelWell.

.bh.

Enermax is the manufacture of their own power supply.

11. "Another interesting feature of this power supply is the increased frequency of the PWM regulator. It is usually near 30kHz (this looks like fluctuations at 60kHz in oscillograms of a PSU’s output voltages since the push-pull inverter doubles the frequency). In the Epsilon this frequency is 55kHz"

I've never seen an ATX PSU use 30 KHz, only AT PSUs. With ATX the lowest frequency I've measured is about 40 KHz, for 300-350W Fortrons, the highest are 90K - 100K Hz, for 200-300W Deltas. Most ATX PSUs measured around 60K - 70K Hz

12. Would it be possible to have the power supply schematics for your ATX Roundup put on the
web? It sounds like you have them for many of the units you test.

George

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