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Well, as I said, I would provide [H] with a semi-not-so-really professional review 
I did test the specs of this system using the equipment in my physics classroom, not going off voltage readings from the motherboard. Let me know if you need to know anything else about the power supply.
First, I'd like to outline the preliminary pros and the cons of this power supply:
PROS:
Other things worth noting is that the power cables for the Ultra hookup to standard 4-pin molex adapters, Y-splitters, etc. making it extremely versatile. Also, these are the best plugs Ive seen on any unmodded power supply. There is no chance of pulling a wire or two out of the molex connecter. These things stay together, and stay plugged in even with the lack of some sort of lock mechanism at either end of the power cables.
Here are the cables provided with the Ultra X-Connect:
As you can see, the only things lacking are a power cable for the newest PCI-E rigs and a SATA cable, but like I said before, Ultra provides a SATA Y-Cable free with proof of purchase on their website. If for some reason you do need more cables, they sell kits and single cables on their website as well.
Some feel that the cables are too thick to bend and end up with a messier installation. Personally, the only cable I find thick enough to cause problems is the ATX connector. Ive heard people soak the cables in warm water to make them more bendable, but Im weary to put any electronic component, hooked up or not, near any liquid substance. Besides the ATX cable, I can route all the other cables behind the drive bays to leave the system free of a rats nest.
Inside the PSU, theres not too much to be said. There are 2 80mm fans for cooling but compared to other 500W+ PSUs, this unit has significantly smaller heatsinks. Later on, I tested it to see if heat became an issue in system stability.
Now its specs time. The following are the voltages read from a voltmeter (courtesy of my high school).
These readings were from the BIOS after sitting idle for 30 minutes:
Under idle conditions, this looks pretty spiffy, but we all want to know how this PSU handles under full load conditions. To do this, I ran the Prime95 Torture test, ripped a DVD to the HD, encoded an mpeg, transferred bin/cues from another computer over the network to the other HD, looped a demo from Quake3, and the ultimate killer, di.fm over Winamp Heres what the voltages came out to be (a la voltmeter):
This PSU really has something going on. It looks nice and its rock-stable (imho). Ultra has released some sketchy products in the past, but it seems that with this PSU they really got their act together. The only major problem was the lack of flexibility in the cables, especially the ATX cable. But if you install this and route the cables correctly, the flexibility in the cables (or lack thereof) becomes a moot point when compared to the amount of space youll end up saving. Im sure mid-level to expert modders could make any PSU rats nest look clean, but for the simple user, the modular aspect of this PSU is ideal.
At a current price of about $100, this PSU is a little expensive, but modular PSUs are relatively new and any new technology is going to cost more. Plus, its rated as a 500W PSU. Overall, I rate the Ultra X-Connect 500W PSU at a 8/10.
Comments and suggestions appreciated.
I did test the specs of this system using the equipment in my physics classroom, not going off voltage readings from the motherboard. Let me know if you need to know anything else about the power supply.First, I'd like to outline the preliminary pros and the cons of this power supply:
PROS:
- Modular (use only what cables you need)
- Looks sleek
- Cables are pre-sleeved (with plastic tubing as well)
- UV-Reactive for a nice look (acquired tastes only)
- Ample cables for any installation, P4 or AMD.
- Dual 80mm fans for ample cooling
- The ATX Power Cable is extremely stiff. I attempted to install this PSU in a TT Tsunami and a DFI NF3 mainboard, and if I didn't put the cable inside the drive cage to straighten it out, it would have ripped the power socket right off the mainboard.
- SATA cables not provided; however, Ultra is providing them for free from their website (with proof of purchase).
- The caps to cover the unused connections on the power supply don't always stay on.
- Squeeking noise comes from the PS when using the scroller on the mouse (MS Wireless Optical Mouse 2.0). Very annoying.
- New: Warranty is only 1 year long. Most builders will be looking for at least 3 years.
Other things worth noting is that the power cables for the Ultra hookup to standard 4-pin molex adapters, Y-splitters, etc. making it extremely versatile. Also, these are the best plugs Ive seen on any unmodded power supply. There is no chance of pulling a wire or two out of the molex connecter. These things stay together, and stay plugged in even with the lack of some sort of lock mechanism at either end of the power cables.
Here are the cables provided with the Ultra X-Connect:
- a 4-pin 17.75 Intel P4 Mainboard Power Cable
- a 20-pin 17.75 ATX Mainboard Power Cable
- a 6-pin 17.75 Zeon Power Cable
- a 4-pin 17.75 Power Cable
- a 4-pin 21.75 Power Cable
- a 17.75 Y-Cable with Floppy Drive and 2 4-pin Power Connectors
- 2 17.75 Y-Cable with 2 4-pin Power Connectors
As you can see, the only things lacking are a power cable for the newest PCI-E rigs and a SATA cable, but like I said before, Ultra provides a SATA Y-Cable free with proof of purchase on their website. If for some reason you do need more cables, they sell kits and single cables on their website as well.
Some feel that the cables are too thick to bend and end up with a messier installation. Personally, the only cable I find thick enough to cause problems is the ATX connector. Ive heard people soak the cables in warm water to make them more bendable, but Im weary to put any electronic component, hooked up or not, near any liquid substance. Besides the ATX cable, I can route all the other cables behind the drive bays to leave the system free of a rats nest.
Inside the PSU, theres not too much to be said. There are 2 80mm fans for cooling but compared to other 500W+ PSUs, this unit has significantly smaller heatsinks. Later on, I tested it to see if heat became an issue in system stability.
Now its specs time. The following are the voltages read from a voltmeter (courtesy of my high school).
- +12V 12.09V
- +3.3V 3.35V
- +5.0V 5.02V
These readings were from the BIOS after sitting idle for 30 minutes:
- CPU 1.53V
- Chipset 1.60V
- AGP 1.52V
- DRAM 2.5V 2.63V
Under idle conditions, this looks pretty spiffy, but we all want to know how this PSU handles under full load conditions. To do this, I ran the Prime95 Torture test, ripped a DVD to the HD, encoded an mpeg, transferred bin/cues from another computer over the network to the other HD, looped a demo from Quake3, and the ultimate killer, di.fm over Winamp
Heres what the voltages came out to be (a la voltmeter):- +12V 12.12V
- +3.3V 3.37V
- +5.0V 5.125V
This PSU really has something going on. It looks nice and its rock-stable (imho). Ultra has released some sketchy products in the past, but it seems that with this PSU they really got their act together. The only major problem was the lack of flexibility in the cables, especially the ATX cable. But if you install this and route the cables correctly, the flexibility in the cables (or lack thereof) becomes a moot point when compared to the amount of space youll end up saving. Im sure mid-level to expert modders could make any PSU rats nest look clean, but for the simple user, the modular aspect of this PSU is ideal.
At a current price of about $100, this PSU is a little expensive, but modular PSUs are relatively new and any new technology is going to cost more. Plus, its rated as a 500W PSU. Overall, I rate the Ultra X-Connect 500W PSU at a 8/10.
Comments and suggestions appreciated.