| #682 - OCZ GameXStream 600W PSU |
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| Written by Rodney Reynolds | ||||||||
| Wednesday, 07 June 2006 | ||||||||
Page 3 of 6 Specifications: This particular product is available in two different models; 600W, and 700W. I'm going to be looking at the 600W OCZGXS600 model (P/N: 9PA6000306) today. This power supply has a continuous wattage of 600 and a maximum peek output capacity of 700 watts. Now how is this wattage determined? Well to understand this, you need to know what rails are. Rails are basically well regulated transformers which convert domestic current into the voltages that your computer system can use. There are essentially two different rails: the +3.3/+5v rail and the +12v rail. In this particular case, the approximate maximum peak output of the +3.3/+5v rail is 155 watts and the +12v is 580 watts, which is essentially how the wattage of this power supply is determined.  The 3.3/5v rail is responsible for the motherboard, memory, PCI cards, AGP card and so on. The 12v rail is responsible for the HDDs, DVD, CD-ROM, fans, etc. Ok, let's get into the details and specifications! Here are the peak amps on each rail: The +3.3V is 36A, and the +5V is 30A. Unlike most power supplies with only one +12V rail, this product has four: The +12V1 is 18A, the +12V2 is 18A, the +12V3 is 18A, and the +12V4 is 18A. Also, the AC input specs are: 100~240Vac 10-5A 50/60Hz. This power supply meets the ATX 12V v2.1/2.2 specification. For additional information on form factors please visit Form Factor website. It also meets the newest SSI standard, EPS 12V V2.91 standard. For additional information on SSI, visit the Server System Infrastructure site. Having the latest ATX 12V specification is important because some power supplies tend to overheat and shut down the system under max load. Higher end power supplies float in the ~85% range. This PSU is above 80% efficient. The efficiency of any PSU will vary depending on load. Detailed efficiency for this product is as follows: 80% @ 115V (Typical load) 83% @ 230V (Typical load). Note that the more efficient a power supply is, the less heat will be generated, and therefore it won't require excessive cooling. This power supply also has Active Power Factor Correction (PFC). Active PFC is preferred over Passive PFC because it provides a more efficient power frequency. This reduces total harmonics, corrects input voltage, and it allows for a full input voltage range. The disadvantage is that it increases the cost of the power supply. This PSU has a 0.99 Active Power Factor value. Additionally, this product is 100% Hi-pot, Chroma, ATE (Automatic Test Equipment) & Burn-in function tested. So what the heck does all that mean? Well, production Hi-pot testing ensures insulation integrity. Chroma is a world recognized leader in power supply testing equipment which includes automated power supply test systems, electronic loads, programmable AC power supplies, and related equipment to support the power conversion industry. Finally, Burn-in is really a stress test and means it was tested at full load and still meets specs. A power supply also needs to be fail-safe and worry free. This unit has that covered with Overvoltage/Overcurrent/Short-Circuit protection. Also, it's Safety/EMI Approved: with Nemko, TUV, UL, CE, CSA, FCC, and CISPR certifications. Ever wonder who actually makes a particular PSU? Most companies do not make their Power Supplies in house. Rather, they are made by an original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) which are probably unknown to most of us. This is not the case with this PSU. So, how does one go about finding out who actually made it? Well, that's very simple. Just get the number which is below the UL logo. In this case it's E243823. Now visit this UL Database site and enter the number.  Like the majority of new power supplies on the market, this one meets the latest energy requirements and RoHS Compliance. This in turn means energy and money saving. |
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