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#856 - OCZ StealthXStream 600W PSU |
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Written by Rodney Reynolds
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Monday, 13 August 2007 |
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Page 3 of 7
Specifications:
This power supply has a continuous wattage of 600 which is enough
power for most average computer systems. Please note, OCZ do have
more powerful SLI/CrossFire capable power supplies. Check their
site for details:
click here
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 and so on. While the 12v rail is responsible for the hard
drives, optical drives, fans, CPU, Video Cards, 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 many power supplies with only one +12V rail, this product has
four and they are all 18A each. The 12V output distribution list is
as follows; 12V1 for CPU1, 12V2 for PCI-E2/CPU2, 12V3 for
Motherboard accessory and 12V4 for PCI-E1. Also, the AC input specs are: 110~240Vac 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,
EPS12V 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 70% 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.
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.
Most new power supplies are also RoHS certified, which this one is.
RoHS stands for Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive. "It
was adopted in February 2003 by the European Union. The RoHS
directive took effect on July 1, 2006, but is not a law; it is
simply a directive. This directive restricts the use of six
hazardous materials in the manufacture of various types of
electronic and electrical equipment. It is closely linked with the
Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive (WEEE)
2002/96/EC which sets collection, recycling and recovery targets for
electrical goods and is part of a legislative initiative to solve
the problem of huge amounts of toxic e-waste." ~source
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.
Also note that OCZ StealthXStream power supplies come with a three
year OCZ PowerSwap Warranty. This means that if your PSU fails
within the 3 year warranty OCZ will send you a replacement
immediately. Normally companies require the defective product
returned, then they test it and send a replacement. OCZ's warranty
is obviously much faster and really makes sense considering how
important a PSU is.
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