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Ultra X-Pro 600W APFC


Date
: 01/1/07 – 07:59:03 PM

Author
:

Category
: Power Supplies

Page 1 : Introduction

Manufacturer:
Ultra Components and Technologies

Price:
?

Ultra, a company based out of Fletcher, Ohio, strives to produce products with innovation, value and quality in mind. With years of experience and an extensive ever-growing line of products, Ultra has become one of today's leaders in computing accessories.

Different computer systems have different power requirements; a simple email and internet computer would require a different power supply than a high end gaming system. The same goes with a workstation or server. To cater to these users, Ultra has released a brand new line of power supplies, the X-Pro EE (Extra efficient) sporting 85% efficiency.

Page 2 : Package

Like all Ultra packages, this unit is boxed within an extremely flashy box which is designed to grab the attention of those walking on shop floors. Even with all of this visual detail, Ultra has not forgotten to list the technical information!

The top of the box clearly indicates the product name, SLI ready, active PFC, various connector types and key features.

The side panel displays technical specifications including input and output data, efficiency and other specifications.

On the other side panel, Ultra lists the total number of each connector type – fairly typical but useful none the less.

Page 3 : Specification

Here is what Ultra has to say about the X-Pro series:

As for protection:

Within an 25 degrees Celsius environment, this power supply is expected to run approximately 100,000 hours (MTBF).

Unlike the majority of most Ultra power supply units today, the X-Pro does not have FlexForce cables. Instead, this unit uses standard cables sleeved in black. I for one am a fan of this look, but the loss of flexibility may be an issue for some.

1 – 24 Pin Motherboard Connector
1 – 4 Pin +12V Motherboard Connector
8 – 4 Pin Molex Connectors
2 – 4 Pin Floppy Power Connectors
2 – PCI Express Connectors
4 – SATA Connectors
1 – 8 Pin EPS Connector

The unique thing about this power supply is that it uses one very large single 12v rail. The benefits of a single large 12V rail over multiple 12V rails is a debatable topic, but one thing everybody can agree on is that users will no longer have to be careful not to overload individual 12V rails with high end video cards or extreme overclocks!

The UL number listed reads E239028 which is registered to Andyson International Co LTD, a top tier manufacturer of power supplies!

Page 4 : Package Content

And now, it is time to open up the package and take a look inside!

Like the X-Finity 500W APFC unit we looked at earlier, the X-Pro also utilizes an enormous 135mm fan for quite yet effective cooling. However, unlike the X-Finity 500W APFC, this unit is finished in glossy metallic black instead of brushed metal.

The single fan design requires excellent ventilation in order to expel hot air displaced by the power supply's intake fan.

I could probably go on and on about the beautiful exterior, but I am sure most of you would be a lot more interested in the insides of this power supply!

Those of you who have seen the insides of quite a few Ultra power supplies will understand my surprise; this unit is unlike most Ultra power supplies.

The black anodized heatsinks cover most of the PCB and components in order to take advantage of the 135mm fan.

In both the primary and secondary stage, Ultra uses Teapo branded capacitors which aren't the best out there, but also far from poor.

Page 5 : Performance and Testing

In order to simulate system load we will be using peltiers. The reason for this is because when using an actual computer system there is no way we could accurately measure how much load we are putting on the power supply without some very expensive equipment.

The 12V rail will be loaded with a 23.3A pelt and a 8.1A pelt in order to total 31.4A resulting in 376W which is 89.7% of the rails maximum capacity. The combined maximum output of the 5V and 3.3V rail is 160W so both of these will be loaded with 16A totaling 132.8W which is 83% of their combined maximum capacity. The total load of the unit will be 508W or 84.6% of its maximum capacity of 600W.

Prior to any official tests, the unit will run with no load for two weeks or approximately 336 hours as a burn in period. For each idle and load conditions we will run two tests, a cold and a hot test. This is to reflect different conditions the power supply could potentially encounter within an enclosed system. Cold tests will be run with an exhaust temperature of 21°C and hot tests will be run with an exhaust temperature of 45°C. All temperature and voltage readings will be recorded with a digital multi meter.

To control accuracy, prior to official results being recorded tests will be run for at least 48 hours within a controlled environment.

Anything short of solid does not do justice to these results. Not only was the power supply loaded up to the brim, but it also was put through quite harsh environments.

Now head on over the next section and we will take a look at installation!

Page 6 : Installation

Installing Ultra's X-Pro 600W power supply is like installing any other power supply. First we will need to remove the existing unit.

Depending on the system, various parts will need to be removed first.

Next, put the X-Pro power supply in place, secure with screws and re-attach power connectors.

One issue I did run into is that this PSU may have some compatibility problems with older 20 pin motherboard; the connector. In some cases the 20 pin power connector is placed directly beside IDE connectors which will physically prevent a 24 pin power connector from fitting. This problem can be solved with a 24 to 20 pin adaptor. Needless to say, most who are still using motherboards with 20 pin power connectors probably will not require a 600W power supply.

Page 7 : Conclusion

As this review comes to an end, the only negative aspect I can point out is the lack of 20 pin motherboard support. But, of course this is minuscule in the grand scheme of things. This power supply does what many can only dream to do, it is quite, looks nice, and it performs extraordinarily well!

There are not many power supplies out there that can hold stable voltages when fully loaded and operating in fairly hostile environments for extended periods of time, but the X-Pro 600W is one that can. So is the final verdict? The X-Pro series is marketed as a server/ work station power supply, but to be fair, 600W may not be enough power for such systems. Though this unit may not fit the role within a server/workstation system it would be excellent inside a high end gaming system.

Advantages

Excellent performance
Quiet
Looks great!
Sleeved

Disadvantages

Limited 20 pin motherboard support

Overclockers Online would like to thanks Ultra for making this review possible.