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Ultra X-Connect 500W.

M

Moose777

2[H]4U
Joined
Oct 10, 2004
Messages
2,741
Is anyone using this power supply? Pros, cons of it?

How is it overall?

I saw it in CompUsa today while doing a fire inspection and I'm thinking of getting it.

Rigth now I'm using a MadDog 550 but I'm not using all of the connectors and plugs. So, I thought the Ultra X-Connect might be worth the money to swap out to so I don't have a whole mess of wires everywhere.
 
yah it is very nice, but I read that the functionaloty of it is not the greatest. The cooling of its not the greatest, its noisy and it's not the most efficient power supply, but it looks cool and glows in the dark. Ver 1 is supposed to have stiff cables which are a little better in the revised version.
 
I've been reading a lot of reviews on version 2 and they've all stated that they are no more noisy than a few other brand PSU's

The one thing that I really don't like about it is the lack of fan controls. I like to be able to control my fan speeds.

I'm just curious about how hard it would be to pull the housing apart and splice in fan controls.

I'm going to be debating this PSU for a few weeks.

I like th eability to control the two fans on my MadDog but don't like the rat's nest of wires. Although I have done a damn good job of hiding them.

I like the scaleability of the modular PSU from Ultra but don't like the lack of fan control. Of course if the case can be easily dismantled I could probably install different fans of my choice.

This is honestly going to be a difficult decision.
 
It didnt win SIlentPC quiet reveiw. It is far from the loudest PSU I have had in my box however. The cables are fairly stiff and can be excessivly long in smaller boxes. The MB connector cable is the worst about routing/hiding as it is aprox. 1 inch in diameter and really stiff. I am happy with mine. The way it looks and taking away the hassle of looming the wires outwiegh the minor issues I have with it however.
 
What do you think about my idea to splice in fan controls and possibly change the fans it comes with for quieter fans?

Think it's possible?


I don't really worry too much about things being too big my case is rather large.
 
Looks like it would be a fairly straigtfoward and simple mod to place different fans and/or speed control in. Wont hurt anything but the warranty.
 
Mine died after two days of minimal use...but it still looks great!
It is fairly easy to open up and does not have warning label about voiding the warranty. When you open it up you can see the crappy worksmanship and poor QC that went into manufacturing this product...but it looks great! Mine had a big gob of glue over one of the heatsinks just waiting to melt so I am glad that i did open it up. I was planning to replace the cheap 80mm fans which clicked at low speeds (when starting up or shutting down) since they are a simple 3-pin connector.

Bottom line: crap worksmanship, it died...but it looks great!
 
C1001, did you have the first series or second?
I had read the first series wasn't all that great.

Kckazdude, I never really believed in warranties anyway. ;)
 
i had the first version. when i get back home i'll try to rma/exchange it for a newer one (since they look great). otherwise it's back to the neopower.
 
Ahh, yeah, what I've been reading about the second series of the X-Connects they are a little better.
 
My series 2 is sitting on my desk going back for a credit. In no paticiular order of hatred...

-It's loud and has an annoying mechanical vibration in the fans

-It runs hot, the top of my box was always a little warm and it was really blowing a lot of warm air out it's exhaust, more than normal

-It smells bad, after a straight week of use, some very heavy, it always had the faint order of burning plastic

-The cables are way to stiff to route effectively, especially the motherboard cable.

-The huge boots on the cables are a pain, the 4-pin 12v connector rubber up against a couple capacitators and kind of "pushed" them gently to one side

-I didn't take a Fluke to it, but the 12v rail always seemed a little high, lke 12.69 constantly, just on the edge of out of spec

I just got done putting in an Enermax and the overall results are far better, box is idling 2 degrees cooler and is a lot less noisey, doesn't smell like buring plastic was far more flexible in the cable department. I would highly recomend you skip the Ultra, it is not a quality product.
 
Yes, but it's not really modular. It's still got a mess of wires. Are those wires only for the 12V ATX and the MoBo power?

And is that the highest wattage the NeoPower has?

And it's only got one fan?

I dunno, I think the Antec looks cheap. It doesn't have nearly the features that my MadDog 550 has. I think I might be better off modding my MadDog. I can easily make the one I've got semi modular I can cut the cables off I'm not using and put molex connectors on the ends of them.
 
Moose777 said:
I dunno, I think the Antec looks cheap. It doesn't have nearly the features that my MadDog 550 has. I think I might be better off modding my MadDog.
Click to expand...

:D :D You are kidding, right?
 
No. I am not kidding. I just don't like the way the Antec looks. It looks cheap.

I agree, Antec makes a lot of great stuff I in fact own quite a bit of Antec equipment and I have no doubt that the NeoPower is every bit as good as a lot of there otehr stuff I just honestly don't like the way it looks (the 120MM fan is nice though) I'm sure it performs well but it just wasn't what I was looking for.

I guess you can say I've ogt higher expectations.
 
Unless CompUSA started rebranding some really great hardware as Mad Dog, I'm pretty sure that brand and high expectations are mutually exclusive.

Regardless, if you think the Neo looks cheap I can tell you the Ultra feels and is made cheap, so just stay away from that one.
 
I 've heard a lot of good things about the MadDog line. In fact I haven't run into any issues with my PS, it's quiet has good ventilation. As for it's voltage outputs I've no idea other than what I've read.

I don't think the Antec NeoPower is a bad PS. In fact the reviews I've read have all been good. I'm just looking for more scalability options in regards to the cables. I'm sure I could easily add a second fan to the back of the case to forcefully suck air out of it,

I'm probably do a little more research on it and make a better decision in a few days. I'll make my decision after I pickup my XP-120.
 
The reviews I've read have the Antec as a quality product, great power regulation and quiet, it would be nice if the cables were sleeved like on the Ultra X-Connect but sleeving isn't expensive and probably not that difficult to do on modular cables before you install them
 
Moose777 said:
I dunno, I think the Antec looks cheap. It doesn't have nearly the features that my MadDog 550 has. I think I might be better off modding my MadDog. I can easily make the one I've got semi modular I can cut the cables off I'm not using and put molex connectors on the ends of them.
Click to expand...


your seriously comparing an ATX12V v1.3 rebranded PSU with only basic spec compliance
and no real published specifications to a well known independently reviewed ATX12V v2.0 that exceeds spec?
LOL :p

the imporant part is under the hood, pop the top then start comparing

and as a further point, try shortening the cables on the Ultra-X :p
 
I've read a ton of reviews. And looked at a lot of specs. And I even stated the Antec is a better PS. I just don't particulary like the way the case looks to me.

I'm not seriously comparing anything. I was asking questions got some answers I was looking for and said I'd have to think about it some more.

Ie: do a little more research to make a better decision.
 
In here we have developed a few infromal "rules"
more like strong suggestions ;)

1. Dont buy a PSU with Max in the name :p
(COOLmax, RAIDmax, POWmax)
the exception being Enermax

2. Never buy a PSU to fit a preconceived budget
add up the requirements, then weight the tradeoffs
and then pony up what is required

3. Never buy a PSU based on how it looks
if you dont like it, mod it, its what is inside that really counts

4. Get a UPS or other power conditioning scheme
the supply is just a link in the chain
the source and the mobos VRM being the other ends
eliminating fluctuation from the source will make all supplies that much better

the way to kill a mobo or a PSU is to load a supply right up next to or over its rating
then give it a surge or brownout to deal with, even the best supplies will shutdown if that is too severe,
the question then becomes will it do it safely or let an overshoot through to the board

PS there arent many "real" PSU reviewers out there
most wouldnt know a good supply from a marginal one,
if it was used as a dull probe :p

Id trust reviews from Lee Garbutt or Mike Chin
past that I assess them one at a time,
some almost do a good job,
most as mentioned couldnt find their ass if there was a cord leading to it :p
 
Ice Czar said:
In here we have developed a few infromal "rules"
more like strong suggestions ;)

1. Dont buy a PSU with Max in the name :p
(COOLmax, RAIDmax, POWmax)
the exception being Enermax

2. Never buy a PSU to fit a preconceived budget
add up the requirements, then weight the tradeoffs
and then pony up what is required

3. Never buy a PSU based on how it looks
if you dont like it, mod it, its what is inside that really counts

4. Get a UPS or other power conditioning scheme
the supply is just a link in the chain
the source and the mobos VRM being the other ends
eliminating fluctuation from the source will make all supplies that much better

the way to kill a mobo or a PSU is to load a supply right up next to or over its rating
then give it a surge or brownout to deal with, even the best supplies will shutdown if that is too severe,
the question then becomes will it do it safely or let an overshoot through to the board

PS there arent many "real" PSU reviewers out there
most wouldnt know a good supply from a marginal one,
if it was used as a dull probe :p

Id trust reviews from Lee Garbut or Mike Chin
past that I assess them one at a time,
some almost do a good job,
most as mentioned couldnt find their ass if there was a cord leading to it :p
Click to expand...
Thank you. That was very informative. Really.

Now this is the reason why I joined this place. To get educated on things like this.

And as for my comment on the way the case looked. It really had nothign to do with looks, I chose the incorrect wording. What I liked about the X-Connect was the cabling system. The Antec didn't really appeal to me even though it is a better PS.

Alright. So, what kind of things should I look for in a PS?

I have been looking at UPS's for a long time but am unsure of which one to get, there are so many. I see a lot of APC units in buildings that I work in (I'm a fire alarm tech so I go into a lot of facilities) but I dunno which model APC to get, there are a lot.

What PS and what UPS do you suggest?

I am looking for a PS that has great ventilation, I like the 2 fan designs and as for it being modular that's a non issue, especially since I can modify the cables and get molex connectors for them

Thanks for the help and informative response Ice Czar. It was much appreciated.
 
Moose777 said:
Alright. So, what kind of things should I look for in a PS?
Click to expand...

1. which specification its compliant with (ATX12V v1.3 or 2.0 or EPS12V)

2. that it has adequate amps per rail for your config
generally I deduct a third on the amp rating to get a real value for the likely operating temperature

3. voltage regulation, ideally independently verified by someone like Lee or Mike
the tighter the better (The Transient Response expressed as the main rails will return to with in X% in less than 1ms for a 20% load change) where X is the lower the better, basic compliance is 5%, there are supplies available that are 1%

4. AC line regulation, the ability of the supply to deal with a variable AC source

5. AC Ripple or "noise" this is the Diferential Mode Periodic and Random Deviation
basically an AC surge on the DC line, the less the better, but at least within the ATX12V spec (50mV for +3.3V,& +5V, 120mV for the +12V)

6. A reputable manufacturer, whos veracity is known

past that a more efficient supply will have to dump less waste heat for a given load
how loud it is can be a consideration

quality PSUs will typically publish all those and more, while less than quality PSU often just sell flash

when the X connect first came out I was tempted to gut one and put in a PCP&C Turbo Cool, however the cables would have all been the wrong length (Rackmount) so I do understand the allure of the aesthetics ;)

http://www.pcguide.com/ref/power/sup/specElec-c.html
and
POWER SHMOWER by Mike Chin

or How PSU Power Ratings Mean Almost Nothing

A frustrating fact about PSUs is that there does not appear to be a stringent or regulated standard for reporting, advertising and labeling rated power. This is despite the existence of standards like ATX2.03 or Intel ATX12V.

There are well-established standards for measuring and rating HDD capacity, an engine's horsepower, or the heat generated by a furnace... but not one for how much power a PSU can deliver. There are so many cases of people with "450W" PSUs having power stability issues running a system that can't possoibly draw more than 150W. And "300W" units that keep running where the "450W" units are faltering.

It's not just about bad PSUs vs better ones. It's a dumb situation caused by uncontrolled marketing competition. Real regulation would bring PSUs out of snake oil territory and into a more sensible consumer-friendly terrain.

There are many ways PSU makers fudge to make their units seem more powerful.

1) Out and out lying. You add up the power on all the lines in many PSUs and they fall short of the rated power by 10, 20 30W or even more.

There are more sophisticated ways:

2) Limit the AC input voltage to a very narrow tolerance. The best PSUs are able to deliver their rated power given a decent range of AC input power, say 90~130V for a 120V unit. It's much more demanding to produce 300W w/90VAC input than with 120VAC, so what some PSU makers will detail in their tech specs (usually not in their consumer brochures) is to specify 115-120VAC for input power. A PSU specified this way will not deliver full power if the AC voltage sags, if there is a brown-out. Surely it causes instability more often than a PSU rated to deliver full power with 90-130VAC.

3) Specify a low operating temperature for rated output. This is quite common, but again not often seen in consumer brochures, but rather tech spec sheets provided usually only on demand by engineers or corp buyers. A typical PSU operating temp statement is somthing like this:

0ºC ~25ºC for full rating of load, decrease to zero Watts O/P at 70ºC

Examine what that says. Full power (let's say 400W) is available when the unit is at 0ºC ~25ºC. Hmmm. Think about this.

Have you ever felt air blown out of a PSU in a PC running absolutely full tilt (which it would have to do to get anywhere near 400W output) that felt cool to the fingers? 25ºC airflow would feel exactly that: Cool, given that normal body temperature is 37 °C.

So this PSU cannot deliver full rated power when its temperature goes over 25ºC. OK, what happens to the max power output capacity above that temp? It decreases gradually so that by the time the PSU temp reaches 70ºC, the PSU cannot deliver any power at all. So if you assume that this power drop as temp rises is linear, then max power capacity will drop by ~9W for every degree over 25ºC.

Now having examined as many PSUs as I have over the last 2~3 years, I have to say there's not a single PSU in ANY PC I have ever used or examined that would not measure at least 30~35ºC almost anywhere inside the PSU under almost any kind of load. And if/when it is pushed, 45ºC is nothing at all, especially for or near hot running components like voltage regulators.

So let's say 40ºC is a fairly typical temp inside a PSU. This 400W rated unit would actually be able to deliver a max of just 220W at that temp. Hmmm. Interesting, isn't it? At 50ºC, the available power would drop to just 130W. No wonder some PSUs have 3 fans each capable of 50 cfm!!

Here's a simple fact: Really high quality PSUs are actually rated for full power output at as high as 40ºC. The trick is get a hold of the spec sheets that tell such information so you can compare apples to apples. Or ask.
Click to expand...

or

from dansdata
Unethical PSU Marketing 101.

Here's how to make overly optimistic power supply specifications. It's really simple.

First, power the thing up. You can make an ATX power supply that isn't connected to a motherboard turn on by grounding pin number 14 on the big motherboard power connector. It's easy to spot that pin, because it's the only one with a green wire going to it.

Use any handy bit of wire - like the paper clip in this picture - to connect pin 14 to any ground contact. The ground contacts are the ones with the black wires going to them. Presto, the PSU will turn on.

Now, break out your brick-sized power resistors and load the heck out of one of the output rails - the +5V rail, for instance. Measure the current as you increase the load, until the voltage sags unacceptably far below the rated voltage.

How do you tell what an unacceptable voltage sag is? Well, you could choose a nice conservative small permitted sag - say, 0.1 volts - so that your results are genuinely useful to your customers. Or you could just ignore the voltage and say that when a fuse (or some other component...) blows, that must have been the limit, right there.

OK. Now you've made a big fat amperage number for the +5V rail. If you blew up the PSU in the process, get another one, and repeat the process for +12V and +3.3V, and for the low current rails as well.

On no account, though, should you test more than one rail at a time. This is the key to the whole scam.

A big beefy PSU may be able to deliver 50 amps (say) on the 5V rail when nothing else is under load, and 25 amps (say) on the 12V rail when it's similarly all alone. But the 12V and 5V rails together may only be able to deliver, say, 350 watts between them, when they're both under load. Watts equals amps times volts.

In a real PC, all of the power rails will always be under load together.

But you're not testing what the PSU can really do - you're making pretty numbers for the sales brochure!

So test all of your rails alone, get an amperage figure for all of them, multiply that figure by the voltage of the rail it came from (the nominal voltage, not whatever the voltage had sagged to as the PSU pumped electrons through the dessert spoon you'd soldered to the circuit board), then take all of the resulting wattage figures and add 'em up. That's a wrap, folks. Ship it!
Click to expand...

Moose777 said:
What PS and what UPS do you suggest?
Click to expand...
lots of factors to consider, its easy to say what the best PSUs are what is harder is not spending a fortune :p
if your running a monster high draw config and need super clean and stable power
Id say the PCP&C Turbo Cools, for even larger configs, N+1 Zippy Emacs
unless there are special considerations the capacity and stability need not be massive and super stable, so there are shades of grey

same sort of considerations with UPS
generally most people use line interactive SPS, and what you need is greatly dependent on what your trying to power and for how long

Power Conditioning 101 and the
Dangers of MOV surge protectors
 
Thanks I've actually saved everything you gave me as a text file so I can reference it when I need to.

I also found out that my MadDog powersupply is actually made by Thermaltake.
 
Mine died after two days of minimal use...but it still looks great!
It is fairly easy to open up and does not have warning label about voiding the warranty. When you open it up you can see the crappy worksmanship and poor QC that went into manufacturing this product...
Click to expand...
...And the company stands by that crappy workmanship with a whopping 1 year warranty. I wouldn't spend $100 on an "enthusiast" power supply with a one-year warranty. Others typically offer three years.
 
Dr_John said:
...And the company stands by that crappy workmanship with a whopping 1 year warranty. I wouldn't spend $100 on an "enthusiast" power supply with a one-year warranty. Others typically offer three years.
Click to expand...

While I am not defending them (see my post above) they do up the warranty to 3 years if you register at their web site, and they seem to have a liberal return policy (although this may indicate they know what piece of junk they sell).
 
1. Dont buy a PSU with Max in the name
(COOLmax, RAIDmax, POWmax)
the exception being Enermax

Or MaxPower (Key Mouse, also sold as Soyo)

OTOH MaxTop should be good because it's from HEC/Heroichi/Compucase

Animal names seem to mean bad quality: Deer, Eagle, Mustang, Foxconn, Foxlink -- all the same company.
 
The X-Connect is a re-branded Powmax? Wow, this PSU is now on my stay-away-from list...
 
yep, i had read it somewhere else as well...UltraX is a Powmax. I imagine its a tad better than a run-of-the-mill powmax but i wouldn't trust my equipment to my imagination ;)
 
Man I am glad I returned that thing, what a relief. I knew something wasn't quite right with it, that explains it.
 
No particular post from the thread said:
Never buy a cheap powersupply, they'll always be crappy
Click to expand...

This is not always the case. I bought my Elitech 500W for $39.99 CND total. Damn good supply, mind you I guess I do have a cheap-o system too.

It was a replacement for my Sparkle 300W where the 3.3V line decided to go screwy on me.
 
Codegen said:
This is not always the case. I bought my Elitech 500W for $39.99 CND total. Damn good supply, mind you I guess I do have a cheap-o system too.
Click to expand...
It looks like it doesn't have very much to power... there isn't a video card listed there even. Elitech is what you'd find at Future Shop (Canada's Best Buy).
 
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