Ultra X-connect XVS 600w

[FinalAura]

Hello all, this is my first post here, but have been a long time lurker .

Anyhow, I have been using an Ultra X-connect XVS 600w psu which i got at tigerdirect for $37 o_o. I've been using this for a little more than half a year now, on my current system and my older system (opteron 170 @ 2.8ghz, 8800gts 320mb, 2gb ballistix tracers) with no problems so far... However, from reading around here, i've noticed that Ultra doesn't have a good rep.. and are somewhat disliked by many users here, especially the x-connect psu's.

I read 2 threads already on this forum, about not only how this psu died, but how it brought along their other components with them... On a recent thread d50man
http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1261662
stated that his mobo, ram and hardrive were lost all because of this psu... Another thread, one which i can't find, states that his whole apartment went down .

That being said... I got kinda scared... As I type, I am using an ultra x-connect, but after reading these threads... it feels as if this psu is going to kill my components. I have a pretty quality system and do not want this to happen at all. Therefore, I ordered a Corsair 620hx (i prefer modular) from zzf last night to replace this psu asap. From what i've read, these corsair psu's are nothing less than fantastic, and I have not read anything negative about them at all. I'm just hoping that the whole multi rail thing wont be so bad as this ultra psu has only one single 12v rail. I'm not really familiar with psu's, but hopefully all goes well.

My question(s)... is ultra really that bad of a psu manufacturer? The corsair that I bought should be able to sustain my system with no problem right? Its just the whole multi rail thing im unclear/unsure about. It should power some oc'ing, ~6 case fans, 2 hard drives, 1 dvd drive, and the rest is in my sig, correct? From what I've read, I should be pretty future proof, but I just want to make sure and get some opinions. I dont think GPU's are going to get any more power hungry with their die shrinks and what not, so I won't need monster 750 watt psu's right? I have no plans to use sli/xfire...

My brother has an ultra x-finity 500w, that had to be RMA'd once cause the fan stopped working... I have no idea how long the fan didn't work, and I noticed randomly when looking inside his case window... Good thing his parts didnt fry...

Sorry this is long. Thanks for the insight.

 

[Bbq]

No. it's Arcygenical that had all 3 breakers go, and that was most likely because of an something else and the psu died and nothing else. No idea about d50man's, but I also would not be surprised because it's an Xconnect.

The XVS is not an Xconnect. The Xfinity is not an xconnect. They're all made by different manufacturers.

That being said, replacing the Xconnect would be a great idea.

 

[Oklahoma Wolf]

My question(s)... is ultra really that bad of a psu manufacturer?

They don't build them - they outsource the XVS from Wintech. The X-Connect with all the failures was Youngyear. I have an XVS 700W in my office rig temporarily while I wait for something else a little better that can power it (5V based).

It's a mediocre unit, but not all that poorly built. Going to run mine a little while longer.

 

[chikinini]

Which ones are manufactured by Wintech and by Andyson? Who made what? I'm confused

Ultra have a lot of PSU models, which are the one's to avoid?

 

[Bbq]

Avoid: Xconnect (from way back. not the recent x2 or something)

That's it.

 

[Oklahoma Wolf]

The Andysons are mostly found in the X3 line. Actually, the only Ultras I've been really recommending lately are the three X3s over 800W.

 

[Arcygenical]

Yep, since all 3 of my breakers popped, I seriously think there's a fault somewhere else that caused my XVS to fail.

Now, having said this, it WAS behind a UPS, and nothing else in the apartment was damaged...

I get to open her up tomorrow, and see what went wrong.

My Xconnect (free after MIR ) has been going strong for a year now, but I don't give it much faith...

 

[jonnyGURU]

Early Ultras (non-modular, only 24-pin sleeved): All Wintech
U.S. Only non-PFC X-Connect w/ ULT-31XXXX part number: Youngyear
E.U. 230V Only Passive PFC X-Connect: Wintech
U.S. Only non-PFC X-Connect w/ ULT-33XXXX part number: Wintech
X2-Connect: Wintech
V-Series sold at retail: Wintech
X-Connect V-Series sold at retail: Wintech
V-Series bundled with case: Yue-Lin (has WIntech UL)
X-Connect V-Series < 700W bundled with case: Yue-Lin (has WIntech UL)
Lifetime Series: Wintech
All X-Finity units, except for one 600W "EE" unit, below 800W: Wintech
X-Finity 600W "EE": Andyson
X-Pro 750W: SevenTeam
X-Pro 600W & 800W: Andyson
X-Finity 800W: Andyson
All X3-Connect: Andyson
Power Partner: Yue-Lin (has WIntech UL)

 

[chikinini]

Thanks for the info dude, So the only decent ultras are andyson made?

 

[Bbq]

Wintech ones are respectable; Not excellent, not garbage.

The only one(s) to really avoid is the youngyear.

 

[jonnyGURU]

I wouldn't even say that any more. And that's not so much Wintech's fault as it is Ultra's.

The V-Series, XVS and Lifetime Series are rated at peak. Not that that average user would load it up near that, but it still sucks to do that.

Also, the QC on the Yue-Lin units isn't the best. Just because they have one of Wintech's engineers on duty and use many of the same parts, the assembly line is NOT Wintech's assembly line and that makes a big difference.

And the X2 750W, I have to wonder about that. They jumped up to 750W on a non-PFC unit? And check out the efficiency as per Ultra's own site. OUCH! That sounds more like what a 550W would do if you pushed it an extra 200W. Of course, you'd have to do this in a meat locker because I doubt it would do it at anything > 25°C.