9-Way 850W Power Supply Roundup

Ultra X4 850W

Much like with the Cooler Master Silent Pro M, we didn’t know what to expect when testing the Ultra X4 but things turned out quite well. Unfortunately, in this illustrious crowd the Ultra just doesn’t stand out from the competition in any meaningful way other than it posting extremely high +12V readings. This also led to huge fluctuations between one test and the next which could mean the VRMs on your GPU or motherboard will be working overtime. Efficiency wasn’t anywhere near what a $200 power supply should be displaying either.

On the flip side of the coin, the ripple suppression on this unit was more than acceptable and its fan never made itself heard over the noise of the GPU and case fans. Ultra also stands out in a few other areas: cable sleeving, warranty length and connector selection. The sleeving on the X4 is simply some of the best we have ever seen with tightly wound strands lovingly embracing every cable. To make matters even better, Ultra included an amazingly wide selection of cables ranging from short to long and everything in between. Finally, we have the warranty which is the best we have seen: you’re covered for the life of the power supply.

The Ultra X4 isn’t the best performing power supply out there but it uses some forward-thinking features in terms of cabling, connector selection and warranty protection. As such, it wins our Dam Innovative Award.


Pros:

- Lifetime warranty
- Great selection of connectors
- Amazing sleeving on the cables
- Passable ripple suppression


Cons:

- High +12V readings
- Low efficiency versus competition
- Price




XFX Black Edition 850W

XFX is a total newcomer to the power supply scene but after looking at the Black Edition, it is obvious they are definitely moving in the right direction. Yes, many people who are looking for a PSU will have a love / hate relationship with the exterior design of this particular unit but there is no hiding the fact that it’s a monster performer when the rubber meets the road. On a more personal note, I actually like the unique design used and it is nice to see a manufacturer who is willing to take a risk and break with tradition.

While the exterior will be the most talked about feature of the Black Edition, its performance stands out as well. It competed with the best of the best in this roundup by posting excellent voltage regulation, high efficiency and good ripple suppression through every test. Its cables are also well sleeved but some of them (the ATX cable in particular) are a little short for our liking which can cause an issue when installing this power supply into larger cases that feature bottom mounted PSU configurations.

All in all, XFX’s first foray into the power supply market can only be called a resounding success regardless of what you think of the colors they chose. The Black Edition 850W should have everything you could possibly want in a high-end power supply, comes with a 5-year warranty and won’t break your budget either. They wanted to stand out from the crowd and all we can say is “mission accomplished”.


Pros:

- Excellent performance
- 80Plus Silver efficiency
- Good price
- Very quiet
- 5-year warranty


Cons:

- Colour scheme may not be for everyone
- Slightly short ATX cable




Xigmatek NRP 850W

Xigmatek deserves a pat on the back. Earlier in these conclusions we lambasted the Thermaltake Toughpower XT because it takes a budget-friendly platform and tacks a ridiculous price premium on it for who knows what reason. Xigmatek on the other hand took that same CWT PSH platform and treated consumers properly by releasing a good modular power supply for a fair price. While it won’t be winning any awards for performance or overall value, the NRP 850W’s numbers stay within the ATX norms and it actually outperforms the more expensive Thermaltake unit in nearly every test. It is also reasonably efficient and constantly posted better than average power consumption results.

We do have a few minor issues with this power supply but they are mostly superficial. To begin with, the colour scheme seems a bit odd; you have orange on the cable sleeving, more orange on the interior heatsinks, a deep brown label on the housing and finally, a blue LED fan. There is also the issue that the unmodified version of the PSH platform is about ready to be put out to pasture as evidenced by the elevated ripple at higher wattages. As we mentioned, it is within the ATX limits but still a cause for some concern.

All in all, with the NRP 850W Xigmatek has a no nonsense power supply which represents a step in the right direction. All they need to do is shave a few bucks off the price and it could be extremely competitive in this market. Unfortunately, there are better units out there for the same price.


Pros:

- Acceptable performance
- Modular interface
- Good voltage regulation

Cons:

- Elevated ripple
- Some short cables
- Price