Ultra 750w X2's are relabeled 550w's

[BladeVenom]

Someone at Overclock.net peeled off the sticker and found their 750w to be a relabeled 550.
Pic 1
Pic 2

HardOCP saw that and posted it. Then in their forum, they checked theirs.
Pic 3
Pic 4

The funny thing is they weren't even half decent 550 watt power supplies. Ultra X2 Extreme Edition 750w Power Supply Review After reading the review you'd almost expect that there is a 350 watt label under the 550 watt label.

 

[Modelworks]

That is almost and may be criminal.
I would contact UL immediately if I were them. UL doesn't take lightly to companies faking the cert. , which is what they did by changing labels like that.

 

[Schmide]

I read the threads and the article and not one mention was made to where these PSUs came from. It's one thing if they fell of the back of a truck another from a reputable source. I expect HardOCP to at least name where the PSU came from, IE sent from ultra. I often think the H is just out for the drama.

 

[Zepper]

No problem if they were reworked up to 750 parts. But then, I still have a bad taste in my mouth from the original X-Connect ($25. PSU in ballroom duds). I'd not buy any Ultra PSU. But some investigative reporting has to be done re. where the relabeling happened and whether anything was done to justify it.

.bh.

 

[HOOfan 1]

Originally posted by: Schmide
I read the threads and the article and not one mention was made to where these PSUs came from. It's one thing if they fell of the back of a truck another from a reputable source. I expect HardOCP to at least name where the PSU came from, IE sent from ultra. I often think the H is just out for the drama.

What are you even talking about?

1) HardOCPers are not the ones who discovered this. A reader told them that they happened upon this and then Paul Johnson went back to one of the two samples that he was given and found out the same thing had been done. This has been posted in several other forums by the user that first discovered this. Besides the original review was posted over a year ago...don't you think they would have revealed this fact in the original review if they were in it for sensationalism.

2) Do you really expect that HardOCP goes and buys their review samples in back allies? No matter where the damn thing came from, it came in a X2 750 box and with a badge for the X2 750.

3) Paul has pretty much made it no secret that most if not all of the units he reviews are sent to him from the manufacturer.

 

[Painman]

Kyle Bennett doesn't need to manufacture drama, any more than Anand Lal Shimpi does...

I don't always agree with his reviews or methodology (and the same goes for this site) but KB hasn't made a complete fool of himself. Unlike that metrosexual German dude. What was his name again?

 

[Schmide]

Originally posted by: HOOfan 1

Originally posted by: Schmide
I read the threads and the article and not one mention was made to where these PSUs came from. It's one thing if they fell of the back of a truck another from a reputable source. I expect HardOCP to at least name where the PSU came from, IE sent from ultra. I often think the H is just out for the drama.

What are you even talking about?

1) HardOCPers are not the ones who discovered this. A reader told them that they happened upon this and then Paul Johnson went back to one of the two samples that he was given and found out the same thing had been done. This has been posted in several other forums by the user that first discovered this. Besides the original review was posted over a year ago...don't you think they would have revealed this fact in the original review if they were in it for sensationalism.

2) Do you really expect that HardOCP goes and buys their review samples in back allies? No matter where the damn thing came from, it came in a X2 750 box and with a badge for the X2 750.

3) Paul has pretty much made it no secret that most if not all of the units he reviews are sent to him from the manufacturer.

I read through the article and the following thread and no mention was made as to where the unit came from. It is poor journalistic practice to both omit this information or provide a blanket statement that all units come from some generic source. This by omission, infers that Ultra was responsible for the unit and no other source could of re branded it. That is all I'm saying and I think it's a fair question.

 

[HOOfan 1]

Originally posted by: Schmide

I read through the article and the following thread and no mention was made as to where the unit came from. It is poor journalistic practice to both omit this information or provide a blanket statement that all units come from some generic source. This by omission, infers that Ultra was responsible for the unit and no other source could of re branded it. That is all I'm saying and I think it's a fair question.

How many PSU reviews from Anandtech or most other sites have you seen that state in the review from whence they got the power supply?

I didn't see Paul Johnson pointing any fingers in the thread about who rebranded it. He simply pointed out that he also was able to peel back the 750W label and found a 550W label.

Not to mention that the unit is obviously not a 750W PSU by any way shape or form just from looking at the test results....it failed after outputing merely 346W....and that is two units including one that was rebadged and one that was not.

Edit:

Note this quote by Jonnyguru over a year ago in the original discussion thread for the review of this unit...this is over a year ago before this revelation of peeling back the label

Originally posted by: Jonnyguru

Originally Posted by: Paul_Johnson
Next to the OCP circuit it is labeled WIN-OCP Rev.B 2006/09/13

Thanks for the pictures markkleb it is the same PCB in this unit with slightly beefier primary caps, and a different main transformer.

Sweet. So the X2 750W is just an X2 550W with a different label. Amazing. Because Wintech HAS an 800W that does 800W. Why not just use that???

 

[MrOblivious]

Originally posted by: Schmide

Originally posted by: HOOfan 1

Originally posted by: Schmide
I read the threads and the article and not one mention was made to where these PSUs came from. It's one thing if they fell of the back of a truck another from a reputable source. I expect HardOCP to at least name where the PSU came from, IE sent from ultra. I often think the H is just out for the drama.

What are you even talking about?

1) HardOCPers are not the ones who discovered this. A reader told them that they happened upon this and then Paul Johnson went back to one of the two samples that he was given and found out the same thing had been done. This has been posted in several other forums by the user that first discovered this. Besides the original review was posted over a year ago...don't you think they would have revealed this fact in the original review if they were in it for sensationalism.

2) Do you really expect that HardOCP goes and buys their review samples in back allies? No matter where the damn thing came from, it came in a X2 750 box and with a badge for the X2 750.

3) Paul has pretty much made it no secret that most if not all of the units he reviews are sent to him from the manufacturer.

I read through the article and the following thread and no mention was made as to where the unit came from. It is poor journalistic practice to both omit this information or provide a blanket statement that all units come from some generic source. This by omission, infers that Ultra was responsible for the unit and no other source could of re branded it. That is all I'm saying and I think it's a fair question.

Fair question? Maybe if asked politely.

Answered a year ago? Most definitely.

Read the following thread? Certainly not.

http://www.hardforum.com/showp...32031242&postcount=123

And its not by omission or "poor journalistic practice", it is because like everywhere else we get the majority of the units we test from the manufacturers. The only time it is different is when I say I bought the unit like I have stated in every review where I purchased units.

 

[HOOfan 1]

This is another good one

link

 

[Schmide]

Fair. I missed that. With all the updates on their page I just wish it was on the article front page, along with any followup from the manufacture, not page 7.

 

[AmberClad]

They're blaming the OEM, which sounds like a bit of a cop out. Assuming you give them the benefit of the doubt that they didn't put their OEM up to this, shouldn't they have been doing some sampling of the product that comes off of the assembly lines?

 

[SpcCdr]

Hi, New here,
In fact -I just joined- for the sole purpose of replying to this thread.

RE: The question regarding the validity of the original poster and the source of the PSU?

Pictures 1&2 in OP were taken by me , I am the owner of that 750 (550w) PSU!

You can find the original thread here: http://www.overclock.net/power...-750w-x2-orly-not.html]

It was purchased directly from TigerDirect January 2008.
Not refurbed, not Open-Box, Brand new (I have the invoice)
OK now that's settled.

I've seen this "story" spread to several sites and I am unfortunately shocked that while the majority of readers have had absolutely no problem jumping on the bandwagon and joining the mob vilification of ULTRA! (Perhaps deservedly)
NONE have bothered to follow up and post the superb and immediate response I received from ULTRA's customer service!:

Dear Sir,
We are still investigating this issue, but we have been given permission to replace your PSU with an X3 850 watt PSU, your pictures are proof of the purchase for a 750.
What I would need from you is your complete shipping address so I can send this. it will be at no charge so you would not have to return the other PSU either.
We are sorry for the confusion.
Please respond as soon as you can so I can take care of this for you quickly.
Thank you for contacting us.
If you have any further inquiries please reply to this email.
Sincerely,
Richard
Ultra Products Tech. Support

And for those following along; an X3 850w is a beastie of entirely different stripe, and a pretty nice PSU from what I've been able to suss out!
Now, do I wish they'd splurged and "upgraded me to a 1000W X3- well -YES- but, is the 850w X3 a nice "token gesture" upgrade? Sure it is !

So, while the original issue of the mislabeled PSU is ongoing- the "what's Ultra gonna do about it?" and the questioning of their Customer Service quality can now be safely laid to rest!

One thing of note, the commonality between my PSU and the other isolated incident (so far) (pictures 3 & 4)
Is the manufacture date of March 2007- which some have actually reported was before the X2 750 was officially released by Ultra!
If this is the case- then; in fact it may have been a ploy by the "reseller" to mark their older 550 stock, with newer (and more profitable) 750 labels!
- Although where they would get those labels except directly off returned DOA 750X2's (or from ULTRA themselves) remains a mystery to me.
Thank you very much for allowing me to offer this clarification,
Cheers ALL
SpcCdr

 

[Flipped Gazelle]

Originally posted by: SpcCdr
Hi, New here,
In fact -I just joined- for the sole purpose of replying to this thread.

RE: The question regarding the validity of the original poster and the source of the PSU?

Pictures 1&2 in OP were taken by me , I am the owner of that 750 (550w) PSU!

You can find the original thread here: http://www.overclock.net/power...-750w-x2-orly-not.html]

It was purchased directly from TigerDirect January 2008.
Not refurbed, not Open-Box, Brand new (I have the invoice)
OK now that's settled.

I've seen this "story" spread to several sites and I am unfortunately shocked that while the majority of readers have had absolutely no problem jumping on the bandwagon and joining the mob vilification of ULTRA! (Perhaps deservedly)
NONE have bothered to follow up and post the superb and immediate response I received from ULTRA's customer service!:

<<Dear Sir,
We are still investigating this issue, but we have been given permission to replace your PSU with an X3 850 watt PSU, your pictures are proof of the purchase for a 750.
What I would need from you is your complete shipping address so I can send this. it will be at no charge so you would not have to return the other PSU either.
We are sorry for the confusion.
Please respond as soon as you can so I can take care of this for you quickly.
Thank you for contacting us.
If you have any further inquiries please reply to this email.
Sincerely,
Richard
Ultra Products Tech. Support

And for those following along; an X3 850w is a beastie of entirely different stripe, and a pretty nice PSU from what I've been able to suss out!
Now, do I wish they'd splurged and "upgraded me to a 1000W X3- well -YES- but, is the 850w X3 a nice "token gesture" upgrade? Sure it is !

So, while the original issue of the mislabeled PSU is ongoing- the "what's Ultra gonna do about it?" and the questioning of their Customer Service quality can now be safely laid to rest!

One thing of note, the commonality between my PSU and the other isolated incident (so far) (pictures 3 & 4)
Is the manufacture date of March 2007- which some have actually reported was before the X2 750 was officially released by Ultra!
If this is the case- then; in fact it may have been a ploy by the "reseller" to mark their older 550 stock, with newer (and more profitable) 750 labels!
- Although where they would get those labels except directly off returned DOA 750X2's (or from ULTRA themselves) remains a mystery to me.
Thank you very much for allowing me to offer this clarification,
Cheers ALL
SpcCdr

Nice!

On the front page at HardOCP, Ultra is stating that it will replace all of the mislabeled X2 750's with X3 850's.

Customer service FTW.

 

[Zepper]

Nice to remember that TigerDirect and Ultra Products are basically the same company. Neither are on my short list of quality outfits.

.bh.

 

[HOOfan 1]

Originally posted by: AmberClad
They're blaming the OEM, which sounds like a bit of a cop out. Assuming you give them the benefit of the doubt that they didn't put their OEM up to this, shouldn't they have been doing some sampling of the product that comes off of the assembly lines?

Their product, their responsibility. They sell it therefore the onus is on them.

Besides that fact I think people are still missing the fact that this unit IS basically an X2 550W whether they slapped that label on it originally or not.

Originally posted by: Zepper
Nice to remember that TigerDirect and Ultra Products are basically the same company. Neither are on my short list of quality outfits.

.bh.

Tigerdirect, CompUSA(now) Systemax, Ultra all owned by the same company

Originally posted by: Flipped Gazelle
Nice!
On the front page at HardOCP, Ultra is stating that it will replace all of the mislabeled X2 750's with X3 850's.
Customer service FTW.

Massive damage control FTW.....

See what has already been said the X2 750W is the same unit no matter what label was slapped on it. Paul Johnson tested two of them....one with the X2 550W label covered over with the 750W label and one that did not have the X2 550W label....so the unit is the same no matter how they labeled it. Yet from the way it sounds, only people "lucky" enough to be able to peel back their X2 750W label to find an X2 550W label will get a replacement...while those with the same PSU, that never had the X2 550W label to begin with will still be stuck with the same piece of junk. Of course they bought it to begin with, so that is their fault.

 

[Modelworks]

Someone needs to file a report with the regulatory agencies. There is no excuse for this and it needs to be investigated how it happened, not just covered up.
What about the people who don't know they have a 550W ?

 

[Modelworks]

Originally posted by: AmberClad
They're blaming the OEM, which sounds like a bit of a cop out. Assuming you give them the benefit of the doubt that they didn't put their OEM up to this, shouldn't they have been doing some sampling of the product that comes off of the assembly lines?

You would think they actually test the power supplies, it has the Quality control passes sticker on it. They probably just check that the voltage is correct and don't do any load test.