Ultra X Connect 550W PS DOA?

[inthell]

but what if DX10 cards are out when you go to by that 2nd 512 ?? id also worry about HEAT SLI 512's leave little room for one of the cards to breath, it would worry me thats all

just my thought proccess on the whole sli thing...

nice comp btw minus the PSU of course

 

[Operandi]

From an ecomonical standpoint SLI dosn't really make much sense for future upgrades; it's only real use is max peformance, price be damned.

 

[Harkonen]

Originally posted by: Operandi
From an ecomonical standpoint SLI dosn't really make much sense for future upgrades; it's only real use is max peformance, price be damned.

Really? Why is this? If the cards come down by 50% or so in a few months, why would it not be an economical price v. performance equation to pop in a second card and go SLI?

Seems the thread has gone a bit awry... to summarize, I will pick up the 600 watt Seasonic today. Since I bought the Ultra X at Fry's, I'll pick the Seasonic up there on exchange + cash. I know I can get it cheaper online, but it's my fault I bought the wrong PSU, and it only seems fair that I buy the new one there if I'm going to make Fry's restock the Ultra X.

 

[GamerExpress]

Originally posted by: Ike0069
Ultra's don't exactly have a good reputation. In fact, you might just be very lucky.
Since it was DOA, it didn't take any of your hardware out with it. Now you can simply return it and get a quality PSU.

Yep I second that....the Ultra X Connect series PSU's look real cool but they suck hardcore. Return it and go for a nice Seasonic or Fortron, it may not look as cool but that's not always what counts.

 

[Allio]

Originally posted by: Harkonen
I will not be starting with 2 x 512's. I will start with one, and add a second card down the road. As I understand it, there is not much out there right now that will tax a single 7800gtx 512, so why SLI that card now? HOWEVER, I want the OPTION to do it down the road when card prices fall, so I am building all the other components in my system in such fashion that it will be plug-and-play SLI when I add the second card... didn't mean to confuse anyone.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but not only is the 512 almost impossible to find now, it's being discontinued in a few months. Even if you can get another one at that late stage the prices definitely aren't going to fall; this thing is a limited edition.

 

[Ike0069]

Originally posted by: Harkonen

Originally posted by: Operandi
From an ecomonical standpoint SLI dosn't really make much sense for future upgrades; it's only real use is max peformance, price be damned.

Really? Why is this? If the cards come down by 50% or so in a few months, why would it not be an economical price v. performance equation to pop in a second card and go SLI?

Seems the thread has gone a bit awry... to summarize, I will pick up the 600 watt Seasonic today. Since I bought the Ultra X at Fry's, I'll pick the Seasonic up there on exchange + cash. I know I can get it cheaper online, but it's my fault I bought the wrong PSU, and it only seems fair that I buy the new one there if I'm going to make Fry's restock the Ultra X.

I understand your thought process here, but at least find the sales person that suggested the Ultra and let him know that you are not happy with your purchase. There's no way he should be suggesting that PSU to someone with your PC hardware.

 

[ElFenix]

Originally posted by: Harkonen
OK...for the record. I CAN afford a better PSU...I just made a mistake. Yikes!

I will not be starting with 2 x 512's. I will start with one, and add a second card down the road. As I understand it, there is not much out there right now that will tax a single 7800gtx 512, so why SLI that card now? HOWEVER, I want the OPTION to do it down the road when card prices fall, so I am building all the other components in my system in such fashion that it will be plug-and-play SLI when I add the second card... didn't mean to confuse anyone. I can't see the benefit in two 512's right now...but in a few months? Then I won't be tempted to buy the 8800gtx 1024 (or whatever it is by then) .

if you're not getting 2x512s right now i would suggest not bothering at all with the 512s. it seems as though they're a 'holiday special' and 'press edition' type product with a very short lifespan and very limited product availablility. just got get a GT SLI setup, you'll save money and have better performance than with a single 512.

 

[0roo0roo]

? u can tax any current card by running at high resolution with all goodies on 4xfsaa+8xaf ..let alone sli. if you can afford those things you can afford the sweet big screen that will tax it big time.

 

[Harkonen]

Originally posted by: 0roo0roo
? u can tax any current card by running at high resolution with all goodies on 4xfsaa+8xaf ..let alone sli. if you can afford those things you can afford the sweet big screen that will tax it big time.

YES! The sweet big screen is in the works!!!

Is this the consensus here regarding 512's & SLI? That it would be smarter to go 256's now rather than 1 512 now and another one later?

This surprises me, as the benchmark testing I have seen seemed to suggest a single 512 like the MSI or BFG performed nearly as well as 2 x 256's in SLI. Figured it was a smarter option to plan a two-stage route with the 512's in SLU.

I won't say price is no object, because my wife would disagree emphatically....however, I am looking to set up with the best I can, and give myself a path for easy upgrade.

On the PSU...I've read quite a bit more now....warranty aside, the Silverstone Strider 600W is a viable unit for my setup, no? (I'm evaluating from the available hardware at Fry's for the reasons mentioned earier).

Thanks

 

[Harkonen]

Originally posted by: Ike0069

Originally posted by: Harkonen

Originally posted by: Operandi
From an ecomonical standpoint SLI dosn't really make much sense for future upgrades; it's only real use is max peformance, price be damned.

Really? Why is this? If the cards come down by 50% or so in a few months, why would it not be an economical price v. performance equation to pop in a second card and go SLI?

Seems the thread has gone a bit awry... to summarize, I will pick up the 600 watt Seasonic today. Since I bought the Ultra X at Fry's, I'll pick the Seasonic up there on exchange + cash. I know I can get it cheaper online, but it's my fault I bought the wrong PSU, and it only seems fair that I buy the new one there if I'm going to make Fry's restock the Ultra X.

I understand your thought process here, but at least find the sales person that suggested the Ultra and let him know that you are not happy with your purchase. There's no way he should be suggesting that PSU to someone with your PC hardware.

I like the idea...but chastising a Fry's employee for lack of expertise? Seems a bit like requesting your quarter-pounder medium rare.... unrealistic expectations. It's my fault for not researching it enough first and being mezmerized by shiny chrome.

 

[t3h l337 n3wb]

By the time the 2nd card comes down 50% in price, the performance of that SLI configuration would be pretty crappy, and it would be a much better bang for your buck to just buy a decent video card, sell it, then buy a new one that uses newer technology.

 

[jonnyGURU]

Did it ever dawn on you guys that he might have actually bought an X2 which isn't $.01 after MIR's and is a TOTALLY different animal than the original, antiquated, beat like a dead horse X-Connect?


EDIT:

Originally posted by: Harkonen

I figured 550 watts or so would be enough. Any guidance?

Yep... You guys didn't read (niether did I first time around.) He has an X2. Not the old X-Connect that you could buy on blow out for pennies. The two power supplies are completely different in every way, shape and form.

Good job making the guy feel like he's a moron.

 

[Budarow]

Originally posted by: thesurge
Ultra PSUs are the greatest PSUs ever created.

I like the one I've got and so do ~20 reviewer web-sites including JonnyGuru's siteDude...are you "back-tracking" on me LOL. I've also combed the message boards MANY times over the past year and haven't found ONE person with a problem with MY model of Ultra X-Connect PS (i.e., 500 watts with 34A on the 12V rail, modular, etc.). Seems to me YoungYear made at LEAST 1 model of PS which works well....MINE. Yeah...I know, my PC isn't "exactly" demanding on a PS or so I've been told:Q

I do agree on 1 thing though...if I was running SLI/Crossfire with "high end" cards, I would pay more for the PS and get 1 with really high end features/reputation. I REALLY like my Ultra and don't think I'll have any issues with it, but I NEVER will run SLI/Crossfire, so I won't SUPER stress the Ultra PS.

 

[python023]

Originally posted by: thesurge
400-550w PSU. From: Antec, Enermax, OCZ, Fortron (FSP), Sparkle, PCP&C, Seasonic....

500-650w of those brands FTW - those dual 7800GTX are power hogs.

 

[Budarow]

Originally posted by: python023

Originally posted by: thesurge
400-550w PSU. From: Antec, Enermax, OCZ, Fortron (FSP), Sparkle, PCP&C, Seasonic....

500-650w of those brands FTW - those dual 7800GTX are power hogs.

Don't they draw like ~90 watts each?? EDIT:7800 GTX 128W (idle) 244W (load) :shocked:

 

[blackstealth007]

try to stay away from Ultra X connect power supplies. I got a 500 watt power supply and it didnt even power my low end computer. AMD 64 3000 proccessor. Didnt have enough on the 12V line. Not enough ampers. Try other power supplies

 

[Patrick Wolf]

I bought an Ultra X-Connect about 6 months ago because of it's awesome shinyness and modular design. But after I got it I researched it and found out I may have made a mistake - just read that the general census is to avoid them (all flash no substance).

SO I got the next best thing: OCZ Modstream 450W. It's look great and it's modular, and it's given me 0 problems since I bought it.

But if your going SLI, which I'm against unless you can afford to upgrade both your cards every generation, than I'd recommend:
OCZ PowerStream Power Supply (SLI Ready)

 

[Budarow]

Originally posted by: Patrick Wolf
I bought an Ultra X-Connect about 6 months ago because of it's awesome shinyness and modular design. But after I got it I researched it and found out I may have made a mistake - just read that the general census is to avoid them (all flash no substance).

The EXACT same thing happened to me EXCEPT...I didn't "rest" until I had searched and search and SEARCHED every corner of the net to find some ACTUAL proof that the Ultra 500 watt PS (with 34A on the 12V rail) had failed someone.

Sure I found LOTS of posts from people saying "ultra sucks", "I heard of a guy who's PC burst into flames due to an Ultra PS"...blah, blah, blah. Funny thing was...NO ONE actually said they had a problem with the 500 watter with 34A on the 12V rail.

So...I kept mine and haven't had a problem since.

It's my story....and I'm sticking to it!

 

[Budarow]

Originally posted by: blackstealth007
try to stay away from Ultra X connect power supplies. I got a 500 watt power supply and it didnt even power my low end computer. AMD 64 3000 proccessor. Didnt have enough on the 12V line. Not enough ampers. Try other power supplies

Was your Ultra PS rated at 34A on the 12V rail?

 

[Budarow]

I do see a LOT more Ultra X-Connect PS' listed in board members signatures...so if the PS' are crap, we'll all be hearing a LOT more about it over the next year or 2

 

[Patrick Wolf]

Originally posted by: Budarow

Originally posted by: Patrick Wolf
I bought an Ultra X-Connect about 6 months ago because of it's awesome shinyness and modular design. But after I got it I researched it and found out I may have made a mistake - just read that the general census is to avoid them (all flash no substance).

The EXACT same thing happened to me EXCEPT...I didn't "rest" until I had searched and search and SEARCHED every corner of the net to find some ACTUAL proof that the Ultra 500 watt PS (with 34A on the 12V rail) had failed someone.

Sure I found LOTS of posts from people saying "ultra sucks", "I heard of a guy who's PC burst into flames due to an Ultra PS"...blah, blah, blah. Funny thing was...NO ONE actually said they had a problem with the 500 watter with 34A on the 12V rail.

So...I kept mine and haven't had a problem since.

It's my story....and I'm sticking to it!

Also I was having a problem with my PS ommiting a burning smell, I thought it was the ULTRA but it turned out to be my motherboard causing the problem (it wasn't grounded properly). So that was also another reason why I returned it. OH YEAH, and the modular design was a bit poor. The cables sometimes became loose or fell off the PS when I bumped my case. And my OCZ is less noisy, I think.

 

[Budarow]

Originally posted by: Patrick Wolf

Originally posted by: Budarow

Originally posted by: Patrick Wolf
I bought an Ultra X-Connect about 6 months ago because of it's awesome shinyness and modular design. But after I got it I researched it and found out I may have made a mistake - just read that the general census is to avoid them (all flash no substance).

The EXACT same thing happened to me EXCEPT...I didn't "rest" until I had searched and search and SEARCHED every corner of the net to find some ACTUAL proof that the Ultra 500 watt PS (with 34A on the 12V rail) had failed someone.

Sure I found LOTS of posts from people saying "ultra sucks", "I heard of a guy who's PC burst into flames due to an Ultra PS"...blah, blah, blah. Funny thing was...NO ONE actually said they had a problem with the 500 watter with 34A on the 12V rail.

So...I kept mine and haven't had a problem since.

It's my story....and I'm sticking to it!

Also I was having a problem with my PS ommiting a burning smell, I thought it was the ULTRA but it turned out to be my motherboard causing the problem (it wasn't grounded properly). So that was also another reason why I returned it. OH YEAH, and the modular design was a bit poor. The cables sometimes became loose or fell off the PS when I bumped my case. And my OCZ is less noisy, I think.

Gotcha...to be sure the Ultra is not perfect by any means and to be 100% frank, I wouldn't really consider buying any other Ultra X-Connect I'm familiar with EXCEPT the 500 watter rated at 34A on the 12V rail (i.e., I've done a lot of research and feel this certain PS is okay for my needs).

Perhaps some of the newer Ultra power supplies are better.

Anyway...to each their own

 

[0roo0roo]

btw its down to 5 dollars after rebate at frys now still not worth the trouble.. 45 dollar rebate

but one must wonder about the wholesale price considering how frys seems to push the xconnect series by putting em on end caps and stuff. must be rather profitable for frys.

 

[Patrick Wolf]

The clerk at fry's probably said it was a popular item cause people are buying them because it's the Angelina Jolie of power supplies, or it wasn't selling good so he just lied to try and get rid of 'em.

 

[jonnyGURU]

Originally posted by: Budarow

Originally posted by: blackstealth007
try to stay away from Ultra X connect power supplies. I got a 500 watt power supply and it didnt even power my low end computer. AMD 64 3000 proccessor. Didnt have enough on the 12V line. Not enough ampers. Try other power supplies

Was your Ultra PS rated at 34A on the 12V rail?

Yeah... I'm calling Shens on blackstealth007. All of the X-Connect 500W PSU's had 34A on the 12V rail. So why HIS didn't would be a complete mystery... unless he actually had a 400W and never realized it.