- Jan 27, 2005
- 391
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Ultra X-Connect PSU
- Thread starter Phaetos
- Start date
Do not buy an Ultra X-Connect PSU. That are pretty, and shiny... But they are crap, garbage, junk.... ect.
- Jan 27, 2005
- 391
- 27
- 91
And the reasoning behind this is attack is what?
A link to show that they are very stable technically:
http://www.bigbruin.com/review...xconnectpsu/index3.php
A link to show that they are very stable technically:
http://www.bigbruin.com/review...xconnectpsu/index3.php
I read several reviews of the ultra x-connect and they all rated it as a good PSU.. So I to am interested... why exactly do you call it garbage?
Patrick Wolf
Platinum Member
- Jan 5, 2005
- 2,443
- 0
- 0
Get the OCZ Modstream instead, I had an ULTRA X-Connect w/ blue UV, it was pretty, but the performance was lacking. So I returned it and got an OCZ Modstream 450W.
The best, and most accurate review, in my opinion is at silentpcreview.com
OCZ Modstream Review.
OCZ Modstream looks great, if not better than the ULTRA, better performance, quieter, the OCZ Modstream is everything the ULTRA X-Connect should have been.
The best, and most accurate review, in my opinion is at silentpcreview.com
OCZ Modstream Review.
OCZ Modstream looks great, if not better than the ULTRA, better performance, quieter, the OCZ Modstream is everything the ULTRA X-Connect should have been.
do yourself a favor and pick up maximumpc's january issue and read the PSU special, ULTRA was of the 2 worst PSUs tested
exactly.
The psu failed the stress tests and actually could fry a board with the same results so stay away, stay away, stay a friggin away... or have a good backup system to get on the internet and beg for help when it fries and to hit newegg to order the new stuff.
- Jan 27, 2005
- 391
- 27
- 91
That didn't seem to be that bad of a review of the X-Connect. Just about like anyone else's. Though they are the only ones that measured the actual noise from the PSU, which doesn't matter much considering the rest of the noise in my room(TV, surround sound, etc.) All the reviews say that it performs very well under load and barely drops below the 12v load on the rails. The thing that I really want is the modular design. Is Antec the only other one that provides this decency?
And most of the reviews you find around the web are written by fanboys who don't have a clue how to test a PSU. There was one halfway meaningful test that showed that the thing couldn't even fire up if there was anything over a half-power load on the 12V rail. It's a $30. Powmax in Disco Duds... Just look at the tiny components in the review linked above.
. As was already said, this PSU has been talked to death here and the majority opinion is to STAY AWAY!
. If you want modular, get a REAL PSU and mod it yourself with the kit from SVC.com et al.
.bh.
:moon:
. As was already said, this PSU has been talked to death here and the majority opinion is to STAY AWAY!
. If you want modular, get a REAL PSU and mod it yourself with the kit from SVC.com et al.
.bh.
:moon:
Patrick Wolf
Platinum Member
- Jan 5, 2005
- 2,443
- 0
- 0
Click Here.
Those other reviews are weird, my 12V was constantly high on my ULTRA.
Check It Out:
On the OCZ:
+3.3 --> 3.31
+5 --> 5.05
+12 --> 12.08
On the ULTRA: (I lost my paper that said these, but this is pretty close)
+3.3 -->3.33
+5 --> 5.12
+12 --> 12. 42
Don't go by those other reviews, I don't know what there talking about. Maximum PC should have an article in their March issue that talks about the way they test their stuff (i.e. power supplies). I also know that the ULTRA reviewed in Maximum PC was a pre-beta. It was not supposed to be tested.
Of course I think the NeoPower is the best modular PSU, just not the best looking. I think.
Those other reviews are weird, my 12V was constantly high on my ULTRA.
Check It Out:
On the OCZ:
+3.3 --> 3.31
+5 --> 5.05
+12 --> 12.08
On the ULTRA: (I lost my paper that said these, but this is pretty close)
+3.3 -->3.33
+5 --> 5.12
+12 --> 12. 42
Don't go by those other reviews, I don't know what there talking about. Maximum PC should have an article in their March issue that talks about the way they test their stuff (i.e. power supplies). I also know that the ULTRA reviewed in Maximum PC was a pre-beta. It was not supposed to be tested.
Of course I think the NeoPower is the best modular PSU, just not the best looking. I think.
When I wanted to buy a new PSU, I thought X-Connect too.
Take their advice, get a modstream like me.
Modstream = High Performance with the "bling"
X-Connect = Average Performance with high "bling"
If you want to go with the bling then go for it. It's comparable to if you put a Athlon xp 1700+, MX420, etc into a UV acrylic case with pimped out fans etc vs a 64bit 3500+, 6800gt etc with a antec superlanboy.
Which rig would look better to you?
Take their advice, get a modstream like me.
Modstream = High Performance with the "bling"
X-Connect = Average Performance with high "bling"
If you want to go with the bling then go for it. It's comparable to if you put a Athlon xp 1700+, MX420, etc into a UV acrylic case with pimped out fans etc vs a 64bit 3500+, 6800gt etc with a antec superlanboy.
Which rig would look better to you?
Googer
Lifer
- Nov 11, 2004
- 12,576
- 7
- 81
Dont Fall for fancy Marketing, Flashing lights, and bright colours unless you are an animal with out a brain that is attracted to that kind of stuff. She may be pretty on the outside but she is sick and diesased on the inside.
Here is the Article from this months Maximum PC, I have taken the time to type it verbatim.
Excerpt from January 2005 Copy of Maximum PC and written by Omeed Chandra of Maximum PC.
ULTRA PRODUCTS X-Connect
A sexy-looking power supply with and ugly disposition
The Ultra X-Connect is like a bad first date. It?s sleek, intricate fan grille and shiny silver finish are immediately impressive, but after about 20 minutes, it clearly comes up short on inner beauty.
Ultra claims the X-Connect can continuously deliver 500 watts of power, but our load test proved otherwise. Everything seemed fine at first, with the X-Connect typically drawing around 350 watts from the outlet. But a few Minutes into the test, we witnessed extreme artifacting in 3Dmark03- a sign of an unclean power stream. At times, a few moving white lines were all that could be seen on an otherwise black screen. Soon thereafter, the power supply started to emit a strange and rather worrisome burning smell.
Concerned we immediately closed 3Dmark03 and shut down the computer, noticing that the Windows Desktop was also badly distorted. After letting the X-Connect cool off for a few minutes, we re-booted and the graphical distortion had vanished. Fire extinguishers in hand we tried running the load test a second time and quickly reproduced our earlier results.
In the voltage sag test*, the X-Connect was a mixed bag. We measured an initial voltage of 12.57v on the 12 volt power rail- the biggest deviation of any PSU in this roundup, and dangerously close to the 12.6v maximum tolerance of the ATX spec. It?s conceivable this could damage cheap or poorly designed hardware over time. On the other hand when we dropped the input voltage to 60v, the X-Connect maintained an output voltage of 11.54v. that?s high enough to avert a system crash.
The X-Connect ships with sturdy shielded power cables that glow under UV light, and extra cables can be disconnected to reduce case clutter. But active power factor correction- the ability to smooth out distortions in the current being drawn from your wall outlet- is absent, and the Ultra?s power factor rating of 63 percent is was the lowest of the round up.
MAXIMUM PC VERDICT- 4
+ CLASSIC ROCK
Sturdy, modular shielded cables and exceptional fit and finish.
- ELECTRIC SHOCK
Poor voltage accuracy, no active power factor correction, and it failed our load test.
$100, www.ultraproducts.com
© 2004/2005 Maximum PC
Googers Take:
The only other product to be have failed the test was Vantec Stealth VAN-520A. Both PSU?s were beaten by a generic no name 400 watt PSU. All PSU?s were tested in the same manner using the same equipment. Some passed while others failed. Only PC Power and Cooling could maintain a PFC Rating of 98% and a consitant 12.08 volts no matter what the conditions were during these tests, Most of the other Makers fell short of these marks.
Conclusion if you want the ultra don?t waste your money, get a $35 generic special that can out perform the Ultra X-Connect. Pure Gimmick if you ask me, so don?t be fooled.
http://www.pcpowercooling.com
Enermax is just another generic psu all dressed up to look pretty, but underneith it is one unly a*sed S.O.B. with poor voltage regulation.
And modular cables are bad since theab the connection weakens and reduces the amount of current going to the devices. Eventually detechable cables can fall off or break. Its just a sales gimmick dont be one to fall for it.
You get what you pay for, $99 blue light special (i don't mean K-mart but the lights inside of the PSU) is not as well designed as a $200 Pc Power and Cooling Turbo Cool 510.
Here is the Article from this months Maximum PC, I have taken the time to type it verbatim.
Excerpt from January 2005 Copy of Maximum PC and written by Omeed Chandra of Maximum PC.
ULTRA PRODUCTS X-Connect
A sexy-looking power supply with and ugly disposition
The Ultra X-Connect is like a bad first date. It?s sleek, intricate fan grille and shiny silver finish are immediately impressive, but after about 20 minutes, it clearly comes up short on inner beauty.
Ultra claims the X-Connect can continuously deliver 500 watts of power, but our load test proved otherwise. Everything seemed fine at first, with the X-Connect typically drawing around 350 watts from the outlet. But a few Minutes into the test, we witnessed extreme artifacting in 3Dmark03- a sign of an unclean power stream. At times, a few moving white lines were all that could be seen on an otherwise black screen. Soon thereafter, the power supply started to emit a strange and rather worrisome burning smell.
Concerned we immediately closed 3Dmark03 and shut down the computer, noticing that the Windows Desktop was also badly distorted. After letting the X-Connect cool off for a few minutes, we re-booted and the graphical distortion had vanished. Fire extinguishers in hand we tried running the load test a second time and quickly reproduced our earlier results.
In the voltage sag test*, the X-Connect was a mixed bag. We measured an initial voltage of 12.57v on the 12 volt power rail- the biggest deviation of any PSU in this roundup, and dangerously close to the 12.6v maximum tolerance of the ATX spec. It?s conceivable this could damage cheap or poorly designed hardware over time. On the other hand when we dropped the input voltage to 60v, the X-Connect maintained an output voltage of 11.54v. that?s high enough to avert a system crash.
The X-Connect ships with sturdy shielded power cables that glow under UV light, and extra cables can be disconnected to reduce case clutter. But active power factor correction- the ability to smooth out distortions in the current being drawn from your wall outlet- is absent, and the Ultra?s power factor rating of 63 percent is was the lowest of the round up.
MAXIMUM PC VERDICT- 4
+ CLASSIC ROCK
Sturdy, modular shielded cables and exceptional fit and finish.
- ELECTRIC SHOCK
Poor voltage accuracy, no active power factor correction, and it failed our load test.
$100, www.ultraproducts.com
© 2004/2005 Maximum PC
Googers Take:
The only other product to be have failed the test was Vantec Stealth VAN-520A. Both PSU?s were beaten by a generic no name 400 watt PSU. All PSU?s were tested in the same manner using the same equipment. Some passed while others failed. Only PC Power and Cooling could maintain a PFC Rating of 98% and a consitant 12.08 volts no matter what the conditions were during these tests, Most of the other Makers fell short of these marks.
Conclusion if you want the ultra don?t waste your money, get a $35 generic special that can out perform the Ultra X-Connect. Pure Gimmick if you ask me, so don?t be fooled.
http://www.pcpowercooling.com
Enermax is just another generic psu all dressed up to look pretty, but underneith it is one unly a*sed S.O.B. with poor voltage regulation.
And modular cables are bad since theab the connection weakens and reduces the amount of current going to the devices. Eventually detechable cables can fall off or break. Its just a sales gimmick dont be one to fall for it.
You get what you pay for, $99 blue light special (i don't mean K-mart but the lights inside of the PSU) is not as well designed as a $200 Pc Power and Cooling Turbo Cool 510.
Patrick Wolf
Platinum Member
- Jan 5, 2005
- 2,443
- 0
- 0
I got rid of it because the 12V was high, a little worrying. ULTRA Products needs to mature and get a good reputation, before I buy from them. And the "good" reviews on the net don't praise it like the other "crap" reviews.
The cables are too big at the ends, and a bit too stiff, the connections are also a little too loose on the PSU, at one point, I bumbed my case, and my computer got an error because a plug fell loose!
The OCZ Modstream is quieter also. It has blue UV reactive cables, and the blue light comes out the back of the case, similar to the ULTRA. The OCZ Modstream 450W is cheaper than the ULTRA X-Connect 500W w/ Blue UV. Also the OCZ Modstream is PCI-E ready, the ULTRA X-Connect is not.
Like I said before, the OCZ Modstream is everything the ULTRA X-Connect should have been.
The cables are too big at the ends, and a bit too stiff, the connections are also a little too loose on the PSU, at one point, I bumbed my case, and my computer got an error because a plug fell loose!
The OCZ Modstream is quieter also. It has blue UV reactive cables, and the blue light comes out the back of the case, similar to the ULTRA. The OCZ Modstream 450W is cheaper than the ULTRA X-Connect 500W w/ Blue UV. Also the OCZ Modstream is PCI-E ready, the ULTRA X-Connect is not.
Like I said before, the OCZ Modstream is everything the ULTRA X-Connect should have been.
- Jan 27, 2005
- 391
- 27
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In every test I've looked at the 12v rail barely dipped. The most dip I've seen so far has been a measly 0.02v. Not enough to even mention.
I've read so many reviews that I am now thoroughly confused.
Most reviews are relatively alike, they love the features and the look and all seem to agree the performance is great. The only thing I see so far is that it doesn't include a 6-pin PCI-x cable for power, but that one is supposed to be available shortly. The OCZ is reviewes also as an excellent unit, but the cables are very stiff and hard to manage. God, I'm confused. I thought I had this all figured out :laugh:
I've read so many reviews that I am now thoroughly confused.
Most reviews are relatively alike, they love the features and the look and all seem to agree the performance is great. The only thing I see so far is that it doesn't include a 6-pin PCI-x cable for power, but that one is supposed to be available shortly. The OCZ is reviewes also as an excellent unit, but the cables are very stiff and hard to manage. God, I'm confused. I thought I had this all figured out :laugh:
Patrick Wolf
Platinum Member
- Jan 5, 2005
- 2,443
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- 0
It's a fact that sleeved cables are going to be a little stiff, the OCZ's are not as stiff as the ULTRA's. The OCZ's are also much easier to bend at the ends.
Googer
Lifer
- Nov 11, 2004
- 12,576
- 7
- 81
This topic has been discussed many times please search forums.anandtech.com before you post, since this is the 3rd or 4th i have replied to on this exact topic.
http://forums.anandtech.com/me...AR_FORUMVIEWTMP=Linear
http://forums.anandtech.com/me...ord1=ultra+AND+connect
Enermax is just another generic psu all dressed up to look pretty, but underneith it is one unly a*sed S.O.B. with poor voltage regulation.
And modular cables are bad since theab the connection weakens and reduces the amount of current going to the devices. Eventually detechable cables can fall off or break. Its just a sales gimmick dont be one to fall for it
http://forums.anandtech.com/me...AR_FORUMVIEWTMP=Linear
http://forums.anandtech.com/me...ord1=ultra+AND+connect
Enermax is just another generic psu all dressed up to look pretty, but underneith it is one unly a*sed S.O.B. with poor voltage regulation.
And modular cables are bad since theab the connection weakens and reduces the amount of current going to the devices. Eventually detechable cables can fall off or break. Its just a sales gimmick dont be one to fall for it
I really truely think that the psu Maximum Pc got was a bad psu. Every other review of the ultra power supply has nothing but good reviews. I have an ultra psu powering my rig in the sig and the voltages barely flinch when under 100% load.
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