OCZ Stealth X Stream 600W Review
Reviewed by: paulktreg
Reviewed on: June 16, 2008
Manufacturer: OCZ
Price: $89.99
Introduction:
This is the second power supply I have reviewed with the new overclockersclub testing methodology and I thought it would provide a good contrast to the Atrix 500T tested in the first review, with our new test regime. OCZ are quite possibly one of the best known names in the PC hardware business and are renowned for manufacturing high quality memory modules, power supplies and cooling fans. Because this unit was pulled from a working system, the usual closer look will be abbreviated in this review. Will the Stealth Xtream continue the OCZ tradition of performance, or just be one of the runners in the pack?
Closer Look:
The blue/black themed packaging is sturdy and well designed. A wealth of information is given on the packaging, including the specification and a wide range of features. Inside the packaging, you find the power supply, power cord, instruction/user manual and four case mounting screws. The power supply itself looks neat and tidy with what is now the ever popular gloss black paint finish. The large 120mm black cooling fan and black grille, compliment the black theme of the power supply. You can see the large grey label on the side of the unit which carries the full specification and 12V distribution list, along with the logos of all the international build standards. All the cables are sleeved up to and in between connectors and held in place with heat shrink. There is also a Velcro strap to help keep all the cables together. The main exhaust is a honeycombed grille, which includes the on/off switch and the mains input socket to one side. Underneath the mains input, is a “Full Range” label, which I can only presume means the power supply will accept a universal AC voltage. The OCZ Stealth X Stream 600W is overall, a neat and well built unit, with excellent labelling and neat cables.
The power supply has a good selection of connectors, all with sleeved cabling, which I will mention again later.
While I was inside the unit, I was curious to see what brand electrolytic capacitors are used, but they appear to be a mixture, including CapXon and OST. CapXon for one are widely regarded as low end poor quality and I cannot find any information for OST - a bad sign?
The fan is a 12V 0.3A DC Brushless type manufactured by Yate Loon (Model D12SH-12). This large, good quality 120mm, seven-bladed fan, appears capable of moving large amounts of air into the power supply, over the heat sinks, and out through the large hexagonal holed grille. A further look at the board above, shows a well laid out PCB with plenty of room for air circulation, which will assist the cooling process.
This picture shows the single 12V rail of which the four separate 12V lines are taken through individual current limiting resistors. These resistors look like no more than flat wire links, but when passing the high currents involved, will drop the necessary voltage for the sensing electronics to shut the power supply down. Provided the 12V lines are load balanced correctly. I see this method as an advantage over single 12V rail power supplies. What current would you rather have flowing under fault conditions? The 20.5A to 55A in the case of this power supply, or with some single rail power supplies, a current in the region of 70A to 100A before current limiting occurs?
Specifications:
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Input
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90 – 265VAC 47 – 63Hz
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Voltage
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5V
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12V1
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12V2
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12V3
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12V4
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3.3V
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-12V
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5VSB
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Current (Min) |
0.5A
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0A
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0A
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0.9A
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0.1A
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0.8A
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0A
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0A
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Current (Max) |
30A
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18A
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18A
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18A
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18A
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36A
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0.5A
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3.0A
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Regulation
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±5%
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±5%
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±5%
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±5%
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±5%
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±5%
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±10%
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±5%
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Ripple(mV)
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50
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120
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120
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120
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120
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50
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120
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50
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Combined Power |
+3.3V & +5V total output 155W max |
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+3.3V, +5V & 4x12V total output 580W max |
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Total output power 600W max |
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A detailed and comprehensive set of specifications that tell you everything you need to know about maximum power levels for each rail and their noise levels.
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Over-Voltage Protection
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Voltage Source
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Protection Point
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+3V3
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3.76V – 4.8V
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+5V
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5.6V – 7.0V
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12VDC
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13.5V – 16.5V
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Over-Current Protection
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Output Voltage
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Maximum Over Current Limit
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+3V3
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55A
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+5V
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48A
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12V1
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48A
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12V2
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12V3
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20.5A
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12V4
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20.5A
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Power Supply Weight |
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Manufacturer/Model
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Weight
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OCZ600SXS
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2.5kg
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5.5lbs
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OCZ Stealth X Stream 600W Connectors
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ATX 24 Pin & 20 Pin Compatible
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1
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EPS/ATX12V 8 & 4 Pin
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2
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Molex 4 Pin
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5
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PCI-E 6 Pin
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2
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SATA Power
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3
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Floppy Disk
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1
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Features:
- Intel ATX 2.0: It supports up-to-date ATX 2.0 specification with enhanced compatibility.
- ATI & nVIDIA support: Independent double +12V design especially for ATI Crossfire & nVIDIA double graphics cards.
- AMD support: It supports newest 64 bits CPU by AMD.
- 4 Channel 12V output: It provides a stable electric power output.
- 2 Channel PCI-E connector: It supports double ATI and nVIDIA graphics cards.
- Dual CPU support: It provides 8 pin 12V dual CPU support with stable voltage.
- WEEE & RoHS environmental protection specifications: It accords with WEEE and RoHS by EUROPA.
- High efficiency: power save and high efficiency (>85%) design.
- Black baked shell: It’s worthy for your collection.
- 12cm light blue fan: 12cm fan design, enhancing the cooling in lower noise.
- Active FPC: environment protected active FPC, enhancing the utilization of energy.
- Full range: AC full range input.
- Low noise: It provides a quiet working environment.
- Safety: It has been certified in many countries. The safety is ensured.
- Over voltage and current protection: A complete protection circuit is implemented, protecting every component in your system.
- 20+4 pin: compatible to all main boards available in market.
- 4+4 pin: accords with the requirements of CPU in ATX or EPS systems.
- S-ATA: It provides stable power supply for high-speed SATA products.
- High power: 600W.
- Nylon cover: making the settling easy.
- Smart housing: easy pluggable D-connector.
- Cellular air intake: lower noise and enhanced the cooling air flow.
Silent Operation - PowerWhisper Technology diminishes noise to ensure silent yet efficient operation.
Multi-GPU Ready - The durable and powerful Stealth X Stream is equipped to fuel the demands of gaming rigs.
Active PFC - Active PFC circuitry effectively regulates input voltage to deliver superior operation in wider range of environments and countries with varying voltages.
Superior Cooling - Supreme air flow courtesy of an ultra quiet yet extremely vigorous 120mm fan.
EMI Isolated Casing - Sleek black chassis effectively reduces EMI.
The above is exactly as printed on the outer packaging and in the instruction manual. A comprehensive and informative list of features to aid you in your decision.
The power supply comes with a good selection of connectors and for anybody interested in the cable lengths:
- Sleeved Cable 1: Unit > 24 Pin (20+4) Motherboard Connector - 16ins (40cm).
- Sleeved Cable 2: Unit > 2 x 4 Pin CPU Connectors – 16ins (40cm).
- Sleeved Cable 3: Unit > 2 x 6 Pin PCI-E Connector – 16ins (40cm).
- Sleeved Cable 4: Unit > 4 Pin Molex – 16ins (40cm) > 4 Pin Molex – 8ins (20cm) > FDD – 8ins (20cm).
- Sleeved Cable 5: Unit > 4 Pin Molex – 16ins (40cm) > 4 Pin Molex – 8ins (20cm) > 4 Pin Molex – 8ins (20cm).
- Sleeved Cable 6: Unit > SATA – 16ins (40cm) > SATA – 8ins (20cm) – SATA 8ins (20cm).
Testing:
The old way of testing Power supplies with a wing and a prayer, is no longer sufficient in the tech savvy world we live in. People want to know just what kind of power a supply can actually deliver and still conform to the ATX specifications. With a new testing methodology, OCC will move into the future to provide a more current testing regime, to accurately show how a power supply performs. For more information on our testing methodology, please browse our testing methodology.
NOTE: The -5V0 line is no longer required in the ATX12V V2.2 standard and will be totally disregarded during testing.
Electrical Safety
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Electrical Safety Test Class 1
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Manufacturer/Model
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Pass/Fail
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OCZ600SXS
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Pass
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Short Circuit Protection
The manufacturer claims that in the event of an output short circuit, defined as less than 0.1 ohm, on the +3.3V, +5V and all 12V lines, the power supply will shut down and latch off without damage to the power supply. I tested this claim by shorting, in turn, the +3.3V, +5V and all of the 12V lines. The power supply shut down as claimed and resumed normal operation once the short was removed and the unit turned off for more than two seconds.
DC Output Voltage Load Regulation
Total Load = 173.43W (28.91% of rated maximum)
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DC Line
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Load Current
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Load Power
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V Limits
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Actual Voltage
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Pass/Fail
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+3V3
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3.04A
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10.03W
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3.135V – 3.465V
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3.30V
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Pass
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+5V0
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4.60A
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22.77W
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4.75V – 5.25V
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4.95V
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Pass
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+12V0(1)
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2.57A
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31.41W
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11.4V – 12.6V
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12.22V
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Pass
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+12V0(2)
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2.57A
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31.33W
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11.4V – 12.6V
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12.19V
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Pass
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+12V0(3)
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2.55A
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31.11W
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11.4V – 12.6V
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12.20V
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Pass
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+12V0(4)
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2.59A
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31.57W
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11.4V – 12.6V
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12.19V
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Pass
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-12V0
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0.36A
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4.42W
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10.8V – 13.2V
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12.27V
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Pass
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+5VSB
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2.18A
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10.79W
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4.75V – 5.25V
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4.95V
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Pass
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Total Power Supply Load |
173.43W
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Total Load = 462.11W (77.02% of rated maximum)
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DC Line
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Load Current
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Load Power
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V Limits
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Actual Voltage
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Pass/Fail
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+3V3
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7.61A
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24.58W
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3.135V – 3.465V
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3.23V
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Pass
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+5V0
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9.03A
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44.07W
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4.75V – 5.25V
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4.88V
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Pass
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+12V0(1)
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7.92A
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94.56W
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11.4V – 12.6V
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11.94V
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Pass
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+12V0(2)
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7.90A
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94.33W
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11.4V – 12.6V
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11.94V
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Pass
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+12V0(3)
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7.89A
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94.44W
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11.4V – 12.6V
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11.97V
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Pass
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+12V0(4)
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7.89A
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94.76W
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11.4V – 12.6V
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12.01V
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Pass
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-12V0
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0.35A
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4.61W
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10.8V – 13.2V
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12.46V
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Pass
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+5VSB
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2.18A
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10.76W
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4.75V – 5.25V
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4.94V
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Pass
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Total Power Supply Load |
462.11W
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Total Load = 569.24W (94.87% of rated maximum)
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DC Line
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Load Current
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Load Power
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V Limits
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Actual Voltage
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Pass/Fail
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+3V3
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11.64A
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36.78W
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3.135V – 3.465V
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3.16V
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Pass
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+5V0
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13.12A
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62.45W
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4.75V – 5.25V
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4.76V
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Pass
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+12V0(1)
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11.17A
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133.37W
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11.4V – 12.6V
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11.94V
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Pass
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+12V0(2)
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11.03A
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130.71W
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11.4V – 12.6V
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11.85V
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Pass
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+12V0(3)
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7.96A
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95.60W
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11.4V – 12.6V
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12.01V
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Pass
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+12V0(4)
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7.92A
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94.96W
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11.4V – 12.6V
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11.99V
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Pass
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-12V0
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0.37A
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4.65W
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10.8V – 13.2V
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12.56V
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Pass
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+5VSB
|
2.17A
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10.72W
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4.75V – 5.25V
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4.94V
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Pass
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Total Power Supply Load |
569.24W
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No problems there!
Efficiency and Power Factor
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Output And Efficiency |
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DC Load (W)
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AC Load (VA)
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AC Load (W)
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PF
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Efficiency (%)
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Pass/Fail
|
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173.43
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232
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216
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0.93
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80.3
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Pass
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462.11
|
615
|
598
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0.97
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77.3
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Pass
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569.24
|
797
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779
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0.98
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73.1
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Pass
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The power supply did not meet its claimed efficiency of >85%, or the ATX12V V2.2 recommended minimum efficiency, but did meet the required minimum efficiency; I have to therefore give it an overall pass.
Testing (Continued):
AC Ripple on DC Outputs
The noise levels at the AC mains frequency of 50Hz and after rectification at 100Hz are well within acceptable levels. The maximum noise level occurred at the switching frequency of the power supply, which is approximately 125kHz.
Noise on the 12V0(1) line with the total power supply load at 569W.
Noise on the 5V0 line with the total power supply load at 569W.
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OCZ Stealth X Stream AC Ripple/Noise Measurements |
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DC Output |
+3V3
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+5V0
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+12V0(1)
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+12V0(2)
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-12V0
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+5VSB
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Ripple (mV p-p) |
40
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50
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120
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120
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100
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40
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Pass/Fail
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Pass
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Pass
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Pass
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Pass
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Pass
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Pass
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The OCZ Stealth X Stream exhibited good AC ripple/noise suppression at 50Hz, 100Hz and at the frequency of the switched mode circuitry.
Temperature, Noise Level and Fan Speeds
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DC Loading
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Temp In (°C)
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Temp Out (°C)
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Δ Temp (°C)
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Fan Speed (RPM)
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173.43W
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20.2
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26.0
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5.8
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1245
|
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462.11W
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19.2
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28.8
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9.6
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1995
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569.24W
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19.6
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32.0
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12.4
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2005
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I am not going to give a pass or fail in this section, as there isn’t really an ATX12V standard to compare against.
The noise level from the fan was at all times very low. The fan was quiet at the low and medium loads, but did speed up noticeably as the load increased, but this is to be expected.
Conclusion:
Environmental Factors
The use of packaging materials is basic but adequate. The power supply is however, according to the packaging, RoHS and WEEE compliant (UK Regulations). The high efficiency of this power supply will help lower your electricity bills and the use of active power factor correction is welcome, but don’t expect any advantage for normal domestic use. (Additional electricity charges are only made on high use industrial consumers who drop below a set power factor).
Price Per Watt
Power Supply OCZ Stealth X Stream 600W at £55.00 = £0.09/W (May 2008)
If you are in the market for a power supply in the 600W range, then this one comes highly recommended. The OCZ Stealth X Stream 600W is a great mid-range power supply, that I would recommend for all but the top end SLI and Crossfire configurations. The unit showed excellent DC voltage regulation, even at 95% of its specified maximum load. The efficiency and power factor are satisfactory, and although it did not meet its quoted minimum of 85%, it did meet the ATX 12V V2.2 required minimum level. The unit ran relatively cool and quiet, but this is to be expected with high efficiency. All in all, a well built mid-range unit that provides stable power, at a reasonable price.
Pros:
- Excellent DC voltage regulation
- Quiet during normal operation
- Supports SATA an PCI-E
- Dual 4 Pin CPU connectors
- Sleeved Cables
- Three year exchange warranty
Cons:
- Lack of SATA connectors - three isn’t enough
- Failure to meet its quoted minimum efficiency of 85%
- Use of poor quality electrolytic capacitors