InsaneTek

Ultra X-Connect 500W Continued

Externally, the X-Connect does not disappoint, so I proceeded to take a look at the internals.  Much like regular power supplies, the cover is held on by 4 screws, one at each corner.  There was no warranty sticker over a screw to prevent users from opening up the unit.  I guess Ultra Products doesn't really mind.  I looked around to see if there were any adjustable potentiometers, but found none.  It would've been an extra plus if the unit was adjustable.  The power supply was decently filled with large capacitors.  The only gripe I have is the size of the heatsinks.  Typically, it is ideal to have large heatsinks because they can help dissipate heat more efficiently, leaving the power supply cooler.  The cooler the power supply, the more efficient it is at giving steady power.  When power supplies get too hot, power rails start fluctuating.  That is why large heatsinks would have been preferred.  The heatsinks used in the X-Connect were rather thin and small.  To make up for the use of small heatsinks, a second fan is placed directly above the heatsinks.  When the power supply is installed, the fan would draw the rising hot air in your case, blow it across the small heatsinks and capacitors, and exit through the exhaust fan.  Although this does help cool down the internals of the power supply, I'd much prefer the use of larger heatsinks and a fan at the rear, instead of at the bottom.  An example of this would be the Raidmax RX-520XP.

The number of power connectors are designed with a typical gaming system in mind.  For example, there is one cable for 2 Molex connectors to suit the two optical drives.  There is one power cable with 2 Molex connectors and 1 floppy connector for the floppy and possible 2 hard drive RAID array.  There is a cable with one single Molex connector to power your video card.  This really helps in reducing the unwanted dangling power connectors in your system.  There is an AUX connector, a 4 pin 12v connector, and the ATX connector.  But what about SATA power?  Ultra Products realized this problem and will reimburse the missing power connector when you contact them.  I received mine in the mail quickly.  They shipped it through USPS Priority Mail, which at most takes 3 days.

One other cool factor of the braided shield cables is that they're UV reactive.  They give off a nice glow when you shine some UV light at them.  I didn't have a UV light available, so here is a picture of how it would look like.

The power cables were easy to connect and disconnect.  The only problem I found was that the ends were a little larger than the typical size.  It gave some capacitors a bit of a squeeze on my Abit AI7 motherboard.  The great advantage of a modular power supply is the clean outcome after installation.  Although my computer rests as a test bed on my desk, you can see that it gives a much cleaner look.