The XPG Core Reactor II VE 850W PSU Review: Our First ATX…

Just over 18 months in the past, Intel launched their considerably revised ATX v3.Zero energy provide commonplace, and with it, the 600 Watt-capable 12VHPWR cable to energy video playing cards and different high-drain add-in playing cards. The launch of the usual got here with loads of fanfare and pleasure – the trade was getting ready for a future the place even flagship video playing cards might return to being powered by a single cable – however shortly after, issues grew to become thrilling once more for all of the fallacious causes.

The new 12VHPWR connector proved to be much less forgiving of poor connections between cables and gadgets than envisioned. With a whole lot of watts flowing by means of the comparatively small pins – and critically, inadequate means to detect a poor connection – a foul connection might lead to a thermal runaway situation, i.e. a melted connector. And whereas the difficulty was an edge case total, affecting a fraction of a fraction of techniques, even a fraction is an excessive amount of once you’re ranging from hundreds of thousands of PCs, by no means thoughts the sad clients with damaged video playing cards.

So the PC trade is taking a mulligan on the matter, rapidly revising the ATX specification and the 12VHPWR connector to repair their design flaws. In its place we now have the brand new ATX v.3.1 energy provide specification, in addition to the related 12V-2×6 connector, the mix of that are supposed to serve the identical targets, however with far much less of an opportunity of errant electrical energy inflicting harm.

Ultimately, the mix of the 2 new requirements has required backwards-compatible adjustments on each the gadget (video card) facet, in addition to the ability provide facet. And because of this, energy provide producers at the moment are within the strategy of releasing ATX v3.1-compliant PSUs that implement these revisions. For PSU distributors, the adjustments are comparatively trivial total, however they’re none the much less essential adjustments that for a number of causes, they’re ensuring to advertise.

Getting right down to enterprise, the primary ATX v3.1 energy provide to enter our testing labs comes from ADATA sub-brand XPG, a prolific participant within the PSU market. XPG not too long ago expanded its product lineup with the introduction of the Core Reactor II VE sequence, the corporate’s first foray into ATX 3.1-compliant PSUs. As a direct successor of the Core Reactor II sequence, the Core Reactor II VE is a comparatively easy 80Plus Gold unit that distinguishes itself with its simple design, geared toward offering regular efficiency with out the excessive expense.

In at the moment’s overview, we’re looking on the 850W model of the Core Reactor II VE sequence, which is, in the intervening time, essentially the most highly effective ATX 3.1 unit XPG presents.

Packaging and Bundle

The XPG Core Reactor II VE 850W PSU options sturdy and visually interesting packaging. The field, comprised of sturdy cardboard, is adorned in a vivid crimson colour and prominently showcases a picture of the unit on the entrance. To make sure the PSU is well-protected throughout transport, it’s securely encased in dense packaging foam.

The bundle is simple, containing simply important elements corresponding to mounting screws and the required AC energy cable. Additionally, it contains a number of ornamental stickers so as to add a contact of personalization.

This PSU incorporates a totally modular design, which permits the elimination of all DC energy cables, together with the 24-pin ATX connector. The cables are uniformly black, from their connectors to the wires, and are designed with out sleeving, leading to a constant visible aesthetic.