1. Introduction
Choosing a good Power supply is not always a simple task. Today's PCs require additional power to supply CPU, Motherboard, HDD and VGA SLI or Crossfire setups. OCZ Technology, one of the best known manufacturers of memory modules, has recently entered the Power Supply arena with the "GameXStream" line, mainly aimed at enthusiast users who want a stable PSU and at the same time enough power to drive an SLI/Crossfire enabled system.
- OCZ GameXStream GXS600 SLI-Ready Power Supply
The SLI-Ready GameXStream series comes in either 600 or 700 Watt and is designed specifically for the demanding computing environments of PC Enthusiasts, Power Users and Gamers.
As more and more gamers take advantage of the gaming benefits offered by multi-GPU technology, the need for improved power supply solutions increases.
According to OCZ ".. The GameXStream features high-quality components to ensure your PC’s vital hardware is supplied with clean, stable and reliable power without compromising effectiveness.
Kept ultra-cool with a large 120mm fan, the GameXStream remains virtually silent and supremely cool even at peak loads. The highly efficient GameXStream core is sheltered in a standard dimension chassis, resulting in a smaller footprint and more legroom for system-cooling modifications. GameXStream PSUs provide Active PFC to effectively regulate input voltage to deliver superior operation in a wider range of environments and countries with varying voltages..."
- Features
- 600W and 700W Configurations
- NVIDIA® SLI™-Ready
- OCZ PowerWhisper™ Technology
- Internal 120mm fan
- 3 year warranty backed by OCZ’s exclusive PowerSwap™ replacement program. No more endless return-for-repair loops!
- Technical specifications
- 150 x 140 x 86mm
- ATX12V v2.2 and EPS12V
- OCZ ConnectAll™ universal connectors:
- 1 x 20+4Pin ATX
- 1 x 4-pin/8-pin CPU (supports double CPUs/supplies stable voltage)
- 2 x PCI-E
- 6 x 4-pin peripheral
- 2 x 4-pin floppy
- 6 x S-ATA
- High efficiency
- 80% @ 115V (Typical load)
- 83% @ 230V (Typical load
- Overvoltage/Overcurrent/Short-Circuit protection
- Active PFC
- MTBF:100,000 hours
- 100~240Vac 10-5A 50/60Hz
- +3.3V(36A), +5V(30A), +12V1(18A), +12V2(18A), +12V3(18A), +12V4(18A)
2. Package Contents
OCZ for our testing purposes, sent us the retail package of the OCZ GameXStream GXS600 SLI-Ready Power Supply with part number (OCZ600GXSSLI). Its retail price ranges from US$125~140, depending on your region and VAT. The 700W version has a slightly different part number (OCZ700GXSSLI) for those who need the extra juice on their setup. The retail package is plain and includes the PSU, a power cord and a printed manual.
The PSU itself is of typical dimensions, 150 x 140 x 86mm, and is certified for ATX v2.2 standard. The PSU has a 120mm semi-translucent cooling fan which lights up blue when operating. Case modders will probably love the bright blue color for their cases, but we would like to have a choice of a plain fan without colors as well :-). The external black coating has a good looking finish and adds points to the overall look and design. The rear of the OCZ PUS has a honeycomb perforated design, that helps air flow and hopefully keep the SU's internal temperature low.
Underneath we find a label with all the PSU specs and ratings. As you can see, there are four +12V rails, one dedicated to the CPU, one for PCI Express, one for the motherboard and lastly one shared between the secondary CPU and PCI Express.
There are plenty of connectors included, photos of which are shown below:
All cables come out in a bunch as seen in the photo below, and any cables not used need to be tucked away to the side somewhere so that they are not obstructing airflow.
OCZ has used very nice, moulded connectors, especially for the 4-pin ones. They have flexible plastic grips, making it very easy to install and remove them.
Moreover, all SATA, PCI-E and CPU cables are labeled so you can easily distinguish them.
3. Tests
Testing a PSU is not something easy. We put our system under what can be considered a heavy user load, using extreme CPU and graphics 3D use with 3D Mark 06 v1.0.2 and Sisoft Sandra 2007 burn-in tests. Our test PC setup was as follows:
- OCZ 600W PSU
- AMD Athlon 64 X2 4600+ AM2
- ASUS M2N32Pro WS
- 2GB Crucial PC-8000
- 1xWD 80JB SATA I
- 1xSeagate 80GB SATAII
All PSU ratings were monitored with Everest Ultimate Edition v3.0 and plotted with Microsoft Excel.
The following table lists the industry wide specifications for DC Output Voltage Regulation.
After running 3D Mark 06, the monitored outputs showed the deviation experienced by each rail during the stress tests:
A summary of the above graphs can be found in the following table:
|
Minimum |
Maximum |
Average |
CPU1 |
% |
0 |
100 |
54,9 |
CPU2 |
% |
0 |
100 |
39,2 |
CPU Core |
V |
1,34 |
1,34 |
1,34 |
+3.3 V |
V |
3,25 |
3,26 |
3,25 |
+5 V |
V |
4,89 |
4,92 |
4,92 |
+12 V |
V |
12,22 |
12,29 |
12,27 |
The results are very good. All values are within standards, while even at full load, the voltage only changes by 0.01~0.07V. Adding a second VGA card on your system will put an additional load on the PSU.
Let's now see Sandra 2007 Burn-In Test results:
A summary of the above graphs can be found in the following table:
|
Minimum |
Maximum |
Average |
CPU1 |
% |
0 |
100 |
47,0 |
CPU2 |
% |
0 |
100 |
47,3 |
CPU Core |
V |
1,34 |
1,34 |
1,34 |
+3.3 V |
V |
3,25 |
3,26 |
3,26 |
+5 V |
V |
4,89 |
4,92 |
4,92 |
+12 V |
V |
12,22 |
12,35 |
12,29 |
The results again are very good. All values are within the standards. Under full load, we see that the +12V rail deviates from 12.22 to 12.35, which is a difference of 0.13V or 1.06%, again within standards. In all cases, the CPU core was rock solid at 1.34V.
4. Conclusion
As was expected, OCZ delivered a fine product that we will certainly be using as our next PSU for testing new CPU and VGA cards. The GameXStream PSU series is aimed at users wanting performance, stability and of course, a good price. The 600Watt version (GXS600) performed very well in our tests, supplying our test PC with stable current at all voltages. Remember, this is a SLI-Ready Power Supply, so you don't need to worry about future upgrades to your PC, at least not anytime soon. The 3 years PowerSwap replacement program warranty, gives you no more endless return-for-repair loops!
Generally, we couldn't find any serious drawbacks that should prevent you from buying the OCZ GameXStream GXS600 SLI-Ready Power Supply. The price is right at $125~140 for users wanting a stable system.
- The Good
- 600Watt output
- Active PFC design
- 3 years warranty replacement
- Looks great with backlight fan
- ATX v2.2 certified, Nvidia SLI ready
- Plenty of connectors
- Light weight
- Stable voltages under heavy load
- The Bad
- Price is high for entry level users