Packaging, Contents, Exterior And Cabling
Packaging
The design of the box is similar to the rest of EVGA's PSU offerings. On the front, we find a model description with the 80 PLUS Gold badge on the bottom-left corner. Three photos are provided around back, one depicting the APFC converter's bulk cap. It appears to be manufactured by Nippon Chemi-Con, though the unit we're testing comes with a high-quality Rubycon cap. Finally, an interesting graph shows the unit's fan operation in ECO and normal modes, and below the cable/connectors list is the power specifications table.
Contents
The PSU is protected by bubble wrap inside the box, which is not optimal, but will suffice if the shipping conditions aren't very tough. The bundle includes an informative user's manual, Velcro straps, a set of screws, the AC power cord, an ATX-bridging plug (through which you can start the PSU without having it connected to your system) and all necessary modular cables.
Exterior
The PSU's textured finish is of high quality, and its matte surface doesn't attract fingerprints. It can't be scratched easily, either. The overall design is similar to other EVGA PSUs with the punched fan grill and honeycomb mesh on the front side, where we also find a small on/off switch right next to the AC socket.
The 120mm fan takes over most of the PSU's top side, and considering this unit's small dimensions, it could be tricky to install a larger 140mm fan. Around back, the modular panel has few sockets, while the ECO switch is located above the CPU cable's connector (a rather inconvenient place). It would be better if the switch was installed up front instead.
Cabling
All cables are stealth and flat, except for the main ATX cable. Personally, I prefer flat, ribboned cables across the board because they block less airflow inside the chassis and can be more easily routed.