FSP Hydro X 450 Power Supply Review

After the Hydro G series, FSP decided to release a more affordable power supply called the Hydro X, which targets systems with lower energy needs. This PSU line consists of three units, and in this review we're testing the entry-level 450W model.

By Aris Mpitziopoulos

published 4 April 2016

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Load Regulation, Hold-Up Time And Inrush Current

To learn more about our PSU tests and methodology, please check out How We Test Power Supply Units.

Corsair CS 450 Watt ATX Modular PSU

Seasonic SSR-450RM

Thermaltake TR2 Gold 450W

Primary Rails And 5VSB Load Regulation

Load Regulation testing is detailed here.

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Hold-Up Time

Our hold-up time tests are described in detail here.

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As we expected, the low-capacity bulk cap doesn't allow for better results in these tests, so the PSU fails all three of them.

Inrush Current

For details on our inrush current testing, please click here.

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Inrush current is a little higher than what we expected from such a low-capacity PSU. However it won't cause any problems.

Load Regulation And Efficiency Measurements

The first set of tests explores voltage rail stability and efficiency. The applied load equals (approximately) 10 to 110 percent of the supply's maximum in increments of 10 percentage points.

We conducted two additional tests. During the first, we stressed the two minor rails (5V and 3.3V) with a high load, while the load at +12V was only 0.10A. This test reveals whether a PSU is Haswell-ready or not. In the second test, we determined the maximum load the +12V rail could handle with minimal load on the minor rails.

Test #	12V	5V	3.3V	5VSB	DC/AC (Watts)	Efficiency	Fan Speed (RPM)	Noise (dB[A])	Temps (In/Out)	PF/AC Volts
1	1.924A	1.983A	1.951A	0.985A	44.75	82.47%	695	26.2	37.22 °C	0.958
1	12.044V	5.041V	3.378V	5.067V	54.26	82.47%	695	26.2	40.43 °C	115.1V
2	4.897A	2.980A	2.933A	1.184A	89.73	87.50%	695	26.2	38.20 °C	0.986
2	12.026V	5.024V	3.372V	5.048V	102.55	87.50%	695	26.2	41.75 °C	115.1V
3	8.227A	3.498A	3.445A	1.385A	134.87	89.01%	695	26.2	38.62 °C	0.987
3	12.007V	5.010V	3.363V	5.037V	151.53	89.01%	695	26.2	42.97 °C	115.1V
4	11.557A	4.004A	3.930A	1.589A	179.73	89.75%	695	26.2	39.95 °C	0.988
4	11.990V	4.995V	3.356V	5.018V	200.25	89.75%	695	26.2	44.73 °C	115.1V
5	14.558A	5.020A	4.923A	1.800A	224.73	89.96%	735	23.5	40.93 °C	0.989
5	11.970V	4.975V	3.351V	4.997V	249.81	89.96%	735	23.5	46.53 °C	115.1V
6	17.567A	6.052A	5.914A	2.007A	269.69	89.79%	865	28.5	41.71 °C	0.989
6	11.949V	4.957V	3.347V	4.977V	300.35	89.79%	865	28.5	48.17 °C	115.1V
7	20.586A	7.088A	6.911A	2.215A	314.63	89.43%	960	31.1	42.54 °C	0.988
7	11.929V	4.936V	3.341V	4.957V	351.83	89.43%	960	31.1	50.13 °C	115.1V
8	23.634A	8.147A	7.914A	2.428A	359.70	88.92%	1060	32.4	43.24 °C	0.988
8	11.903V	4.912V	3.335V	4.933V	404.51	88.92%	1060	32.4	51.86 °C	115.1V
9	27.100A	8.677A	8.443A	2.437A	404.70	88.41%	1165	35.0	44.50 °C	0.987
9	11.886V	4.899V	3.327V	4.920V	457.78	88.41%	1165	35.0	54.71 °C	115.1V
10	30.533A	9.208A	8.963A	2.545A	449.52	87.83%	1240	37.4	45.33 °C	0.985
10	11.867V	4.888V	3.313V	4.905V	511.81	87.83%	1240	37.4	57.47 °C	115.1V
11	34.371A	9.224A	9.013A	2.549A	494.45	87.13%	1335	39.5	46.38 °C	0.983
11	11.849V	4.880V	3.295V	4.895V	567.51	87.13%	1335	39.5	60.39 °C	115.1V
CL1	0.099A	14.021A	14.004A	0.000A	117.77	83.83%	1100	32.6	44.19 °C	0.987
CL1	12.000V	4.928V	3.391V	5.041V	140.49	83.83%	1100	32.6	54.48 °C	115.1V
CL2	37.476A	1.003A	1.003A	1.001A	458.48	88.62%	1210	36.5	45.42 °C	0.985
CL2	11.880V	4.956V	3.291V	4.988V	517.37	88.62%	1210	36.5	57.78 °C	115.1V

Load regulation at +12V and 3.3V is satisfactory, while on the 5V and 5VSB rails it's average. When it comes to noise output, the HGX performs well since the fan spins slowly in most tests. Even in the worst-case overload test, noise doesn't exceed 40 dB(A). FSP arms this unit with a relaxed fan profile, so under normal conditions you won't hear the fan unless you're right on top of it.

Despite taxing conditions inside of our hot-box, the PSU satisfies the 80 PLUS Gold requirements in all three tests (20%, 50% and full load); it truly deserves its Gold rating.

Current page: Load Regulation, Hold-Up Time And Inrush Current

Prev Page A Look Inside And Component Analysis Next Page Efficiency, Temperature And Noise

Aris Mpitziopoulos is a Contributing Editor at Tom's Hardware US, covering PSUs.

24 Comments Comment from the forums

powernod

Do Hydro PSUs work underwater?

Yeah, they have to work underwater in order to camouflage themselves from Corsair's (PSUs) who dominate the water's surface!! :p
Or to pass through the Seasonic wall !!:lol:

ONTOPIC: Decent PSU from FSP, but only just decent!!

Reply
Aris_Mp

it is hard to enter the US markets with Corsair and EVGA throwing one model after the other and in very competitive prices, however more variation is always welcome. If they lower significantly the price tags on these models then their marketing career will be easier.

Reply
Dark Lord of Tech

Hard to penetrate the EVGA lineups with their great prices on the higher end units. These need to be lowered to sell.
Reply
turkey3_scratch

Is there any reason the 3.3V rail shows strange behavior when crossloading? Not that it's bad or anything, but in CL1 with heavy load on the 3.3V rail, the voltage is about 0.10V higher than CL2, where the 3.3V rail has minimal load, and voltage is typically higher.
Reply
turkey3_scratch

Okay, just finished reading the review. Besides the disappointing transient response of this unit, and the failure to meet hold-up time, this is a good unit. But the price needs to drop to about $60 IMO if it wants to compete well. Currently it's priced the same as the Hydro G 650W, and the Hydro G is a no-brainer choice over this unit.

It also concerns me a bit that the 5V rail voltage goes to 4.79V in your second transient response test at 50% load. This is all around also a bit disappointing, but it's not a very realistic transient load (unlike 12V which happens always while gaming), but I like the Japanese capacitors, the load regulation is fine, the crossload graphs all show good results; sometimes a lot of units screw up on those. It's nice to be able to see those different load patterns, something other reviewers should try to adopt. Ripple was very nice.
Reply
joz

Hard to penetrate the EVGA lineups with their great prices on the higher end units. These need to be lowered to sell.

G2 is love, G2 is life. (G2 550W, about...eight of them....)
Reply
basroil

FSP almost had an excellent PSU until they screwed up big time on the transient response. Looks like the EVGA G2/ SuperFlower Leadex Gold is still king of the inexpensive PSUs
Reply
Flying-Q

Please stop referring to quality PSUs with low wattage as 'entry 'level' (in the article subtitle).

Entry Level (adjective)
(of a product) suitable for a beginner or first-time user; basic.
"entry-level computers"

'Entry level' usually implies smaller feature set. In this instance the feature set of each of the models is the same other than the power output. Current generation computers need less power due to greater efficiency inherent in more recent designs of components.
Reply
turkey3_scratch

17768395 said:
FSP almost had an excellent PSU until they screwed up big time on the transient response. Looks like the EVGA G2/ SuperFlower Leadex Gold is still king of the inexpensive PSUs

I would like other testing sites to start adopting these tests, like Jonnyguru. I wonder how many units that normally pass stuff would fail.

Another funny thing is FSP just wrote a blog about the importance of transient response. :P

But also, a 3.3V transient response just doesn't happen in 2016, probably never will. A 5V one is also less common.
Reply
basroil

17769266 said:
But also, a 3.3V transient response just doesn't happen in 2016, probably never will. A 5V one is also less common.

ATX loading specs state a 9A transient on 12V (and 5V might have been there). Considering most modern PSUs are 12V only and then DC-DC for 3.3 and 5V, 12V transients are going to end up affecting the 5v and 3.3V lines too.
Reply

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