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Packaging, Contents, Exterior And Cabling
Packaging
At the front of the box you'll find a close-up photo of the fan's grille, which is the most interesting part of its external design. Up top, a series of icons depict Haswell compatibility, the Japanese caps and the 80 PLUS Gold efficiency. Right below is the model number. A short features list, a description of included cables and a power specifications table are found on one side, while on the other side XFX shows some marketing material. This includes a description of the fan's semi-passive feature called hybrid fan mode. Right next to that is a mention of the SolidLink technology, which reduces the number of wires to benefit efficiency. There is also a talk of something called ultra voltage regulation, and we are pretty sure XFX means load regulation instead. Finally, EasyRail Plus is a fancy name for a single +12V rail.
Around back, the most interesting part is a diagram depicting the most important features, including modular cabling, the (selectable) semi-passive mode and the large number (eight) of provided PCIe connectors.
Contents
The cardboard is sturdy enough to efficiently protect the PSU, which is also protected by a bubble-wrap.
A smaller box contains all modular cables. The AC power cord is hidden in a compartment right next to the PSU. The rest of the bundle includes a set of fixing bolts and a user's manual that's common across all XTR members.
Exterior
The fan grille is unique enough to make this PSU stand out from its competition. The finish is of high quality, and it seems to be fairly scratch resistant. Around front, we find the typical honeycomb exhaust grille and a small power switch installed next to the AC receptacle. On the sides, the series name is printed in large letters, while the power specifications label is visible on the bottom.
XFX applies a sticker that mentions the two fan operating modes. The modular panel has multiple sockets, and our only complaint is that the ATX cable occupies two of them. They're not placed conveniently, making it difficult to attach/detach this cable.
Compact dimensions, good performance and appealing design are not often found together in the XTR 850W's price range. Color us impressed.
Cabling
All cables but the main ATX one are flat. Moreover, they all feature dark wires to make them easier to hide inside of black enclosures. Since the ATX cable doesn't feature any extra filtering caps, we wonder why it's not flat as well.
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