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Performance Rating
(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)
The XPG Pylon 550 achieves first place on pure performance when compared to PSUs with similar wattage. There's a lot of factors to consider in a PSU beyond performance, but that's a very impressive stat.
Noise Rating
The graph below depicts the cooling fan's average noise over the PSU's operating range, with an ambient temperature between 30 to 32 degrees Celsius (86 to 89.6 degrees Fahrenheit).
(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)
We'd appreciate if the XPG Pylon 550W's average fan noise were lower than 30 dBA. Still, it's understandable that CWT wanted to stay on the safe side, given the SBRs on the secondary side.
The following graph shows the PSU's average efficiency throughout its operating range with an ambient temperature close to 30 degrees Celsius.
(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)
The XPS Pylon 550W's average efficiency stands in the middle when compared to CPUs with similar wattages. With synchronous rectification on the secondary side, it could be notably higher.
Power Factor Rating
The following graph shows the PSU's average power factor reading throughout its operating range with an ambient temperature close to 30 degrees Celsius.
(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)
The APFC converter performs well here, putting the XPS Pylon 550W towards the top of the charts.
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Given the transient response, I don't know how well this unit would take a high end GPU, but realistically you shouldn't be pairing a 3090 or something with a 550w PSU anyhow.
Right now the XPG Pylon 550w is about $70, the same cost as a CX550 right now. I wish the XPG had a longer warranty, but it is some good competition.
