Packaging, Contents, Exterior And Cabling
Packaging
On the front of the box, there's a photo of the product, along with the series description and several icons depicting the most interesting features, including the Platinum efficiency rating, five-year warranty, digital control and the corresponding software. Next to the icons is the capacity description in a large, white font.
On the back of the box, Enermax provides many details about the product, including a long feature list, the power specification table, a description of the available cables and connectors, and a mention of the unit's control software. In addition, two small photos depict the individually-sleeved cables and the Japanese capacitors that equip the APFC converter and the unit’s secondary side. We are always happy to see some photos of a PSU’s internals on its box, since this usually means that the manufacturer wants to show off the quality parts that were used.
Contents
Inside the packaging, the PSU is protected by bubble wrap; we would have liked to see some foam spacers as well. The contents are neatly arranged, and the manuals for both the PSU and the software are located at the top. They're the first things you'll see after opening the box.
This is a passive cooled PSU, so you should install it with the top exhaust grille facing upward. If you don’t follow this advice, hot air will be trapped inside the PSU, leading to higher operating temperatures and, ultimately, functionality problems that will shorten the PSU’s life.
The bundle is pretty rich, and includes a case badge along with a set of fixing bolts, two Velcro straps and a pouch to store the modular cables. There’s also an AC power cord, the clip that ensures the AC cord won’t be pulled off accidentally, a USB header cable for connecting the PSU to the system’s mainboard and the modular cables.
Exterior
The unit features a nice matte finish that appears to be scratch-resistant. On the front of the unit, the small on/off switch is located right next to the AC receptacle, and there are ventilation holes on the sides to improve airflow. The large power specifications label is placed on the bottom of the PSU.
The modular panel includes seven sockets: two for the 24-pin ATX and the EPS connectors, three for the peripheral cables and two for the PCIe cables. Finally, there is an additional four-pin socket for the ZDPMS cable to allow the PSU to communicate with the system’s motherboard.
The overall design is nice, and the unit’s dimensions are quite large for its capacity. On the front of the unit, the exhaust grille covers almost the entire PCB, allowing hot air to exit the PSU freely.
Cabling
The cable quality is good, and the individually-sleeved cables will surely please enthusiasts going for a unique look. In some cases, it might be harder to route this type of cable since they take up more space, even when compared to the conventional round, braided sleeve cables.
We strongly believe that these cables play a key role in the unit’s increased price, as their production cost is high. It seems that Enermax wanted something special and eye-catching for this PSU. Nonetheless, we would like to see a version of this unit with plain sleeved cables and a lower price for users who simply don’t want to pay a premium for individually-sleeved cables.
