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Packaging, Contents, Exterior And Cabling
Packaging
Typically, Super Flower uses white packaging. But this PSU's box has a black background, most likely to differentiate the SF-550F14MG PSU from the company's higher-end offerings. The design is the same though; on the front of the box we see Super Flower's butterfly logo. The capacity description is in the front, bottom-left corner and the 80 PLUS Gold badge is in the top-right corner. On the sides of the package you'll find a features list and information about the PSU's color (black, in our case).
On the back of the box, Super Flower lists all of the interesting aspects of the product through icons, text and photos. On the back-right side is a specifications table and graph depicting the fan's curve with ECO (semi-passive) mode active. We've been informed that the company has filed patents covering the Thermal Control System and main transformer, versions of which are used on all Leadex models.
Contents
Two pieces of foam and thick plastic wrapping protect the PSU inside the box. The contents are arranged nicely with the user's manual sitting on top; it's the first thing you see when you open the box.
Super Flower provides a pouch for storing unused modular cables, although this PSU doesn't have too many of them compared to higher-capacity Leadex models. The rest of the bundle includes the user's manual and a set of fixing bolts for installing the PSU. Besides the requisite power cord, you also get eight modular cables.
Exterior
The PSU's exterior design is similar to the other Leadex units. Some of you might like the punched fan grille, while others would prefer a different approach. One thing's for certain, though: the grille provides a distinctive look that easily differentiates the PSU from its competition, and allows for good airflow.
A typical honeycomb-style exhaust grille is used on the front, while a small power switch is installed next to the vertical AC socket. On one of the two sides, we find Super Flower's logo stamped onto the casing. On the other side is a power specification table.
On the back of the PSU, the cube-shaped modular sockets look nice. The fact that they feature LED lighting (which is activated only when a cable is connected) makes them look even nicer in dark environments. This is a major differentiator compared to EVGA's more plain 550 G2. Aside from the two sockets for the 24-pin ATX cables, the other sockets are identical. Finally, the ECO switch is inconveniently located on this side as well, limiting access to it.
The dimensions could be smaller, given the unit's lower capacity. At least 16.5 cm of length won't cause any compatibility issues with most enclosures. Apparently, Super Flower isn't a fan of downsizing its units, unlike SilverStone and other companies that strive to offer PSUs with high power density.
Cabling
The main ATX, EPS and PCIe cables feature capacitors for extra ripple filtering, which is always welcome. Of course, if you swap them out for custom-made cables, you'll end up with increased ripple.
Because of the stock cable's thin wires, they're fairly easy to route inside of your case. Sleeving quality is acceptable for this price range, and all peripheral cables are flat, since they don't have any filtering capacitors.
