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XPG is putting forward its best effort in its entry into the PSU market. The Core Reactor line stands toe to toe with offerings from major brands, including Corsair, Seasonic and EVGA. The Core Reactors use a fresh platform, provided by Channel Well Technology, which achieves high performance, increased efficiency even under super light load levels, and it is also compatible with the alternative sleep mode. There might not be any mainboards compatible with this sleep mode, yet; still, it is good to have this option available, since power supplies usually last for several system builds.
The XPG Core Reactor with 650W max power can achieve higher overall performance than the two hottest picks in this category, the Corsair RM650x and the Seasonic Focus Plus Gold with similar capacity. It also has a silent operation, thanks to the relaxed fan profile, despite its compact dimensions. The build quality is high, and the provided warranty meets the competition's offerings. Finally, the two EPS connectors provide compatibility with the high-end mainboard, but we don't like the fact that both of these connectors are installed on the same cable. Two EPS can deliver high power levels, so they should use dedicated cables, especially in single +12V rail PSUs. All in all, the XPG Core Reactor 650 is an excellent product, and it is nice to see something different in the PSU market.
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Disclaimer: Aris Mpitziopoulos is Tom's Hardware's PSU reviewer. He is also the Chief Testing Engineer of Cybenetics and developed the Cybenetics certification methodologies apart from his role on Tom's Hardware. Neither Tom's Hardware nor its parent company, Future PLC, are financially involved with Cybenetics. Aris does not perform the actual certifications for Cybenetics.
