OCZ GameXStream 850W Power Supply

Introduction:

    We have come to know that OCZ offers up some very high quality RAM. They also offer some other items, like RAM cooling components and even some power supplies, which is what we have up for review today. The OCZ GameXStream is an 850W power supply. As more and more gamers take advantage of the gaming benefits offered by multi-GPU technology, the need for improved power supply solutions increases greatly. The GameXStream features high-quality components to ensure your PC’s vital hardware is supplied with clean, stable and reliable power without compromising effectiveness. Kept ultra-cool with a large 120mm fan with blue LEDs, the GameXStream remains virtually silent and supremely cool even at peak loads.

About the Company:

    Entering the memory market in August 2000, OCZ Technology was built around the determination to manufacture the best high speed DDR and RDRAM. OCZ was founded by enthusiasts, for enthusiasts, and our commitment to the end-user has not digressed. OCZ Technology has been an innovator in many areas. We were the first manufacturer to make Dual Channel optimized memory available to the public, which originally took advantage of nVidia's Twinbank or Dual DDR architecture, found in their nForce chipset. We have now taken that technology and tailored it for the Canterwood, and Granite Bay chipset's. OCZ developed and was the first to implement ULN technology, which has been a critical element in our manufacturing process for some time. We at OCZ diligently work to improve communication with CPU and motherboard chipset manufacturers prior to the release of their products. Only in this manner can we fine-tune our memory's SPD settings, ensuring a synergistic relationship between the memory module, memory controller, and microprocessor. In today’s rapidly evolving semiconductor industry, such communication is not simply research, but a necessary component of our manufacturing process.

Specifications:

	600W, 700W, & 850W* Configurations
	NVIDIA® SLI™ Certified
	OCZ PowerWhisper™ Technology
	Internal 120mm fan
	3 year warranty backed by OCZ’s exclusive PowerSwap™ replacement program. No more endless return-for-repair loops! Technical specifications
	150 x 140 x 86mm
	ATX12V v2.2 and EPS12V
	OCZ ConnectAll™ universal connectors: 1 x 20+4Pin ATX 1 x 4-pin/8-pin CPU (supports double CPUs/supplies stable voltage) 2 x PCI-E 6 x 4-pin peripheral 2 x 4-pin floppy 6 x S-ATA
	High efficiency 80% @ 115V (Typical load) 83% @ 230V (Typical load)
	Overvoltage/Overcurrent/Short-Circuit protection
	Active PFC
	MTBF:100,000 hours
	100~240Vac 10-5A 50/60Hz
	+3.3V(36A), +5V(30A), +12V1(18A), +12V2(18A), +12V3(18A), +12V4(18A) Maximum ratings are shown.

Packaging:

Retail front

Retail back

Side with specs

Open box

    The power supply box is wrapped in plastic, I guess to protect from tampering when on store shelves. The box is rectangular so it's longer than other power supply boxes, but not as tall. Let's open it and see what we get. Of course, we get the GameXStream 850W PSU with power cord, user manual, and a pack of mounting screws.

A Closer Look:

3/4 left side

3/4 right side

Top

comparison

    The GameXStream power supply is slightly smaller than a normal power supply, and not modular like a lot of the newer power supplies being released these days. The smaller size is from the back to front, and only about 1/2" smaller than other power supplies. The PSU metal enclosure is finished in flat black, as is the fan grill cover. The 120mm fan is the only fan in this PSU, and is done in frosted acrylic with blue LEDs incorporated into it. The rear of the PSU is made up of honeycombed mesh which reduces the noise created by air passing through the opening.

Specs

Rubber grommet

Honeycomb vent holes

    On the one side of the power supply is the sticker with the specifications and a host of other stickers. There is a sticker for RoHs, Ball Bearing Fan, Active PFC, W/Noise Killer (that is my favorite,) and one for the serial number with bar code. The good thing about all the stickers is they are kept on one side and not all over the enclosure.

    Four 12v rails with 20 amps each provide plenty of power to the devices attached. Did you every wonder why power supplies had so many 12v rails? Well, to keep it simple, the separate rails do a specific job in powering the hardware in a system. On the GameXStream 850w PSU, 12v1 takes care of the CPU, 12v2 takes care of PCI-E2 and CPU2, 12v3 does the Motherboard accessory and 12v4 does PCI-E1. Nice to see this breakdown in the specification sticker.