Date: Saturday 25 June 2005
Author : Joel Hughey
Sponsor : Vantec
Product ION2

Overview:

        Vantec's new "ION2" 460 watt power supply provides an excellent solution for even the most demanding systems. I tested this power supply for over three weeks on my bench and received absolutely flawless performance with extremely stable voltages. I was pleased to see Vantec include a 24pin to 20pin ATX adapter for older motherboards although I was disappointed to see that it was not sleeved.

        The unit is surprisingly weighty - which the copper heatsinks surely attribute to. The ION2 features a single 120mm thermally controlled fan in conjunction to a rear meshed wall. The finish of the supply is very impressive - I found it to not only be consistent and aesthetically appealing but also more durable then one would expect on initial inspection.

        The extensive wiring harness is completely sleeved in black mesh which is terminated by black heat-shrinking. Along with the standard 24pin ATX feed we also get twin PCIe power feeds; which are all 19 inches long. The cable length is superb all around - but I was disappointed with only having two Serial ATA connectors which weigh in at 19 and 26 inches long. As for standard Molex feeds - the ION2 features three feeds with eight standard and two floppy adapters. One wire has two standard molex adapters while the other two wires have the same two standard with third standard Molex which are both terminated in a floppy adapter. The two longest wires are a whopping 36 inches long with standard adapters spaced at 19, 25, and 31 inches.

        To complete the package Vantec provides their own black "EZ-Grip" molex adapters instead of the traditional molex design. You can see the difference in the pictures above. I have seen similar products come to market and have not given them much thought; however you simply don' t know what you're missing until you try them. I was very surprised with how quick and easy these enhanced connecters were to use.

Performance:

       I tested the power supply in the following bench system for over three weeks:

        I was very impressed by the results. I tested the voltages over fifteen times during various hardware configurations through varying load tests and did not experience a single failure or voltage fluke. I found the voltages to be extremely stable with very little fluctuation. We can see here that in addition to supplying the core components stable power the 3.3 rail is rock solid - along with very small fluctuations in the 5v and 12v rails.

Impression:

        I was very impressed by this unit and would highly recommend it. The thermally controlled fan provides excellent airflow through the unit with very little noise. I liked the rear meshing because not only does it provide ample airflow but also looks great. The cable lengths were great and will happily accommodate users with oversized cases. I would like to see the optional 24pin to 20pin ATX adapter sleeved to match the rest of the unit in future revisions. The ION2 makes up for only having two sATA feeds by providing so many standard molex feeds. I was most impressed by the "EZ-Grip" connectors - I really did not expect these new design to make that much of a usability difference but I will never use the traditional connectors now.