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Review: 600-700W PSU Shootout

by Ryszard Sommefeldt on 18 August 2006, 14:32

Tags: Epsilon 600W , HX620W, GameXStream 700W, Cooler Master, OCZ (NASDAQ:OCZ), Corsair, Tagan, FSP Group (TPE:3015), Seasonic

Quick Link: HEXUS.net/qagll

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Tagan Dual Engine 700W

Tagan Dual Engine 700W
Rated output power 700W
Power specification ATX 2.2
Power switch? Yes
Input voltage (AC) Universal mains
Fan(s) 2 x 80mm
Cable runs 24-pin EATX with split
EPS + P4
3 x 4-pin Molex
1 x 4-pin Molex (VGA)
1 x PEG
1 x PEG
4 x SATA
3 x SATA
3 x SATA
1 x 4-pin Molex to 2 x FDD Y-splitter
Max. currents +3.3V: 28A
+5V: 28A
+12V: 20A, 20A, 20A, 20A
-12V: 0.8A
+5vSB: 3A
Max. combined 3.3V & 5V output 180W

The Tagan Dual Engine 700W is a quad-rail 700W PSU (no, really) that does dual GPU and EPS like the others. Where the Tagan differs most, though, is in its very generous SATA cable run provision, and in its use of dual 80mm cooling fans rather than one big 120mm like on the rest. In our opinion, directed airflow using a pair of 80s, through the PSU and across its core, is the best way to exhaust heat from a PSU.



It makes the supply a bit longer than most, but then we figure that anyone considering one will have the interior chassis space to house one. We can't think of many enthusiast-class cases that wouldn't take this PSU, anyway. Tagan uses copper mesh shielding on the major cable runs (including EPS, PEGs and VGA), leaving the Molex and SATA cable runs somewhat bare. Aesthetically that's where it falls down for us.



As you can see, the U.K. power cord is copper mesh-shielded, too, which is great to see. I had an irrational "OMG I WANT ONE JUST FOR THAT" thought when I saw it for the first time, so don't feel embarrassed if you just did too.

Bundled cable ties get our thumbs pointing madly in the air when given away with PSUs, since they make tidying up a PSU's tentacles easier and more slick than with a "shove them into spare drive bays and up near the PSU, nobody will see them" approach. Plus points for Tagan, everyone else take note. SATA-to-Molex small-plug adaptors are completely and utterly for the win, too.

We like this supply. A lot. And that's before plugging it into our test harness and giving it some serious load to play with. Which brings us nicely on to the test results which'll show how well these badboy supplies did.