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PHYSICAL DETAILS
There are two notable features on the Blue Storm. One is a power switch that
glows blue when it is turned on. Anybody who has ever fumbled around for the
switch in the dark behind their case should appreciate this feature. Unfortunately,
because the switch is only illuminated when it is turned on, fumbling for
the switch while it is off is still an issue. It is likely that this feature
was included more for cosmetic reasons than convenience in the dark. Still,
it is nice to have a visual cue that shows whether there is external current
flowing into the unit.
The second feature is the inclusion of "Smart Housing Molex Connectors".
These seem to be identical to the Molex connectors with grips on the Cooler
Master RS-450-ACLY that we recently
reviewed. This is not a bad thing; Molex connectors have needed an
ergonomic upgrade for a long time. This feature should be on all power supplies.
A tightly packed case .
As usual, the fan blows across the ridges of the heatsinks rather than
through them.
This configuration helps to channel the airflow out the back of
the case.
That green PCB is the fan controller. Because the fan is hardwired to
it, swapping the fan is a little more involved than usual.
The grill is typical of a 120mm fan unit: fairly unrestricted. The blue
power switch glows when the power is connected.
The fan is a high speed sleeve bearing model from Protechnic Electric.
This is unusual, as 120mm fans in previous Fortrons have been Yate Loon. In terms of
noise, sleeve bearing is good, high speed is not.
CABLES AND CONNECTORS
There are a total of seven cable sets, plus a 20-to-24 pin adaptor that's about
4" long. All cables are wrapped in a blue mesh sleeve.
-
20" cable with a 24-pin ATX connector
- 20" auxiliary 12V connector for processors that require it
-
33" cable with two 4-pin IDE drive connectors and
one floppy drive power connector
-
2 x 33" cable with three 4-pin IDE drive connectors
- 28" cable with two SATA drive connectors
- 20" 6-pin auxiliary power connector for PCI Express
Very nicely finished, long output cables.
This is what Fortron calls a "Smart Housing Molex Connector".
Advertising jargon aside, this style of Molex connector is much easier to use
than the standard kind.
In terms of features, the Blue Storm is in line with most other
power supplies in this power range: Generous cable lengths, and mesh sleeving
along with a pretty high standard of finish. The most notable feature is the
inclusion of Molex connectors with grips. This is a welcome addition, and we hope such connectors become standard for all power supplies
in the future.
In terms of noise, the only relevant features that are evident
before powering up the unit are the details of the fan. We may be somewhat optimistic
about the inclusion of a sleeve bearing fan in the unit, although the high speed
rating of the fan is not so promising.
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