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PHYSICAL DETAILS (Continued)
The 400W and 600W models differ slightly in their internal components, and
especially in their heatsinks. The main transformer in each model has a different
model number and some components seem to have been shuffled around a bit. This
is to be expected: Higher quality components with greater capacities and higher
efficiency are necessary to output the additional power required by the 600W
model.
The most noticeable difference between the two models is the size and design
of their heatsinks. The heatsinks in the 400W model are small and thin, and
do not provide much surface area. In contrast, while the heatsinks in the 600W
model are still quite small, their finned design provides them with far more
surface area, which should translate into an equivalent gain in cooling effectiveness.
The 400W model has tiny heatsinks. Are they really enough to cool it effectively?
The heatsinks in the 600W model are more substantial, although still pretty small.
An additional PCB, whose purpose is unknown, has also appeared over the AC socket.
The fan bears the name "T & T", which stands for Tranyoung
Technology, a fan OEM in Taiwan. Deciphering the model number on their
web site reveals two important attributes: The fan is a sleeve bearing model,
and it is low speed. Although sleeve bearings don't last as long as ball bearings in high temperature conditions, they tend to be quieter. While a sleeve bearing fan is not the best choice for a system that will see heavy
use, and thus many hours of operation under high heat, it is a good sign for
those seeking a quiet power supply.
"L" stands for "Low Speed", "S" stands for
"Sleeve Bearing" — both excellent signs.
The 0.4A power rating suggests a higher speed than most low speed
fans, however.
CABLES AND CONNECTORS
All the cable sets are removable, even the main ATX cable. The cables are sleeved
in black plastic mesh to keep things nice and tidy. The advertised "Ohm-Leg"
plugs are probably the improved Molex connectors that can be be removed by squeezing
the grips on either side of the plug.
A word of warning about the socket for the SATA connectors: The five voltage
pins for this connector protrude beyond the top edge of the plastic frame. This
means there are live, bare contacts on the outside of the power supply when
the unit is powered up. Not only does this increase the odds of an accidental
short circuit, but it could be a hazard for those who like to poke around inside
their computers while they are running (you know you're out there).
Each model comes with seven cable sets:
CU-400T (400W)
CU-600T (600W)
The cable lengths are a little on the short side, especially the IDE drive
connectors that usually need the extra length to route the cables properly.
There are more headers on the power supply than there are supplied cables.
There is one Molex header and one SATA header that do not have corresponding
cables. As mentioned, the PCIe header also lacks a cable. At the time of writing,
CoolMax did not list additional cables as purchasable items on their web site,
and I was unable to find detachable cables for sale.
The black sleeving keeps the individual wires together. They look quite
snake-like.
As mentioned above, it is very important to remember to plug in the extra three-pin
plug that is bundled with the main ATX header.
Don't forget to plug in the remote sensor plug!
The implementation of the 4 + 20-pin ATX header is a little unusual. Instead
of making the two parts of the plug completely separable, the extra four pins
are designed to hinge to the side when they are not needed. This reduces the
possibility that the header will be installed improperly (with the standard
design, it's possible to fully insert the 4-pin portion without properly seating
the 20-pin header), but may pose a compatibility problem depending on the position
of the ATX socket on the motherboard.
The 20+4 style ATX connector is an unusual design.
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