Opinion on: OCZ SLI-Ready GameXStream Power Supply

jozi · Post by **jozi** » Thu Aug 24, 2006 5:49 am

I had to RMA my OCZ power steam 520Watt due to the ticking syndrome

I just got word they are sending me a OCZ SLI-Ready GameXStream Power Supply http://www.ocztechnology.com/products/p ... wer_supply
No doubt its a better psu than my previous one BUT whats it like noise wise?
Can i assume it could be quiet enough with that 120mm fan?

Anyone who has this psu abble to comment on it?

Jozi

EsaT · Post by **EsaT** » Thu Aug 24, 2006 6:26 am

It's identical to Fortron Epsilon and X-Bit labs review stated this from it:
This PSU is among the quietest ones ever tested in our labs at loads lower than 300-400W and is definitely quieter than any earlier produced power supply from FSP, except for fan-less ones, of course. THN series PSUs with 120mm fans brought FSP the reputation of a manufacturer of quiet, but not exactly silent, PSUs. The GLN series is now among the best as concerns its noise characteristics.

jaganath · Post by **jaganath** » Thu Aug 24, 2006 7:02 am

It's identical to Fortron Epsilon

I don't think the fan controller is the same, according to a graph posted in this forum by Oleg Artamonov (from Xbitlabs) the fan in the Gamexstream spins twice as fast as the fan in an S12-500 at all loads.

jozi · Post by **jozi** » Thu Aug 24, 2006 8:42 am

Ok, so i take it its a good psu.

Different fan controler and faster fan doesnt sound as good. Can someone confirm this?

Thanks for the fast replies

Jozi

EsaT · Post by **EsaT** » Thu Aug 24, 2006 10:46 am

jaganath wrote:
It's identical to Fortron Epsilon
I don't think the fan controller is the same, according to a graph posted in this forum by Oleg Artamonov (from Xbitlabs) the fan in the Gamexstream spins twice as fast as the fan in an S12-500 at all loads.

Now what Seasonic has to do with this?

Seasonics aren't made by FSP unlike GameXstream which is Epsilon with black colour and blue LEDs in fan:
OCZ
FSP

Also Fan used by Seasonic is 2050rpm Adda so how it can exactly rotate at half speed of OCZ when it's getting about full voltage already at 500W.
(for comparison X-Bit labs measured 1600rpm at 500W load)

BTW, How fast fan of 500W PSU turns at 600W load?

Oleg Artamonov · Post by **Oleg Artamonov** » Thu Aug 24, 2006 10:53 am

EsaT wrote:It's identical to Fortron Epsilon and X-Bit labs review stated this from it

Right now we have two OCZs: GameXStream 600W and 700W. And they are much louder than Epsilon that we have tested.

jaganath · Post by **jaganath** » Thu Aug 24, 2006 10:56 am

BTW, How fast fan of 500W PSU turns at 600W load?

Obviously, I am only talking about loads in the 0-500W range.

Also see Oleg's comment above, the Epsilon and Gamexstream are NOT acoustically identical.

EsaT · Post by **EsaT** » Thu Aug 24, 2006 11:42 am

I just wonder might there be two versions of GameXstreams?
Because in some reviews GameXstream has been stated to be enough silent to cause need for checking is fan really running.

Also basing to responses in FSP's support forum in Hexus some Epsilons from early production lots had noise problems and they changed fan for later production lots.

Oleg Artamonov · Post by **Oleg Artamonov** » Thu Aug 24, 2006 11:52 am

EsaT wrote:I just wonder might there be two versions of GameXstreams?

Theoretically, yes. I asked FSP if there is another version of fan controller specially designed for OCZ or different revisions of FSP700-80GLN (Epsilon), they don't answered yet.

Also basing to responses in FSP's support forum in Hexus some Epsilons from early production lots had noise problems and they changed fan for later production lots

Fans are the same, Protechnic Electric MGA12025, both in Epsilon, OCZ and Optima Pro (our local russian retail brand, also based on FSPxxx-80GLN). I've seen another fans only in Zalman ZM460-APS (FSP460-60GLN with Zalman label), they use high quality Minebea fans.

Also, I've seen some complaints on loud fans in Epsilons bought in last 3 months. So, it's not about early production... Maybe I'll visit Moscow FSP office next week, they should have some Epsilons from the most recent production.

EsaT · Post by **EsaT** » Thu Aug 24, 2006 12:01 pm

Well, for example in this case PSU had been made in last year so buying time doesn't mean so much without knowing how long PSU has been in storage in various stages before purchase.

http://forums.hexus.net/showthread.php? ... a7&t=78778

aiya · Post by **aiya** » Sat Aug 26, 2006 2:17 pm

i have a GXS700 and it is loud to me. i swapped out the fan for a blue LED yate loon and all is well now. i can't even hear it. the psu is running solid just like it was before the fan swap. the GXS series is a great line from OCZ just the fans are loud in my opinion.

krille · Post by **krille** » Sun Aug 27, 2006 5:13 am

So Seasonic S12 is already a better pick (for silence), than OCZ and FSP Epsilon? Which in turn should render the new S12 Energy+ an even better choice? Or am I all wrong here?

Thanks

~ Kris

jozi · Post by **jozi** » Mon Aug 28, 2006 5:09 am

Thanks for the replies

I havent recieved the psu yet and im concidering selling it already

I'll try it out and see what its like, if its to loud ill sell it and get some thing else instead (Seasonic S12).

Jozi

jozi · Post by **jozi** » Wed Aug 30, 2006 12:49 am

Recieved the PSU today. Might not get a chance till the weekend to instal it.

Whats the best way to see (listen) how much noise it makes? Run prime on max power consumption? Should i leave it in or out of the case for it, i might sell it if its to noisey

Jozi

krille · Post by **krille** » Wed Aug 30, 2006 5:35 am

If you want to stress the PSU, you need to think about what components you have. If you have a graphics card, hard drives, etc you should try to push them to (ie think 3dmark, defrag etc). However, defragging and priming while 3d-gaming probably isn't what you do in real-world situations. So if you're just interested for yourself, push it as far as you usually do.

Hope it helps some.

~ Kris

jozi · Post by **jozi** » Wed Aug 30, 2006 1:28 pm

I hadnt taught much about it when i last post but after that i figured running prime, 3dmark, ut2k4 and a disk defrag might give a good indication of the noise this psu might produce.

However, no need

Pc right now, gpu and cpu fan are not spinning, chipset fan i never hear, nexus exhaust fan is spinning at low rpm which leaves only the psu fan spinning. And i can hear a distinctive buzzing kind of sound which i assume is coming from the psu. I doubt that any of my drives would make that kind of noise now, they never did like this anyway.

Looks like maybe a fan swap or purchace/swap (for) a new silent psu. I doubt i could tell ocz i want a different unit on grounds that this one makes to much noise?

Jozi

aiya · Post by **aiya** » Fri Sep 01, 2006 10:58 am

i suggest you just do the fan swap since it will be cheaper to do and since the psu itself is a really good one. thats what i thought about because i was in the same situation, and now that i have watercooling, my system is even quieter. all i hear is air noise.

krille · Post by **krille** » Sat Sep 02, 2006 6:22 am

Are you sure it's the PSU fun? Use a thin, soft object (piece of soft rubber or plastic... must be very soft) to stop the fan (insert it through the grill). If the noise stops, there you have it. If it persists, it's not the fan. It could be any number of things, such as capacitors and coils. I think my S12-600 buzzes quite a lot, but it's definitely not a fan as the sound persists even when all fans are stopped. The only solution I can think of is trying to insulate the PSU as well as possible, without causing it to overheat.

By the way, running a 3D game and a 3D bench at the same time is probably not necessary to stress the GPU. Instead loop either, while priming, defragging and perhaps doing some other CPU/RAM intensive task (if you have a dual-core). Make sure to get those optical drives spinning as well.

Good luck!

~ Kris

aiya · Post by **aiya** » Sun Sep 03, 2006 9:01 pm

in my case i thought of that too and i did poke at the fan to slow it down and it was in fact the fan causing the buzzing.

jozi · Post by **jozi** » Mon Sep 04, 2006 9:27 am

So i finally got trying this. I stoped the psu fan (while all other fans where stationary) and it pretty much make the noise go away.

I now have a chipset fan i can hear (with the case open)

and i noticed my 80gig hd made a bit of noise to (im replacing this) but im not going to worry about them for the moment.

I think ill do a fan swap. I know it will void the waranty but it cost less

i have a papst and a antec tri cool, i think the papst is more wuiet, which ill try side by side powered on.

Shadowknight · Post by **Shadowknight** » Tue Sep 05, 2006 1:16 am

jozi wrote:So i finally got trying this. I stoped the psu fan (while all other fans where stationary) and it pretty much make the noise go away.

I now have a chipset fan i can hear (with the case open) and i noticed my 80gig hd made a bit of noise to (im replacing this) but im not going to worry

Your PSU fan drowned out a chipset fan?

jozi · Post by **jozi** » Tue Sep 05, 2006 4:23 am

Shadowknight wrote:
jozi wrote:So i finally got trying this. I stoped the psu fan (while all other fans where stationary) and it pretty much make the noise go away.

I now have a chipset fan i can hear (with the case open) and i noticed my 80gig hd made a bit of noise to (im replacing this) but im not going to worry
Your PSU fan drowned out a chipset fan?

Yup, surprised

I've always read the dfi chipset fan on my mobo to be a screamer but i have always found it quiet enough and drowned out by all other fans in my case i guess.
I'm looking into a new chipset fan at the min, not easy if due to the location of the chipset.

Jozi

jozi · Post by **jozi** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 4:46 am

Been really busy with college last few weeks and still didnt do the fan swap.
Next week is holidays and i hope to get a chance then.

Few things regarding a fan swap:
I have a 120mm Papst fan, would this be suficient to cool the psu?
Should i wire it into the psu's fan controler, mobo header or a fan controler (i have a cooler master im not using)

Little of topic this one, can i run my 2 92mm nexus fan of the one channel from my fan controler or should i give them their own channel?

Jozi