The 'I hate Ultra PSU' Thread

[ratdude747]

Good: Antec, Ultra, and Zippy (IT grade PSU)

Bad: Everything else....IE, Deer, Powmax, etc...

I'd argue that one. The best Ultra I have seen was good after a recap, new fans, a fan controller reapir, and a 5VSB mod. That of course is the Ultra Xfinity 600W that everell sent me. Even so, it is a half bridge design...

Most Ultra units that I see are pure junk... thin wire, poor heatsinks, terrible PCBs (even in the good ones).


I am also surprised that you failed to mention Delta, seasonic, or hipro... they make much better PSUs than Ultra. Hell, even Ac-Bel does a better job IMHO.

[Topcat]

Re: Favourite Computer Components

^
I was shooting off the cuff and forgot seasonic, delta, and hipro....but yes, those definitely beloing in the 'good' list. FWIW, I've had good luck with Ultra's....but all I've used of them was their higher end ones. I've recapped tons of Delta's in those silly HP d530 SFF systems...

[ratdude747]

Re: Favourite Computer Components

^
I was shooting off the cuff and forgot seasonic, delta, and hipro....but yes, those definitely beloing in the 'good' list. FWIW, I've had good luck with Ultra's. I've recapped tons of Delta's in those silly HP d530 SFF systems...

Look up the Hardware Canuks review on the ultra V 400W and 500W. I had a couple of the 550's (freebies), One I tried to recap and redo... but after fixing numous Y splices, thin wires, and crap caps, it still was a turd... I ended up gutting it... The other one I still have in stock condtion if you would like to see the level of crap it is

. My mom's computer also had an ultra PSU in it... It was gutted years ago, it had cheap crappy "T" heatsinks and F-you caps... good riddance.

[Topcat]

Re: Favourite Computer Components

. My mom's computer also had an ultra PSU in it... It was gutted years ago, it had cheap crappy "T" heatsinks and F-you caps... good riddance.

So did Antec at one point......but I still swear by them too (I caught hell for that back in the darker ages of Antec). I have an Ultra continuous 500w I use for testing....I guess i need to dissect it....I've been using it for 7 years, not a lick of trouble....and when I use a PSU for testing, it is VERY abused!!

[ratdude747]

Re: Favourite Computer Components

So did Antec at one point......but I still swear by them too (I caught hell for that back in the darker ages of Antec). I have an Ultra continuous 500w I use for testing....I guess i need to dissect it....I've been using it for 7 years, not a lick of trouble....and when I use a PSU for testing, it is VERY abused!!

The thickness (or lack thereof) of the wiring told a different story. Better than a Powmax? Yes (like that takes a lot).

[Topcat]

Re: Favourite Computer Components

Mine doesn't have the standard wiring....it has the shielded pluggable cables.

[ratdude747]

Re: Favourite Computer Components

Mine doesn't have the standard wiring....it has the shielded pluggable cables.

You must have one of the Higher end ones... Trust me, the lower end stuff is junk, unlike reputable brands, where lower end means less watts/features, not less quality.

[Topcat]

Re: Favourite Computer Components

You must have one of the Higher end ones... Trust me, the lower end stuff is junk, unlike reputable brands, where lower end means less watts/features, not less quality.

Lower end = less quality....that is true. A Cavalier is lesser quality than a Cadillac....but they're still made by the same manufacturer. The same is apparently true with Ultra. I've never dealt with one of their 'low end' PSU's....but I have with more than a few of their 'high end', and they've always been solid. I stand behind my claim.

[ratdude747]

Re: Favourite Computer Components

Lower end = less quality....that is true. A Cavalier is lesser quality than a Cadillac....but they're still made by the same manufacturer. The same is apparently true with Ultra. I've never dealt with one of their 'low end' PSU's....but I have with more than a few of their 'high end', and they've always been solid. I stand behind my claim.

By lesser quality I meant as in unsafely low quality... as in a Cavalier having party ribbon seatbelts, cardstock bodypanels, and suspension parts made from PVC pipe. That is Ultra-style lower-end.

Then again, some of the imports that failed to meet regulations may have been like that... would those be Powmax cars?

[Topcat]

Re: Favourite Computer Components

By lesser quality I meant as in unsafely low quality...

I've never heard of one causing a house fire.... Powmax I could see that....but never heard of an Ultra causing anything of the sort. The lower end ones may be of crap quality (most low end junk is), but I want some references of how they're unsafe.

I'm also splitting this tangent into its own thread....

[ratdude747]

Re: Favourite Computer Components

I've never heard of one causing a house fire.... Powmax I could see that....but never heard of an Ultra causing anything of the sort. The lower end ones may be of crap quality (most low end junk is), but I want some references of how they're unsafe.

I'm also splitting this tangent into its own thread....

Some of the really bad ones I have seen pics of sure looked like they might.

My point is that with a reputable brand low end units would at least be reliable and be able to do what they are rated to do. Ultra units do not; in one thread in the PSU forum an Ultra "600W" was revealed to actually be a "400W" unit.

[Topcat]

Re: The 'I hate Ultra PSU' Thread

since you added the poll, I voted that they're ok....they don't rock by any means....I don't like 'em that much...

[ratdude747]

Re: The 'I hate Ultra PSU' Thread

since you added the poll, I voted that they're ok....they don't rock by any means....I don't like 'em that much...

Ok. If we were only talking about thier nicer units, I'd vote that way too... but considering the sketchy qualities of the low end units, I voted hit/miss

This of course is coming from the guy who uses a heavily modified Ultra Xfinity 600W in his main workstation rig...

[c_hegge]

Re: The 'I hate Ultra PSU' Thread

I've never seen an Ultra PSU in person before. No one around here sells them. Your one looked alright, though.

[ratdude747]

Re: The 'I hate Ultra PSU' Thread

I've never seen an Ultra PSU in person before. No one around here sells them. Your one looked alright, though.

the 600W xfinity?

yeah, it was one of thier better ones... they also make some junk ones too. The ultra V series for instance.

[kc8adu]

Re: The 'I hate Ultra PSU' Thread

they were sold just north of here by midwest micro.
a few decent models but mostly cheap and blingy.had enough parts to rate "acceptable" if derated.
lots of fuhkkyu caps.recapped a bunch of em.