XG Vortec 500 Review – Pure Power

     In the ever growing field of high end PC power supplies it takes a lot to stand out from the crowd.  The new Extreme Gamer (XG) Vortec 500 PS definitely has the looks and with 500 Watts of power it has enough juice for the most demanding power user.  But how does it perform in the real world.  Let’s put this beauty to the test.

First impressions:

     The packaging does a nice job of showcasing the beautiful blue all aluminum looks of the Vortec 500 and the side features a window allowing the unique fan covers and actual color to be previewed.  This is the first time I have seen this feature in packaging for a PS and I hope other manufacturers take notice.  The product specifications are listed on the opposite side. 

Specifications:

• 500WATT Intel & AMD ATX Power Supply
• Dual Silent LED Fans 80mm & 120mm
• Maximum cooling Blue Aluminum Housing
• X-Treme Ultra Silent Output
• User adjustable fan speed controller
• Optimizing balance between noise reduction and necessary cooling
• Individual UV Blue Nylon Sleeve Wiring
• Compliant with UL, TUV, CB, CE, S, N, D, FCC
• Chrome Adjustable Fan Speed Knob
• Dual Blue Acrylic Side Panels
• UV Molex Connectors
• UV Blue Power Outlet & Switch
• Power Cable Included
• ATX to BTX conversion - Patent pending
• Patent pending Fan grill
• Patent pending power supply
• SATA power ready

     The power supply specs them selves are not listed on the outside of the package. For the serious Overclocker, a look inside is required to view the rail specifications:

     It is a little disappointing to see the Vortec doesn’t have the two 12 V rails many other high end power supply manufactures provide in their high end units.  The lack of two rails is made up for by generous Amp output.  The Vortec 500 puts out 28A on the +3.3V rail, 30A on the +5V rail and a whopping 38A on the +12V rail.  

     The outside of the Vortec 500 is dominated by the two adjustable fans.  Both the 120mm and the 80mm fans feature bright blue LED lights and can be manually adjusted using the chrome knob on the back of the unit.  The fan controller knob also dims the lights in the fans giving a visual reminder of the current fan speed. 

     The grills add a nice custom look to the fans.  The back fan grill is mounted upside down for a normal install causing an interesting double take on my part during the install.  In a BTX spec install the grill would be right side up, but the fan controller text would be upside down.  Looks like cracking the case open is the only way to match the grill to the back of my ATX spec case.  Another minor issue with install in my SF201 mid tower is visible in the above picture if you look close.  The mounting holes are off center and required some jockeying of the PS to get it tightly installed into the case.  The PS is clearly designed for the bottom of the newer BTX spec cases.