StarTech 450W Power Supply Review

 

Let me thank Laurie from StarTech for sending a unit to review.

In our first power supply review, we were very disappointed with the power the Seasonic gave. We all know having a power supply is a crucial part of a system.  Today we will be looking at the StarTech 450W power supply. Will it turn out to be another disappointment or a very good solution for power users?

About StarTech

StarTech.com is the computer professionals’ source for hard-to-find computer parts. We manufacture a complete selection of computer parts that are in demand by today's computer professionals and deliver the products you want, when and how you want them, worldwide.

The demand for replacement computer parts is increasing dramatically. This is due in large part to the fact that people are keeping their computers longer as “the performance of PC processors and the systems they power...bound farther and farther ahead of what the vast majority of buyers need”1. Only StarTech.com can supply you with all the computer parts you need and connect you with the computer professionals who want your products.

We've assembled the most comprehensive selection of parts and related information you'll find from any ISO 9001 Registered manufacturer. You can rest easy knowing that StarTech.com has the products and expertise you need to complete your solution, allowing you to rely on one trusted partner instead of a multitude of faceless vendors.

StarTech.com can also provide you with free qualified customer referrals to help you grow your business. We are currently the leading supplier of customer referrals to some of the industry's top computer product resellers.

First Impressions

When the power supply arrived, I was anxious to see it was any good. Opening the box introduced me to this:

The StarTech 450W power supply. I was amazed with two main things, the weight and the finish. First off it was heavy. This tells me that I should expect high quality. The quality and construction of the power supply was top-notch. It is made out of an aluminum structure to dissipate heat away effectively and is very shiny. It had a great finish. This would be great for people with side windows.

It comes with the power supply, screws, power cable, and manuals.

The 450W power supply comes with only one fan. When I checked it was a Globe fan. StarTech chose one fan because they wanted quiet. The rear of the unit is straight forward with one difference of standard power supplies. It features a LED near the switch. The LED is to show you when the unit is on and possibly damaged.

Inside is great.

Opening the unit showed me very great quality materials were used and huge blocks of aluminum to dissipate heat.

Specs

  • Output Power: 450W
  • Dimensions: 5.9 x 3.35 x 5.87 Inches (150 x 85 x 149mm)
  • MTBF: 60,000 Hours
  • Connectors: 8 x 4-pin-LP4-female
  • 3 x small-internal-power
  • 1 x 20-pin-ATX-motherboard-adapter
  • 1 x 4-pin extended ATX 12V power plug for Pentium 4
  • 1 X Aux plug
  • AC INPUT: (Voltage 115V~ Current 10A) (Voltage 230V~ Current 5A)
  • Frequency: 50~60Hz
  • DC OUTPUT: +3.3V(30A)
  • +5V(45A)
  • +12V(15A)
  • -5V(1A)
  • -12V(1A)
  • +5V(2.5A)
  • Safety Approvals: TUV, UL, CSA, CE, FCC & CB

The specifications look quite impressive as the numbers. The ultimate question will be: Can aesthetics and specs perform? We will answer this later.

The unit houses 8, 5’25” Molex connectors (for CD rom, etc), 3 floppy connectors, 1 ATX connector, 1 AUX connector, and 1 P4 connector.  This should be plenty enough for anyone’s needs.

My only beef in this department that the ATX connector is not sleeved/heat shrink wrapped, and causes a spaghetti wire mess inside the case.

Testing

Testing will consist of running the power supply in our test system for 2 days. The voltage rails on idle (1-hour) and load (Toast 5 min) will be taken off of Winbond Hardware Monitor. It will be compared to the Enermax 300W and put on a table for comparison. I will check for any instability issues and any awkward behavior.

Results

During testing, I found no issues in stability and such. No problems occurred.

StarTech 450W power supply

+12 = 11.98
+5V = 5.08
-12V = -12.35
-5V = -5.14

Enermax 300W power supply (taken from Seasonic review)

+12 = 12.05
+5V = 5.03
-12V = -12.19
-5V = -5.39

As you can see the StarTech 450W power supply did quite well and preformed with ease. Compared with the Enermax 300W, it produced very good results with little fluctuations. I did notice that the 12V rail fluctuated between 11.82 and 11.97.

Conclusion

Overall the StarTech 450W is a very good power supply that preformed very good. It was also relatively quiet due to its single fan. However many enthusiasts may prefer dual fans for optimal cooling. I also would have liked the ATX connector to be sleeved for better cable management and look inside the case.

I rate the StarTech 450W power supply a…

8/10! It’s easily recommended.

Pros + Cons

+ Good power
+ Stable
+ Great finish
+ Aluminum
+ Plenty of Molex connectors
+ Awesome deal and price at alternative links below
- ATX Connector should be sleeved
- Price is steep for some (manufacturers price I mean)

You can pick one of these power supplies up for $ 152.99 U.S. at StarTech’s website.

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