Testing:

The installation procedure for the PCToys Power Maxx 520W Aluminum Power Supply follows the same method for any standard PSU unit. For this installation I will be testing this unit on my main gaming rig which is assembled with the following system components:

• MSI KT3 Ultra 2 Motherboard (Socket A/333MHz FSB)
• AMD Athlon XP 1800+ CPU
• 512 MB Kingmax Tiny BGA DDR 333 RAM
• Radeon 9700 Pro 128MB AGP video card
• 3 x Seagate ST318406LW 18 GB SCSI Hard Drives (RAID0)
• Netraid 1-M SCSI controller
• D-Link DFE-530TX NIC card
• Sound Blaster Audigy sound card
• Pioneer 106S 16X DVD IDE
• Lite-On LTR-40125S 40x12x48x CD-Rewriter

I will be running a series of tests using the same methodology used in our heatsink testing where the CPU will be put under load in normal and overclocked scenarios. The "Burn-In Wizard" from SiSoft Sandra 2002 is used to put the CPU under concentrated load for a pre-determined amount of time. The options selected in "Burn-In Wizard" run the CPU and CPU Multimedia benchmarks for approximately 15 minutes. The system is left alone for approximate 15 minutes before the burn-in test is performed. Maximum temperatures are measured in degree Celsius and recorded for full load in normal and overclocked modes. The emphasis for monitoring will also be placed on the +5 and +12V lines to determine how much of a load these lines can handle since they are responsible for the most crucial voltages when its comes to overall system stability. The system was run in normal mode at 1.5 GHz and in overclocked mode at 1.67 GHz (VCORE 1.8, FSB 145, Multiplier 11.5x). Here are some of the results recorded with Motherboard Monitor 5.3.3.0:

Power Maxx 520W PSU normal load

Power Maxx 520W PSU overclocked load

In testing this unit for approximately 3 hours, I did note some small fluctuations on the +12 volt and +5 volt lines when the system was run in normal load and overclocked load modes. The 12+ volt line would drop down to +11.89 respectively and then return to normal. I suspect the extra draw might be coming from the 3 x 80mm ball bearing fans which are wired directly to the PSU. I also noticed that the +5 volt line would also dip down to 4.89 or 4.92 volts. The documentation included with this product allows for a 5%-10% tolerance level in terms of operation and stability, which means that this rating is still respectable in terms of performance. For the most part the +3.3 volt, -5 volt, and -12 volt lines were steady with minor differences between readings.

The PCToys Power Maxx 520W Aluminum Power Supply is a great product, which offers solid construction balanced with an assortment of unique features. The aluminum chassis combined with the three 80mm fans adds several benefits in terms of acting as an additional heatsink and maximizing cooling levels. The product builds upon the foundation of rival units currently on the market by supplementing useful functions for Over Current Protection, Over Circuit Protection, and Short Circuit protection. Users concerned with noise levels will appreciate the 3-position switch which offers silent peformance and three different fan control speed modes with automatic temperature adjustment. The additional AC plug is great for plugging in additional devices and a welcome feature for those individuals who are into water cooling their systems. Temperature monitoring via application software is unavailable due to the absence of the RPM monitoring lines on any of the fans. It is not a big issue, but should be noted for consumers who require this feature. While PCToys has done an admirable job at cable sleeving the 20-pin ATX connector cable, I would have loved to have seen this function extended to the remainder of the PSU cables in order to keep cable management down to a minimum. Overall stability was good and is dependant on the type of configuration and components used. Overall, I’m rating the PCToys Power Maxx 520W Aluminum Power Supply an 9 out of 10 and would recommend this product to users seeking an reliable power supply source with great cooling options. If you have any questions regarding this review be sure to visit the PCToys website for more information or discuss them in our forums.