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Product:
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E-Power Tiger EP-550P5-T1 550w Modular PSU |
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Price:
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$127 (CAN) / $110 (U.S)
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Supplied By:
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E-Power Technology
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Author:
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Skaal-Tel
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Date:
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December 10th, 2005
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Rating:
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MODTHEBOX would like to thank Raymond from E-Power Technology
for sending the Tiger EP-550P5-T1 550w Modular PSU for review.
Introduction:
With the advent of second generation video cards, such as the ATI 9000 series and NVIDIA 5000's, many consumers
have found existing 300W budget power supplies to be the weakest link in a computer configuration. The introduction
of more powerful video cards, such as x800's and 6800's, SLI and Crossfire setups with twin PCI Express components
demand that existing power supplies require your immediate attention. Founded in 1990, E-Power Technology is a
leader in high performance PC power supply technology. Headquartered in City of Industry, California, the company
has grown from a small supplier of PC power supply into a diversified manufacturer of high technology products
including PC gaming, server, workstation and industrial power supply. Today in the MTB Labs we will be evaluating
the Tiger EP-550P5-T1 550w Modular PSU, the latest product offering from E-Power Technology.
Specifications:
E-Power Technology currently markets a wide variety of high-end power supply options, with offerings for
gamers/overclockers, quiet PC fanatics, and modders. Most feature a slick nickel plated exterior and a cat's name
on the box. The Tiger is the sole modular cable design option and clocks in around $100-110 USD for the 550W model.
A 650W model is also available. Here are some specifications taken from the E-Power Technology website:
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E-Power Tiger EP-550P5-T1 550w Modular PSU - Key Specifications:
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| E-Power Tiger EP-550P5-T1 550w Modular PSU : Manufactured by E-Power Technology |
| Model: EP-550P5-T1 |
| Dimensions: 6.5' (L) x 6' (W) x 3.5' (H) |
| AC Input: 115-230Vac |
| Current (AMP): 10/6A |
| Frequency (Hz): 60/50Hz |
| DC Input: +3.3V +5V +12V1 +12V2 -12V -5V +5VSB |
| Max Output Current: 28A 48A 20A 20A 1.0A 0.8A 2.5A |
| Combined Wattage: 210W 35*A/40A 12W 4W 12.5W |
| Warranty: 3 Year Manufacturer |
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E-Power Tiger EP-550P5-T1 550w Modular PSU - Key Features:
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| E-Power Technology Silent Engine technology with 120mm cooling fan |
| EMI filter added PCIe power leads for SLI function |
| EZ cable plug for all power leads |
| Able to use in even IPC or storage cases not required a board to power up |
| 20+4 Pin ATX connector and 4+4 connector to fit PCI-E and non PCI-E boards |
| Compatible with P4, AMD, Dual Xeon EPS 12V boards |
| Short Circuit Protection, Over Voltage Protection and Over Current Protection |
| UL, CE, CB, FCC certified |
| 100% HI-POT tested |
| 3 year limited warranty |
| Black mesh wrapped power leads and reflective nick coating chassis |
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The E-Power Tiger EP-550P5-T1 550w Modular PSU arrived in a colourful sleeve with product details over the usual corrugated
cardboard box. The box lists all the supplied connectors, provides all relevant wattage information and also highlights the
unique capacitive PCI-Express connectors. Despite the typo on the box some keen-eyed readers will no doubt have noticed,
everything is favourable so far. The power supply arrived un-damaged, protected as it was within the usual bubble wrap.
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Out of the box, the E-Power Tiger EP-550P5-T1 550w Modular PSU looks fairly snazzy, with an extremely reflective nickel coating,
120mm golden grill, and sleeved black cables. The reflective finish is mirror-perfect, and as such picks up fingerprints very
easily. A nice lint free cloth will work wonders to keep your power supply looking good. The manual provided is comprehensive,
legible and generally a solid step above most I've seen. Kudos to E-Power for this!
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The cooling fan present in the Tiger EP-550P5-T1 is protected by a golden grill with a Silent Engine badge located
in the center. When I opened up the casing to further investigate, I was disappointed to find a sleeve bearing clear
120mm fan which doesn even include LEDs. While being a 120mm design will make the power supply quieter than most OEM
and 80mm fan power supplies, the sleeve bearing design is cheaper and more prone to failure than a ball bearing fan.
The 120mm fan used in this PSU is a Globe fan model
rated for 67 CFM with 34 dbA noise level at 2000 RPM.
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