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Glacial Power GP AL650A 650 Watt PSU
Installation:
Test Rig:
| CPU | Intel Core 2 Duo E4600 2.4GHZ |
| Motherboard | ASUS Commando |
| RAM | Corsair XMS2 DDR2 800 (2 x 1GB) |
| Video Card #1 | XFX GeForce 8600GT 256MB |
| Video Card #2 | XFX GeForce 6600 256MB |
| Hard Drive 1 | Seagate Barracuda 7200.7 SATA-I 160GB |
| Hard Drive 2 | Seagate Barracuda 7200.11 SATA-II 500GB |
| Optical Drive | Sony NEC Optiarc DVD+/-RW |
| Case | Antec P180 Black |
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| Installed in case | Just barely long enough! |
The PSU itself mounted neatly in its bracket with no clearance issues. The cables all reached where they needed to with slack to spare, with the exception of the CPU12V 8Pin connector. Because my case has a bottom-mount PSU bracket, and a compartmentalized design to boot, getting the cable to go where it needed to required some ingenuity—and a bit of a cable-management sacrifice.
Testing:
Testing was done under Windows Vista Business 32-bit, with CPUID's HWMonitor keeping track of voltages. Additionally, readings were taken with a multimeter at every step, to verify the BIOS readings. For taking readings under load, Stress Prime 2004 Orthos Edition and Half Life 2: Lost Coast's stress test were run simultaneously for 30 minutes.
12V DC |
5V DC |
|
Start up (BIOS Reported) |
12.03 |
4.96 |
Start up (Voltmeter) |
12.09 |
5.02 |
Idle (BIOS Reported) |
12.09 |
4.97 |
Idle (Voltmeter) |
12.05 |
4.96 |
Load 30 Min Avg(BIOS Reported) |
12.09 |
4.97 |
Load 30 Min Avg (Voltmeter) |
12.11 |
5.01 |
Shutdown |
12.05 |
4.96 |
This power supply performed flawlessly throughout, with barely any fluctuation on any of the rails from start to finish.
Another important point to note here is the noise level. My system is configured for quiet operation, with large, slow-spinning fans, massive copper heatsinks, and a case with sound-dampening built in. My initial concerns about noise with this PSU were unfounded, as it operated below the noise threshold at all times. In plainer terms, I could not hear this thing running, even with the case open and my ear 6 inches from the case!
Conclusion:
With the GP AL650A, GlacialPower set out to create a no-frills, rock-solid power supply that would meet the needs of any mid-level enthusiast system. While the performance numbers certainly bear this out, the length of some of the cables was on the short side, which can make installation in certain systems problematic. Additionally, the lack of an AC power cable is a curious oversight that should be addressed in future revisions of the product.
Nevertheless, the rock-solid performance and super-quiet operation make this a worthwhile investment for anyone looking for a solid power supply that won't shatter their eardrums.
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