Test:

Testbed:

AXP-M 2600+ Test Setup - Ambient temp during test ~24°C
CPU	Athlon Mobile 2600+ @ 2.60 GHz 1.85v Vcore
Mainboard	Abit NF-7S
Memory	2*512Mb PC3200 G.Skill 2-2-2-5 @2.7 Volt
Other	ATI 9000 Pro 128Mb Two Optical drives 2 CCFL + Light Bus 80 GB PATA Hard Drive 3Com modem 1x120 mm radiator fan double duty as exhaust; 1x80 top blower Cooler Master Aquagate Mini R120 Sunbeam Transformer case

Click to enlarge


Performance:




Conclusion:

Well, the voltage rails are holding up nicely, except the 12 Volt rail which drops ever slightly more than the others but still well within range. Higher 12 Volt amperage, say above 20 would be much better since most current CPUs and graphic cards demand for more amperage on the 12 over the 3.3 and 5 volt rails.

The clear window panel is a delight for enthusiasts who are into "lighting effects". The mirror black finish only adds more to the ante.

Although the 2x60 mm fans are not noisy, either a single 92 or 120 mm fan is more in-line with the low noise trend for the day; at least for the sake of perception. Nevertheless, the noise level is well within an acceptable range for some people; myself included.

The X-Plug is certainly no match for the V2.0 with dual 12V rails, PFC and SLI ready high end power supplies, and it is not meant to be. It is very capable as a replacement unit or new build for any AXP, P4 Northwood/Celeron or SLI A64 rigs with entry level graphic cards. My mildly overclocked Prescott was quite comfortable with a 420 Watts Thermaltake which has slightly higher amperage on the 12 V rail, without testing I couldn’t say how well the X-Plug will perform with Prescott which truly burns more fuel. A load tester will certainly comes in handy in finding out if the X-Plug exceeds the rated wattage.

For a new Company, I will say this is a very acceptable power supply for the money. However, a good product is just part of the purchase decision; customer service, warranty and support service play the important roles in any purchase. Hopefully more X-Plug reviews will surface that will concur with my findings today, allowing our readers the confident in Casegears products, having said that I find no reason not to keep the X-Plug in my personal rig. Accordingly, Casegears offer a 6-month warranty and will release detail Company information shortly afterward. I will update you as soon as I receive more information regarding resellers and other products from Casegears.

PROS:

Outstanding Finish

Very good price point

Modular cable

Sleeved, UV reactive cable & connectors

20/24 connector

Holds tight voltages with little jitters


CONS:

2x60 mm fan

Low 12 volt amperage

How about another set of 4-pin molex cable?

80mm fan wires soldered to the board

I like to thank Casegears for the review sample; and I look forward to testing their upcoming new products.

Question/Comments: forum thread