Performance
Moving on to performance, we paired the Ultra X4 750W with the following system configuration:
| Processor | Intel Core i7 920 (2.67GHz) |
| Motherboard | Asus P6T |
| Memory | 6GB OCZ Blade DDR3-1600 |
| Video Card | EVGA GeForce GTX 275 |
| Hard Disks | 60GB OCZ Apex (SSD) 320GB Western Digital WD3200KS (HDD) 1TB Western Digital WD1001FALS (HDD) |
| Power Supply | Ultra X4 750W |
| Chassis | NZXT Hades |
| Operating System | Windows 7 64-bit |
To test the performance of the power supply, the system’s +3V, +5V and +12V voltages were recorded at idle. Then, using OCCT, the system was ramped up to 100% CPU load for 15 minutes and the voltages were once again recorded. This same process was repeated for the GPU in isolation, then again for the GPU and CPU at full load. In the final scenario (CPU+GPU), the system demands approximately 484W watts–let’s see how the ULT-HA750X fared.
From our results, we can see that this power supply unit delivered +3.3V and +5V voltages that were slightly (and safely) above nominal. Even at full system load, these voltages were again above nominal. These values fall well within the ATX specification for power supplies, so no fault on that front. Moving on to the +12V, we can see that the unit starts slightly under nominal at 11.98V and fell to 11.93V under load. This performance is again within the ATX specification, but the picky nerd in us would prefer to see the +12V start and stay slightly above +12V–it’s not required in the ATX spec, but it would make us happy.
Final thoughts
The Ultra X4 750W power supply is a very attractive unit that’s simply overflowing with goodies; zip ties, Velcro straps, an anti-vibration gasket and exceptionally nice packaging make this one an easy sale for users that like when vendors take the extra step to really sell a product.
Internally, Ultra’s Andyson-built 750W unit contains extremely robust components, particularly in the rectification and line filtering stages, the latter of which is especially important to ensuring a quality output.
Finally, with excellent modular cabling, inaudible operation (this PSU is practically a ghost) and stable voltages, the Ultra 750W represents a solid package for enthusiasts looking to squeeze performance and value out of their PSU purchase.
Every review must have a criticism, however, and ours is one of availability: This power supply has an MSRP of $129.99, but it is virtually impossible to find for sale. It’s not even available on Ultra’s website, and they run a web store for their own products! In short, if you can find the ULT-HA750X for sale, you won’t be disappointed.
Pros
- Excellent modular cabling
- Well-appointed circuitry
- Stable voltages
- Attractive design
- Extensive accessories
- Lifetime warranty
Cons
- Miserable availability
- Discolored 4-pin ATX12V connector
- Modular connectors could benefit from color coding
- Average pricing
- Kludgy soldering in some spots
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