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PSUs

Modern PCs require much more power than they did a few years ago, which means that the PSU is now one of its most important components. That's why we've put 29 commonly available PSUs to the test to see which one really deserves to power your PC.

Hiper HPU-4K580

Manufacturer:Price:
Hiper£70.37 inc VAT
Reviewer:Review Date:
Oct 2005
 OVERALL RATING
 
 
SCORE
4/6
 

Verdict: Flaky at 100 per cent load, so best avoided


This Hiper PSU has a modular cabling system, so, unlike a traditional PSU, you only have to attach the cables that your PC needs. This means that there won't be any unnecessary cables to tidy away when you're wiring up your PC.

Hiper claims that this PSU can output a combined 580W, split across a 32A 3.3V rail, 36A 5V rail and two 12V rails (20A for the 12V1 rail and 18A for the 12V2 rail). The interior is cooled by temperature-controlled 80mm and 120mm fans. The modular cabling system includes support for 20- and 24-pin motherboards, with eight Molex, one FDD, one PCI-E and four S-ATA connectors.

The Hiper flew through the 50 and 75 per cent load tests, producing a stable voltage on each of its primary rails. However, at 100 per cent load, it started to make a bizarre noise, best likened to the sound of frogs croaking in unison. At full load, the Hiper is also inefficient, averaging just 71 per cent. This means it had to draw 807W from the mains to produce 572W. After just three minutes of listening to this amphibian jungle mix, the primary heatsink reached 72ûC and the Hiper switched itself off. So much for being able to produce 580W continuously.

Despite its twin-fan cooling system, the Hiper is unable to produce its claimed 580W for a sustained period. If you want a stable high-end PSU then you'll have to spend more than £70.


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