By: Jonathan Kwan
March 30, 2012
If you are white and you live in North America, chances are that you are not a part of the visible minority. That is, unless you are studying engineering here at the University of Calgary, or you are a computer power supply. While the Faculty of Engineering is dominated by Asians and most PSUs are black, a little over a year ago, NZXT decided to be brave and decided to be different -- they made a white power supply unit. The 80 Plus Gold certified NZXT HALE90 is certainly nothing short of impressive. It combines excellent performance, impeccable reliability, near silent operation, and top notch efficiency along with a sleek, unique appearance. So if the NZXT HALE90 is so distinguished from the competition, why did they resort to conformity and make the HALE82? As its name suggests, not only is it no longer over ninety percent efficient, it has also the same appearance as every other PSU. Hmm. So is distinguished excellence out, and blending in with the crowd back? Or is there more to the story? Read on to find out!
Our review unit of the NZXT HALE82 750W came in a pretty beat up brown corrugated cardboard box from American Future Technology's headquarters in California, USA. Using FedEx Ground, it definitely wasn't the cleanest looking package I have ever received, but we were happy to see the contents inside are still in perfect condition. In case you are wondering why they need such a big box to hold a standard ATX power supply, we have an NZXT HAVIK 120 cooler to be covered by my colleague Devin next week inside as well.
While the color scheme used on the retail package of NZXT's HALE82 750W power supply is quite a bit different than the red and white combination found on the HALE90 series, you can certainly tell the style is from the same manufacturer. A small angled slit on the left shows off the PSU's black grille and white fan through a plastic window; while the big "750W" printing ensures that you will know the wattage of the unit inside without question. But what's particular interesting is the label at the top right corner. Less than three? Yep, NZXT will cover shipping both ways if your power supply is registered with them. I think this is a first from a PSU manufacturer. That's some real love right there.
Before we move on, let's take a look at the features of the NZXT HALE82 750W, as obtained from the manufacturer's website:
- 80+ Bronze Certification - The HALE82 series from NZXT operates with high efficiency: at 20%, 50%, and 100% loads, efficiencies are 82%, 85%, and 82% respectively.
- 100% Japanese Capacitors - High quality components promote longer lifespan and better reliability.
- 120mm Two-Ball Bearing Fan - For smooth, silent rotation and optimal air intake.
- Strong Single +12V Rail - A single +12V rail provides stability and ease of use with the ability to deliver clean currents under a heavy load.
- Modular Design - Includes a selection of flat cables that allow the user to pick and choose which cables they want to use, maximizing cable management and airflow inside chassis.
- Large Tower Support - Extended 8pin connector for bottom mounted cases or large cases.
- Dual 8pin connector - For high end motherboards dedicated to overclocking.
- Keeping it Safe - The HALE80 series offers over voltage, current, power, temperature, under voltage, and short circuit protection.
Don't expect a whole lot out of the box; NZXT takes a no-frills approach -- I like that. With everything secured inside, you will get a unit of the HALE82 power supply itself, a bag of modular cables in a disposable clear plastic bag (A reusable drawstring bag is included for future storage, which is a nice touch), AC power cable, four screws, and a manual. All in all, the combination is sweet and simple. To not waste any more of your time, let's jump straight to a closer examination of the exterior of the power supply.
Page Index
1. Introduction, Packaging, Specifications
2. Physical Look - Outside
3. Physical Look - Inside
4. Minor Tests and Conclusion
