Page 2 - Physical Look - Outside
If it is not obvious by now, the SilverStone SFX SX650-G 650W is an SFX size power supply, making it one of the smallest internal power supplies you can find. For more precise numbers, this stretches out 10.0cm in length. In addition, it is only 12.5cm wide and 6.35cm tall. I should note this is also a fully modular power supply, which generally takes up more space in compared to a semi-modular or non-modular unit. Fitting the SFX SX650-G 650W into any case should not be an issue and as long as you have an ATX bracket. As SilverStone has mentioned, at this size, the SFX SX650-G has a power density of 819W per liter, which is the most power dense power supply SilverStone is offering. Despite only a 50W increase compared to its previous SFX power supply, the SX600-G, this increases the density by 63W, which is quite the engineering feat.
From the top view, the SilverStone SFX SX650-G 650W has an appearance we have seen in the past with other SilverStone units. There is a punched out circular grille where air is drawn into the power supply. Underneath the grille is the SX650-G''s 92mm fan, which we will take a closer look at later on. The entire enclosure is covered in black gritty paint, which should prevent fingerprints from appearing on the unit. At the back, you can see the exhaust and power connection area, which we will look at later. Otherwise, the external casing is held together with four screws on the top and four more on the sides, with one screw covered by a warranty sticker. Getting access to this screw will void the three year manufacturer warranty.
Starting at the back of the SFX SX650-G, we have a standard honeycomb pattern to let air pass through. The hexagonal design has been used in quite a few other power supplies and other ventilation areas, as it maximizes airflow while minimizing air resistance. This ventilation plays a crucial role in allowing heat to flow out of the back. Most modern power supplies have an automatic full range (100V-240V) AC line voltage selection, so there is no need for a manual switch as seen on some older units. Unlike previous SilverStone SFX units at this wattage, this power supply also has a power switch in addition to the standard power input. Thankfully, we do not see the C20 plug found on other units, so any standard cable can work with this unit.
As we have alluded to, the SilverStone SFX SX650-G 650W is a modular power supply. This means all cables are completely detachable from the main unit. While there are some obvious cables you will need for any build, including the ATX 24-pin and the ATX 4-pin/EPS 8-pin, there are still benefits to making them modular. For one, cabling is much easier, as the cable can be routed prior to placing the power supply in place. Secondly, there are third party sleeved cables for power supplies, which allow users to even customize the cables to match their system's colors. For obvious reasons, this can only be done using modular power supplies. On the other hand, there is a higher, but very negligible, electrical contact loss at the connectors compared to permanently fixed cables. At the end of the day, I think most people will prefer fully modular units, as there is more upside to having removable cables.
The rear connection panel is pretty standard, but SilverStone has made it clean and clear for plugging in. A sticker near the plugs describes which port is to be used for what purpose, but I will go through these connections. At the top row, we have a Vsense 4-pin socket, followed by the ATX/EPS 4+4 pin output. Next to it are two PCI Express outputs, followed by a single peripheral output. At the bottom is the ATX 24-pin connection and two more peripheral outputs. Considering the main purpose for an SFX power supply is to be built into a smaller computer to begin with, I think the number of connectors is quite sufficient. In addition, the plugs will not physically fit into the wrong sockets, so I think SilverStone has done a great job in this regard. The color coding also does well in differentiating the similar pin count plugs. You could technically force a 4-pin PCI Express output into the Vsense socket, though this takes another level of intelligence to sanely do so.
The external build quality of the SilverStone SFX SX650-G is about as good as they can come, and this is great to see from SilverStone. We will see what it looks like from the inside soon enough. The fitting of the shell is done well with minimal panel gaps. All of the edges are finished nicely off and no edges feel sharp on the fingers. Hopefully this means you will not cut yourself while dealing with the unit. The only other thing to note about the power supply is the underside, which has nothing other than a large SilverStone name and logo on it.
The voltage specification label for the SilverStone SFX SX650-G 650W is on the side panel. There are two main virtual rails. Up to 22A can be delivered via the +3.3V rail for a total of 72.6W. The +5V rail can deliver 22A too, bringing the output to 110W in this area. The total combined output for the +3.3V and +5V rail is 110W. In other words, your power allocation combination must fall within the limits of the listed specifications. Meanwhile, a single powerful +12V rail delivers up to 54.2A (650W) to reduce operating overhead compared to multiple +12V rails. Overall, the combined power output for the whole SX650-G 650W is an unsurprising 650W. Again, your power distribution in your system must fall within the limits provided -- it must not exceed 72.6W on the +3.3V rail, 110W on the +5V rail and 110W combined for both, 650W on the +12V rail, and 650W combined between the positive rails. All these confusing numbers aside, this configuration allows for most power demands. The allowable power distribution on the minor rails is also quite reasonable for a 650W unit.
The SilverStone SFX SX650-G 650W is 80 Plus Gold certified, which means it is certified to be at least 87%, 90%, 87% efficient at 20%, 50%, and 100% load, respectively. While the Gold rating may seem a bit pedestrian for a power supply in 2017, I think this is completely fine, considering the target audience for this unit and lineup.
Coming with the SFX SX650-G is a total of seven modular cables, one adapter, and one power cable. All of the cables are flat ribbon cables and are relatively easy to bend. The cables, however, separate in odd fashions, due to the fact some wires cross about. For a flat cable, however, it is generally all quite acceptable. These wires are 18 to 22AWG, which should be able to handle most high currents found through PCI Express and ATX/EPS connections.
The following modular cables are included out of the box:
- 1x ATX 20+4pin, 30.0cm
- 1x ATX/EPS 4+4 pin, 40.0cm
- 1x PCIe 6+2 pin, 2 connectors, 40.0cm to first connector, 15.0cm spacing thereafter
- 1x PCIe 6+2 pin, 2 connectors, 55.0cm to first connector, 15.0cm spacing thereafter
- 2x SATA, 3 connectors each, 30.0cm to first connector, 22.0cm to the second connector, 10.0cm spacing thereafter
- 1x Molex, 3 connectors, 30.0cm to first connector, 20.0cm spacing thereafter
- 1x Molex to Floppy adapter, 10.0cm
These measurements are specified from the manufacturer. As this is a SFX power supply meant for a smaller enclosure, the cables are on the shorter side. If you are looking to use this in a larger ATX case, you may want to get different cables or a different power supply altogether. As far as the former is concerned, SilverStone sells the PP05-L cable kit. In mini ITX and micro ATX cases, these cables should be long enough to reach the necessary parts, but of course, your mileage may vary. The spacing between connectors is quite adequate for multiple devices, though you may actually want less spacing for less extra cables, especially between the two PCIe connectors. In addition, I question why power supply manufacturers even include floppy connectors nowadays, as floppy drives are practically relics now. However, the nice thing is this floppy connection is only an adapter and can be left unused.
Page Index
1. Introduction, Packaging, Specifications
2. Physical Look - Outside
3. Physical Look - Inside
4. Minor Tests and Conclusion
