Introduction

Today's video cards are some real power-hungry animals, often using a larger percentage of your power supply's resources than you can imagine. This could definitely cause a problem if you decide to upgrade your current video card setup. Your 500-600 watt PSU will normally suffice for a mid range video card and possibly a pair of lower or mid range cards, but forget trying multiple high end cards in SLI or Crossfire, and don't even think about more than one multiple-GPU cards.

For example, say you came into some extra cash and decided to upgrade your VGA situation. You've got enough for a pair of those new Radeon HD 4870 X2s you've been reading about, but there is no way you're going to be able to scrape up enough to pick up an 1100-1200 watt PSU to sufficiently power them. And you're also trying to figure out how to make that massive PSU fit in your midtower that has the nice blowhole mod you are so proud of.

Another situation would be one that actually happened to me, I built a new rig with intensions of recycling my high quality but borderline sized PSU, I just didn't have the cash at the time for a new PSU too. The old PSU worked ok, until I tried gaming, where it just didn't have the muscle to power my new video card.

Thermaltake has an answer for that problem, a 650 watt auxiliary power supply that fits in two 5 1/4" bays. Use it in combination with your 600 watt PSU, and you now are pushing 1200 watts, enough for pretty much all VGA configurations. Though not a unique idea, the Power Express 650 is modular rather than having a huge wad of unsightly wires to ruin your clean build. You just connect the power cables you need. And it costs about a third of that 1200 watt PSU. Does the Power Express have what it takes? Read on to see!

The first auxiliary power supply I experienced was the Ultra Power Partner, a 325 watt power supply that fit in one 5 1/4" bay. It was a good idea, but had a full complement of power cables, and wasn't modular, so there was a large number of wires protruding from the rear of the unit, in an area that really doesn't need any more clutter. That was my only real complaint about the Power Partner, that and maybe the fact that it didn't appear very durable.

Thermaltake also has a 450 watt Power Express that fits in a single 5 1/4" slot. Like the 650, it is modular, and is a nice answer if your video card setup is a little more tame.

Specifications

Model: WO158RU
Maximum Power: 650 watts
Fans: 1 x 80mm
PFC: Active
Main Connector: 24-pin
+12v Rails: 2
PCI-E Connectors:
- 2 x 6-pin
- 2 x 8-pin
Crossfire and SLI Ready, Supports up to four graphics cards.
Hold-up Time: 16ms
Efficiency: 80% at full load
Input Voltage: 100-230VAC (Range: 90VAC-264VAC)
Input Frequency Range: 47-63 Hz
MTBF: 100,000 hours
Approvals: UL, CUL, TUV, FCC, BSMI, CE

Packaging

The Power Express comes in a light-colored box very unlike most Thermaltake products. The graphics depict the front and rear of the unit, and a sleeve over the box denotes the features and setup.

Inside, the unit is well protected by thick foam.