Xigmatek NRP 850W
Most people who are reading this article probably know Xigmatek for their CPU and GPU coolers and to a lesser extent their enclosures. However, this is one company that isn’t a stranger to power supplies as they have been producing them for quite a few years now. Their NRP –No Rules Power- series represents one of Xigmatek’s first forays into the high-end market and are designed for enthusiasts but also carry with them more than fair prices. For example, the 850W model we are reviewing here goes for under $180 here in Canada while sporting a modular interface and an 80Plus certification.
The packaging we see with the NRP 850W is basic but wonderfully compact which should cut down on shipping costs for all of you on a budget. Within the box, everything is well protected with the modular cables off to one side and a box containing the accessories pushed off to the front while the power supply itself is wrapped in a form-fitting bubble wrap sleeve.
The accessories you get are basic with a sleeve for your modular cables, mounting screws, a warranty card and a quick install guide. Additionally there is a white fabric sleeve whose use we just couldn’t figure out. There is however one slightly worrying aspect here and that’s the power cord. Of all the power supplies in this roundup, the cord that attaches the Xigmatek 850W to your wall outlet is so thin it seems more suitable to a budget, off-brand 400W unit rather than a high-end product. While this shouldn’t have an impact upon performance, we would don’t like seeing costs cut in areas such as this.
The NRP is a compact looking 850W unit with a centrally mounted 135mm fan and a standard powder coated matte black finish. Interestingly enough, even though the accent color on the cable sleeving, on the box and on the side label is orange, the fan itself uses blue LEDs.
The modular interface is elegantly simple since there aren’t that many modular cables to begin with and all of the ports are clearly marked.
Even though the NRP isn’t fully modular, Xigmatek made some odd decisions when it came to choosing which cables should be fixed to the housing: a 4-pin CPU, two 6-pin PCI-E and the ATX connector are there. We wanted to see a 4+4 pin CPU connector along with 6+2 pin PCI-E cables considering the target market the NRP 850W is aimed at.
The modular cable selection is limited but you get what you need for literally any connection you could possibly want. The sleeving on these cables is very well done but we have to mention that the sleeving on the main ATX connector is atrocious. It is loose, poorly weaved and quite brittle.
We were greeted with a welcome surprise when we popped the top: a CWT PSH platform. This may not be the most advanced or efficient design on the market right now but it is perfectly suited to a budget 850W unit like the Xigmatek 850W. To put this into perspective, this is the same platform as the one used in the Thermalteke Toughpower XT but installed into a power supply that costs more than $80 CAD less. Xigmatek needs a pat on the back for this one.
As expected of most higher-end Channel Well platforms, this one is exceptionally well built with good soldering throughout. While the choice of orange throughout the innards is a bit odd, we can’t fault the capacitor selection which is a carbon copy of the Thermaltake unit: a Matsushita 85°C on the primary and Nippon Chemi-Con 105°C units on the secondary.
Xigmatek NRP 850W
Most people who are reading this article probably know Xigmatek for their CPU and GPU coolers and to a lesser extent their enclosures. However, this is one company that isn’t a stranger to power supplies as they have been producing them for quite a few years now. Their NRP –No Rules Power- series represents one of Xigmatek’s first forays into the high-end market and are designed for enthusiasts but also carry with them more than fair prices. For example, the 850W model we are reviewing here goes for under $180 here in Canada while sporting a modular interface and an 80Plus certification.
The packaging we see with the NRP 850W is basic but wonderfully compact which should cut down on shipping costs for all of you on a budget. Within the box, everything is well protected with the modular cables off to one side and a box containing the accessories pushed off to the front while the power supply itself is wrapped in a form-fitting bubble wrap sleeve.
The accessories you get are basic with a sleeve for your modular cables, mounting screws, a warranty card and a quick install guide. Additionally there is a white fabric sleeve whose use we just couldn’t figure out. There is however one slightly worrying aspect here and that’s the power cord. Of all the power supplies in this roundup, the cord that attaches the Xigmatek 850W to your wall outlet is so thin it seems more suitable to a budget, off-brand 400W unit rather than a high-end product. While this shouldn’t have an impact upon performance, we would don’t like seeing costs cut in areas such as this.
The NRP is a compact looking 850W unit with a centrally mounted 135mm fan and a standard powder coated matte black finish. Interestingly enough, even though the accent color on the cable sleeving, on the box and on the side label is orange, the fan itself uses blue LEDs.
The modular interface is elegantly simple since there aren’t that many modular cables to begin with and all of the ports are clearly marked.
Even though the NRP isn’t fully modular, Xigmatek made some odd decisions when it came to choosing which cables should be fixed to the housing: a 4-pin CPU, two 6-pin PCI-E and the ATX connector are there. We wanted to see a 4+4 pin CPU connector along with 6+2 pin PCI-E cables considering the target market the NRP 850W is aimed at.
The modular cable selection is limited but you get what you need for literally any connection you could possibly want. The sleeving on these cables is very well done but we have to mention that the sleeving on the main ATX connector is atrocious. It is loose, poorly weaved and quite brittle.
We were greeted with a welcome surprise when we popped the top: a CWT PSH platform. This may not be the most advanced or efficient design on the market right now but it is perfectly suited to a budget 850W unit like the Xigmatek 850W. To put this into perspective, this is the same platform as the one used in the Thermalteke Toughpower XT but installed into a power supply that costs more than $80 CAD less. Xigmatek needs a pat on the back for this one.
As expected of most higher-end Channel Well platforms, this one is exceptionally well built with good soldering throughout. While the choice of orange throughout the innards is a bit odd, we can’t fault the capacitor selection which is a carbon copy of the Thermaltake unit: a Matsushita 85°C on the primary and Nippon Chemi-Con 105°C units on the secondary.
