Ultra V-Series 500W Power Supply

The Ultra V-Series 500W PSU comes from Ultra Products, and most do-it-yourself computer builders will be familiar with the Ultra brand name due to their success in the power supply and memory markets. At the high-end of their line of power supplies, you ll find the X-Connect and X-Finity models. These high-end PSU s feature modular power connectors, dual-rails, Active PFC (power force correction) and FlexForce cables.

On the opposite side of the coin, you ll find the budget-friendly V-Series line. The V-Series is a much more traditional PSU that meets the needs of basic computing without the added features (and also without the added cost) of high-end PSU s. This V-Series line is designed for those who want a no-nonsense power supply that provides solid performance at a reasonable cost.

Look and Feel

The V-Series has a basic, low profile appearance that gives it a utilitarian look. The PSU has a black, matted finish and is housed in a standard ATX form factor casing. As you can see from the pictures, if you want to maximize airflow within your case you will need to spend the time to sleeve the cabling yourself. Cooling for the PSU is provided by a single 120mm fan that is marketed as a  low-noise fan by Ultra. Included in the box is the following:

• Ultra V-Series 500W PSU
• Power supply cable
• Installation screws
• User manual and registration card
  

Features

• Supports AMD and Intel Motherboards
• Low Acoustic Noise
• Meets ATX Version 2.03 and ATX 12V Version 1.2 Specifications
• Short Circuit Protection
• In-Rush Current Protection
• Thermal Overload Cutoff Protection
• MTBF > 100,000 Hours at Full Load
• FCC and UL Recognized
• Total Output Power:
  500W (Full Load, Nominal Input Voltage)
• Efficiency: 70% Typical at Full Load and Nominal Input Voltage

Connections

• 1 - 20/24 Pin Motherboard Connector
• 1 - 4 Pin +12V Motherboard Connectors
• 8 - 4 Pin Molex Connectors
• 2 - 4 Pin Floppy Power Connectors
• 1 - PCI Express Connector
• 2 - SATA Connectors

Note that with only one PCI Express connector this PSU is not able to support dual video cards in either SLI or Crossfire configuration.

Ultra V-Series - New in box	Ultra V-Series - Box contents	Ultra V-Series Fan

Installation

Out of the box, the V-Series provides little to differentiate itself from other budget-priced PSU s. On the plus side, all of the connections were wrapped nicely with either cable ties or rubber bands. This made installation easy since I was able to untie or unwrap each cable as I needed it. Once I got everything connected, there were plenty of extra MOLEX connectors available. It s nice to see that the low price of the V-Series does not mean that Ultra skimped on the number of power connectors. Aside from not being able to remove my old power supply completely from the case due to its size, I had no issues during the install.