Power Supply Fractal Design’s Ion SFX 650W Gold – A SFX-L Value Proposition

[confusis]

Fractal Design, no stranger to the SFX(-L) market (including a 450w Integra SFX unit with their Node 202 chassis), has decided to dive a little deeper into our world. Today, Fractal Design launches the new Ion SFX-L range with a pair of units hitting shelves at 500W and 650W spec levels. We have the 650W unit on the test bench today – let’s put it to the test!
Table of ContentsThe Ion SFX Gold Range – Specs and PricingThe UnboxingThe Ion SFX 650GThe TeardownThe TestingThe ResultsThe ConclusionProsConsNiggles

A disclaimer first before we get started: SFF Network does not possess the expertise or equipment to fully test the electrical performance of PC power supplies, and as such, this article should not serve as the sole...

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[ignsvn]

Nice review, @confusis. Great to see you writing again!

 

[Poblopuablo]

Unfortunately they call it sfx, when it's actually sfx-L

 

[NOKYARD]

Those single use fabric bags are very useful. I have two from EVGA which are now attached to my mic tripod boom stand as handy pouches for my Xbox controller and Sennheiser headphones.

 

[confusis]

@NOKYARD Great point!

 

[riba2233]

@NOKYARD Great point!

Hi, sorry to write this here, but have you maybe seen my private message? Regarding the user banner. Thanks!

 

[confusis]

@riba2233 I'll get @PlayfulPhoenix on to it

 

[Valantar]

Great review, and as @ignsvn said, great to see you writing again @confusis! Hope you're doing better.

Perhaps a small thing, but I love the attention paid to packaging and protection - after all the PSU will be in use for years, but the box and everything else in it is likely to be discarded, so making it easily recyclable is a very good thing.

All in all, this does look like a compelling option, particularly with those soft and bendable cables and the low noise. Fanless operation up to 300W is really, really good (even if that is ultimately dependent on case temps). And those prices are very good too - hope they are reasonable once these become avaiable here in Norway. That 650W would be a nice replacement for my huge EVGA G2.

 

[confusis]

@Valantar , @ignsvn Thanks

At the moment, I'm long term testing this power supply, replacing the oversized ATX Silverstone 700W Gold (first gen) that I was running in my desktop. So far, so good, and quieter than the ATX unit! It's a shame the InWin 301 isn't in this layout but with SFX for more smaller

 

[ignsvn]

This is an SFX-L unit, no? If yes may I suggest to put the "L" (as in SFX-L) in the title?

As you know dimension is an important factor for us SFF nation. The more obvious the better

 

[confusis]

The title is as per the branding, alas. https://www.fractal-design.com/products/power-supplies/ion/ion-sfx-650w-gold/black/

I've adjusted it appropriately, though.

 

[pacc]

All in all, this does look like a compelling option, particularly with those soft and bendable cables and the low noise. Fanless operation up to 300W is really, really good (even if that is ultimately dependent on case temps).

Toms hardware has tested both and the cardboard ad's show about 325W passive for the 650W model and about 250W passive operation for the 500W model for 25 degrees ambient.
(who can even read the back of the box in these internet shopping days)

Their actual testing at 37-47 degrees/C showed that the fan was off until only 50W for the 650W model and off to 100W for the 500W model,
then the fan was at silent mode/ 1000rpm until it gradually ramped up from about 250W-300W, both units then followed about the same curve meaning the 650W were at max rpm from 500W onwards.

Fractal Design Ion SFX Gold 500W Power Supply Review

The Ion SFX 500G achieves top performance in all major areas and has a fair price tag.

www.tomshardware.com

Fractal Design Ion SFX Gold 650W Power Supply Review

Great performance, highly modular.

www.tomshardware.com

With a cooler air source you might get the results promised by the box.
I ordered a 500W unit and probably expect the fan to run since I feed it inside the case, which might not be so bad if it is hot in there...
The future will show if I kept my budget wisely or cheaped out, but then again if I'm getting into SFF I might not want 650 watts components in my case anyway.