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- Date:
- Wednesday, January 21, 2009
- Author:
- Paul Johnson
- Editor:
- Kyle Bennett
- Google +1
BFG MX Series Power Supplies - 550W & 680W
High performance, check. Low noise, check. High efficiency, check. Modular interface, check. No BS...checking into that. BFG attempts to deliver middle market wattage with high end features. This may be exactly the PSU you have been looking for.
Build Quality
As we already know the BFG MX series features a hybrid fan design. The BFG MX series has a 120mm fan (that has come to be the standard for quiet cooling due to its ability to move a larger volume of air at lower RPM than a smaller diameter fan) in addition to a front mounted 80mm fan. While the 120mm fan is great for quiet cooling environments the inclusion of a single rear 80mm fan seems to mitigate the benefits of using the larger fan design. This is the first time we have evaluated a power supply with this form factor so it will be of great interest to see how well this hybrid approach works. At the same time, the key criteria in our evaluation is whether or not the cooling solution is sufficient, not necessary it’s sound level or form factor.
External Build Quality
Externally both members of the MX family are identical. Both units come in a flat black finish that is smooth and embossed with the BFG logo on both sides just like the LS series. The top of the unit is dominated by the 120mm fan and BFG fan logo while the rear features just the AC receptacle, power switch, and a vaguely familiar looking Active PFC sticker. The front of the unit differs from the LS series as it mounts an 80mm fan and the modular interface. On this new modular interface the pair of green connections we see here are for the PCI-Express cables while the rest are for the additional modular Molex and SATA connectors.
The MX series is ~7 inches long and the cables reach out to ~21 inches at the first or only connector with the sleeving being complete and well done on all of cables.
Internal Build Quality
Once we open the two current members of the MX series we immediately notice that like the LS series we are looking at the same power supply for both. The only difference between the two is the OCP settings that dictate the power output levels, and the main transformers which like the LS 550w and LS 680w carry the very “Topower-ish” looking part numbers TRF35004-1 and TRF39004-1. As such we will only go through one unit from here on out to simplify things. Like the previous LS series the MX series features a Forepoint designed and built group regulated power supply with a large overhead sleeve bearing fan. However some things break from the LS series such as the overhead fan is a Globe Fan rated at 0.30A at 12v, there is a second 80mm (this will be discussed below), and a new add-in PCB. Otherwise, we see the same heatsink design, and PCB in both units.
On the primary side here we see that heatsinks are fingered and bent over like on the LS series and continue to obscure a good bit of the view. However, like previous PSUs both of these units feature a Matsushita primary capacitor rated at 470uF 400v 85c. Also like on previous BFG/Forepoint units, the bridge rectifier is secured to a heatsink in the tunnel formed by the two heatsinks on the primary side while the PFC coil and power components are situated inside tunnel.
On the secondary side we something slightly different from the LS series as there is an add-in PCB secured to the secondary heatsink where the LS series only had holes tapped for the addition of such a piece, and there is an 80mm fan along with the modular interface. The add-in PCB houses various protection circuitry while the main fan still connects to the main PCB, however the 80mm helper fan is connected to this PCB that is on the secondary heatsink. This 80mm sleeve bearing Globe Fan rated at 0.13A at 12v though is not supposed to come on until the temperature sensor on the add in PCB reaches 50c. This means the majority of users will never even see this fan moving. The modular interface on this unit is small as there still are a number of fixed cables (which are all well bundled, routed and sleeved into the housing) and the modular interface is obviously hand solder (and decently well done) but not the best construction to date (and by no means the worst). Lastly, the secondary capacitors on these units are all JunFu's once more. While certainly not a premier brand, the last time we saw a Forepoint unit with this secondary design and JunFu capacitors it filtered better than anything we have ever seen. So while lacking in reputation, the JunFu selection last time delivered in their main role of filtering in a big BIG way.
Build Quality Summary
Overall the Build Quality of the BFG MX Series is very good and then odd at the same time. This dichotomy has a lot to do with what we saw in the LS series, but given the numerous changes in these units in order to make them modular a number of other points have been changed as well. Externally both units are identical and feature a nice flat black finish that is durable. The modular connectors on the units are color coded for the PCI-Express connections while the fixed cables are all well and completely sleeved. Internally, both members of the MX series are virtually identical and have excellent primary capacitors from Matsushita as was the case with the LS series of power supplies. However, these units vary significantly from the LS units in they have added the modular interface which is middle-of-the road in quality from what we have seen, and they add a second helper fan that is connected to an add-in PCB on the secondary heatsink. The remaining capacitors in these units are once more provided by JunFu, who is certainly not going to be what anyone who remembers the whole bad capacitor fiasco would call a high-end selection. However, and this is a BIG however, the last time we saw these Forepoint designs the secondary filtering (the main job of those capacitors) was the absolute best we have ever seen. So reputation be damned, they did their job last time and they did it well. Moving on, let's see how these modular MX's do in our load testing.