Club Overclocker - The Original Overclocker's Club!

I installed the UCP-700 into my Intel build using an Asus P5E3 Deluxe WiFi-AP @n Edition Motherboard based on the X38 chipset. The build includes an Intel Q6600, a VisionTek 3870 X2 Overclocked Edition video card in Crossfire mode and a 4 GB kit of OCZ Intel Extreme Edition PC3-12800 in the 1600 XMP configuration. Storage was provided by both 250 GB and 750 GB Seagate SATA II drives and a Plextor 16x DVD burner all mounted in the AeroCool AE Plus case.

Hardware	Model
Operating System:	MS Windows Vista Ultimate (64-bit)
Motherboard:	Asus P5E3 Deluxe WiFi-AP @n Edition
CPU	Intel Q6600
Memory	2x 2 GB kit of OCZ PC3-12800 Intel Extreme Edition
Graphics	VisionTek 3870 X2 Overclocked Edition
Power Supply	Cooler Master UCP-700
Drives	250 and 750 GB Seagate SATA II, 16X Plextor PX755SA DVD Burner

Although not the most cutting edge build, the extra drives and the power hungry 3870 X2 keep this case pulling around 200 Watts even at idle.

Here you can see the finished install. I tucked the extra long cables into the open drive bays to reduce clutter but the black mesh cabling is long enough to run behind and around components with ease.

To test the UCP-700 I first let the system Idle before takings some baseline numbers using the ASUS PCProbe II and confirming with a multi-meter. With the test build featuring an Intel Q6600 processor and a Radeon 3870 X@ based video card, the build is one of the more demanding builds in use as a test bed and gaming machine around the lab. Normally I would be nervous about trusting this build to a 700 Watt power supply but the Power distribution and overall Wattage provided an extra level of confidence. Lets start with the Kill-A-Watt.

While the idle draw is not a measure of raw power it can often be a clue to the efficiency of the power supply. All things being equal, the UCP-700 draws a significantly smaller amount of power at idle. This reduced power input results in a lower power bill, and the warm fuzzy feeling you are saving the environment.

Next I captured these numbers using the latest build of ASUS PCProbe Version 1.04.29. The Idle was captured after about 4 hours of constant runtime. As you can see, the numbers are nearly spot on the spec.

Next I put the build under load by running Stress Prime 2004, better known as Orthos and Futuremark's 3DMark Vantage simultaneously in two back to back sessions before capturing these numbers. Despite the increased load, the rails barely react. Nice.

To further test the rails I fired up the system to the BIOS and rechecked the 12 Volt rails with my trusty Cen-Tech multi-tester. While the multi-meter is no oscilloscope; at idle I found no measurable change in voltage on the +12 and +5 Volt rails. I also kept the Multi-tester up during an evening session of Company of Heroes but never noticed any major variance.

Marketing the UCP-700 as the Ultimate 700 Watt power supply is a bold claim. I am happy to say the power supply was rock solid during testing with only a very slight change in voltage during stress testing. These days I tent to favor modular power supplies but for many builds the extra cost is not a good tradeoff for a modular design. The unique finish looks pretty sharp and gives the appearance of a coating more durable than the glossy paints so common in high end power supplies today. Love it or hate it, it definitely stands out in a windowed install. During testing the UCP-700 was slightly louder than our previous 1000W unit with exhaust temperatures stayed at around 95 Degrees F but never a distraction while working on the PC.

The outstanding 80 PLUS Silver rating was backed up nicely by our simple Kill-A-Watt testing. This certification coupled with a boasted peak power rating of 840 Watts makes the UCP-700 by far the best rated power supply we have tested here at the club. It is almost not fair to compare the UCP-700 to other 700 Watt power supplies on the market. With UCP units in both 900 and 1100 Watt versions it is easy to find a Cooler Master UCP power supply to match your build. I found the UCP-700 to be more than capable of running performance builds I would have never felt comfortable using another 700 Watt unit in before. Here's hoping Cooler Masters engineers are hard at work on the modular design now.