W1zzard
10-05-2007, 06:13 PM
[PAGE=Introduction & Packaging]
Introduction
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/logo.jpg
I would like to thank GIGABYTE (http://www.gigabyte.com.tw) for kindly providing the PSU sample.
The GIGABYTE Odin GT is a very special power supply. It allows you to connect the PSU to your PC via USB for control of many features. You can control the output voltage for example or adjust the fan speeds manually. It is also possible to monitor the power draw, current or a number of voltages.
Specifications from manufacturer
Software control PSU, for maximum performance
Active PFC, high efficiency power circuit design, 80+
4-rail 12V+ design, capable to supply higher power output
Over-voltage, over-current, under-voltage and short – circuit protection
14cm cooling fan, low noise silent design with fan curve control
Best reliability Japan made capacitors
Environment friendly, RoHS &WEEE regulations
Smart Cable Management for best air flow
Adjustable alarm setting for system health
Packaging
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/package1_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/package1.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/package2_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/package2.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/package3_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/package3.jpg)
Nice slogan! The rest of the package lists all the important features, a screenshots of the P-Tuner application is included as well. However, if this unit was on a crowded shop shelf I would have never guessed that its special feature is software control over many aspects of the PSU. Some bigger text would have helped.
Box contents:
Power supply unit
Bag with cables
Instruction Manual, Two Screw Packages
Temperature sensors + cables
PCI Slot Bracket
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/contents_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/contents.jpg)
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/slotbracket_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/slotbracket.jpg)
Usually you connect the power supply directly to an internal USB header on your motherboard. Should you not have such a header, or you already used all of them, you can use this bracket and its cable to cleanly route the PSU's interface cable to the outside of the case to plug it into a USB connector.
<table class="resulttable" border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="5">
<tr>
<th rowspan="2">Connectors</th>
<th align="center">Main Power</th>
<th align="center">5.25"</th>
<th align="center">Floppy</th>
<th align="center">4 Pin CPU</th>
<th align="center">SerialATA</th>
<th align="center">PCI-E Aux Power</th>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center">ATX 20+4 Pin</td>
<td align="center">5</td>
<td align="center">1</td>
<td align="center">3</td>
<td align="center">6</td>
<td align="center">4x6+2</td>
</tr>
</table>
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/cablelength.gif
[page=The PSU]
The PSU
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/psu1_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/psu1.jpg)
At first glance GIGABYTE's Odin GT PSU looks like any other ordinary power supply. But when taking a closer look you can see many nice details that improve the overall impression of the unit.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/psu2_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/psu2.jpg)
The red switch on the back is lighted when turned on. A 110V/220V selector is not here - the PSU automatically detects the supply voltage.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/psu3_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/psu3.jpg)
On one of the sides you have a very open honeycomb pattern which should help for airflow. Unfortunately a sheet of transparent plastic is right behind the holes, so this helps only make the PSU look more pretty. So does the embossed "GIGABYTE power supply" label.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/psu4_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/psu4.jpg)
GIGABYTE has chosen to fix the most important cables which you will almost always use. This helps to avoid some of the problems of modularity, like voltage drops on the important connectors but still lets you minimize the number of cables used to keep your case inside clean.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/foil_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/foil.jpg)
The GIGABYTE Odin logo is protected by a thin plastic film which can be peeled off.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/atx1_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/atx1.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/atx2_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/atx2.jpg)
I have never seen a motherboard power connector like the one on the Odin GT. It seems to be much more durable and is much easier to plug in and remove. Its only drawback is that the extra four pins can not be unclipped or somehow else moved out of the way. This could become a space issue on some really old motherboards - which you shouldn't have anyway if you are buying this PSU.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/12v_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/12v.jpg)
GIGABYTE has put the 8-pin EPS and the 4-pin connector on the same cable. This allows easy selection of the right connector for your needs.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/pcie_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/pcie.jpg)
The PCI-E power cables support the new 8-pin standard. If you look closely at the extra two-pin connector you can see two small pins which help align the connector with the bigger one. You can't clip them together though.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/sensors_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/sensors.jpg)
You can attach external temperature sensors to the Odin GT. These can be placed anywhere you like, for example on a HDD or to measure ambient case temperature. Those temperatures are then available within GIGABYTE's Software.
[pagE=PSU Inside & Test Equipment]
PSU Inside
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/warranty_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/warranty.jpg)
This sticker covers one of the screws that needs to be removed to open the PSU. If you break it you lose your warranty.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/inside1_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/inside1.jpg)
A second sticker covers another screw - it took me quite a while to find this one.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/inside2_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/inside2.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/inside3_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/inside3.jpg)
I must say that the GIGABYTE Odin GT is by far the most difficult PSU to disassemble. First two screws are hidden and then you have to figure out that the PSU opens by sliding both sides apart from each other. For a short time I was worried that this would be a W1zzard-proof PSU.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/inside4_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/inside4.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/inside5_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/inside5.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/inside6_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/inside6.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/inside7_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/inside7.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/inside8_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/inside8.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/inside9_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/inside9.jpg)
When taking a look at the inside you quickly realize that this is not a cheap rebranded OEM power supply. Everything seems to be well organized, the heatsinks have even been copper colored for a nice look.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/fan_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/fan.jpg)
Test Equipment
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/setup.jpg
The PSU is connected to an APC SmartUPS which supplies clean 220V input.
AC current is measured using a Peaktech 4010 desktop RS232 multimeter with 0.02A accuracy.
To measure DC output voltages of the PSU we use a Keithley 2700 6.5 digit data acquisition system. All three input voltages are measured at the same time using a solid state switching system.
Power Factor is measured using a generic Power Efficiency Meter.
Measurements for Ripple Voltage were obtained using a 100 MHz Tektronix TDS224 Digital Storage Oscilloscope.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/noisetest_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/noisetest.jpg)
Fan noise measurements are performed with an IEC Type 2 Sound level meter and this setup.
It consists of three high-power resistors and a Socket A motherboard. The motherboard creates a small load which makes sure the PSU turns on (some PSUs require a minimum load). Since there is no hardware installed in the motherboard, its power draw is negligible. The three resistors create a static load of 320W (120W @ 12V + 50W @ 5V + 150W @ 12V) - a typical high-performance system. This setup is also used to determine the power conversion efficiency of the PSU.
[page=P-Tuner Software]
Gigabyte P-Tuner
GIGABYTE's software to control the power supply is called P-Tuner. We tested version 0.2 Beta from the GIGABYTE website. If you search for it, look under "Thermal" - that's where their PSU products are listed.
When you connect the USB cable to your PC, Windows will detect a HID (Human Interface Device), to complete installation you will need to install the 35 MB software. Please note that the PSU implements a dual EEPROM to store its settings. This means that once you have set your parameters you can use the PSU on any other PC with those settings or uninstall the GIGABYTE software.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/alarms.jpg
The main window shows all important monitoring information at a glance. From top to bottom you can see: current power draw (Watts), peak power draw, voltages, current (Amps), peak current, PSU fan speed and System Fan speed if you have a fan connected to the fan output of the PSU. Also visible are the PSU internal temperature and up to four readings from the external sensors you can connect.
On the screenshot above you can also see red alerts at Total Wattage and +12V1 Current. These can be set to go off at a limit you choose.
On the bottom of the window you have three buttons that take you to the screens "Main", "Configure", "Alarms". While the sensor readings are generally correct they are certainly not lab grade accuracy. Especially the current/wattage readings are of lesser accuracy.
Configuration Screen
In the configuration section you can control fan speeds and voltage output.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/pfan.jpg
The fan speed can be adjusted nicely to fit your usage profile. You can click in the graph to select minimum voltage and at which temperature the fan speed starts ramping up. Please note that you can't set very complex curves. The red line starts at a voltage you can select between 4V and 12V, then goes horizontally to a temperature between 25°C and 75°C. At this point it will go up to hit the point 12V / 75°C.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/outputs.jpg
A very nice feature is that you can adjust the voltage output level yourself. The available range is somewhat limited though to be good enough for real hardcore overclockers. Also you should know that none of the readings in GIGABYTE P-Tuner are 100% correct. With the voltage output settings I saw discrepancies of up to 0.3V. Changing one output also affects the voltage of another output. Still, this is a nice feature, great for control freaks.
Alarms Screen
On the Alarms page you can define when an alarm will be triggered. As far as I found out this will only make a button in the P-Tuner Monitoring Section blink red. There will be no audible or visual alarm outside of the application (or I couldn't find how to enable it).
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/alarm1.jpg http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/alarm2.jpg http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/current.jpg http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/voltage.jpg
[page=Performance]
Performance
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/sticker_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/sticker.jpg)
<table class="resulttable" border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="5">
<tr>
<th colspan="10">Gigabyte Odin GT 800W GE-S800A-D1 </th>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>AC Input</th>
<td colspan="9">100V-240V, 10A, 47-63 Hz</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>DC Voltage</th>
<td align="center">+3.3V</td>
<td align="center">+5V</td>
<td align="center">+12V1</td>
<td align="center">+12V2</td>
<td align="center">+12V3</td>
<td align="center">+12V4</td>
<td align="center">+5VSB</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th rowspan="3">Max. Output </th>
<td align="center">30A</td>
<td align="center">28A</td>
<td align="center">18A</td>
<td align="center">18A</td>
<td align="center">18A</td>
<td align="center">18A</td>
<td align="center">3.0A</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2" align="center">180W</td>
<td colspan="4" align="center">744W</td>
<td align="center">15W</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="7" align="center">800W</td>
</tr>
</table>
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/psugraph.gif
Tested on: AMD Athlon64 FX-62 @ 2800 MHz, ABIT AT8, 2x 512 MB DDR400, WD Raptor 36 GB, Radeon X1900 XTX + Radeon X1900 XTX Crossfire
Both 5V and 12V show great stability, the 3.3V line seems to be a bit low and does fluctuate a bit but this is no problem at all, since you can adjust the output voltage in the P-Tuner software. These tests were ran with voltage outputs set to 12.00V, 5.00V, and 3.30V.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/ripple.jpg
The ripple voltage was measured on the 12V line at idle. With an amplitude of 13 mV it's very good.
<table class="resulttable" border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="5">
<tr>
<th>Standard deviation 12V</th>
<td align="right">5.25</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>Standard deviation 5V</th>
<td align="right">4.97</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>Standard deviation 3.3V</th>
<td align="right">7.44</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>Power Factor</th>
<td align="right">0.99</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>Ripple Voltage 12V</th>
<td align="right">13.2 mV</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>Power Efficiency @ 320 W</th>
<td align="right">84% (320W:380W)</td>
</tr>
</table>
Standard deviation is a statistical term, which tells how far away from the average the measurements are. In other words it's the average of the average.
A large standard deviation indicates that the data points are far from the average and a small standard deviation indicates that they are close within the average.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/efficiency.gif
GIGABYTE did a great job engineering this PSU to be as efficient as possible. With over 84% it can claim the number one spot of our test group.
[PAGE=Fan Noise]
Fan Noise
For easier comparison of PSU fan noise results we have seperated our test results into three groups with a chart each:
Up to 500W: Typical PSU ideal for a single video card system.
500W to 750W: Plenty of power available for most single and dual video card machines.
Over 750W: For the most hardcore, power hungry and overclocked setups.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/fannoise_500.gif http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/fannoise_750.gif http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/fannoise_1000.gif
We tested the GIGABYTE Odin GT with the fan set to the "Silent" profile which uses the minimum fan voltage of 4V for most of the time. Unfortunately even then the noise levels were higher than expected. Let's all hope GIGABYTE can add lower voltages to their P-Tuner software in the future to let you configure this PSU to be even quieter.
[page= Value & Conclusion]
Value and Conclusion
<table width="100%" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" id="result">
<tr><th>http://www.techpowerup.com/images/dollar.gif</th>
<td>
GIGABYTE is selling the Odin GT for $199, a very fair price if you consider all the engineering that went into designing this unit.</td>
</tr><tr>
<th>http://www.techpowerup.com/images/thumbup.gif</th>
<td>
Great software control features
High efficiency
Quad PCI-E power
Modular
8-Pin connectors for new VGA cards
Cables sleeved
Additional sensors and fan output included
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>http://www.techpowerup.com/images/thumbdown.gif</th>
<td>
Not very quiet
Can be controlled only with GIGABYTE proprietary software
</td></tr>
<tr><th>9.4</th>
<td>GIGABYTE has once again proven that they can create innovative products with unique features. The GIGABYTE Odin GT Series products are the only PSUs on the market today that offer software control over many features and monitoring. Even version 0.2 Beta of the P-Control software can show the potential of this. You can customize the output voltage or adjust the fan speeds to your needs. While this is certainly a great feature for control freaks it may be less useful for people who just want a working PSU without all the added bells and whistles. A useful feature for everyone is modularity. You can plug in only the cables you need to keep your case insides clean.<br />
In our testing the Odin GT could impress with good voltage stability and excellent efficiency. Only the fan noise was a bit loud, especially when you take into consideration that the fan speed can be adjusted by software, but not enough to make this a very quiet PSU.</td></tr>
<tr><th></th><td>http://www.techpowerup.com/images/editorschoice.gif</td></tr>
</table>
Introduction
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/logo.jpg
I would like to thank GIGABYTE (http://www.gigabyte.com.tw) for kindly providing the PSU sample.
The GIGABYTE Odin GT is a very special power supply. It allows you to connect the PSU to your PC via USB for control of many features. You can control the output voltage for example or adjust the fan speeds manually. It is also possible to monitor the power draw, current or a number of voltages.
Specifications from manufacturer
Software control PSU, for maximum performance
Active PFC, high efficiency power circuit design, 80+
4-rail 12V+ design, capable to supply higher power output
Over-voltage, over-current, under-voltage and short – circuit protection
14cm cooling fan, low noise silent design with fan curve control
Best reliability Japan made capacitors
Environment friendly, RoHS &WEEE regulations
Smart Cable Management for best air flow
Adjustable alarm setting for system health
Packaging
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/package1_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/package1.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/package2_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/package2.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/package3_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/package3.jpg)
Nice slogan! The rest of the package lists all the important features, a screenshots of the P-Tuner application is included as well. However, if this unit was on a crowded shop shelf I would have never guessed that its special feature is software control over many aspects of the PSU. Some bigger text would have helped.
Box contents:
Power supply unit
Bag with cables
Instruction Manual, Two Screw Packages
Temperature sensors + cables
PCI Slot Bracket
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/contents_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/contents.jpg)
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/slotbracket_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/slotbracket.jpg)
Usually you connect the power supply directly to an internal USB header on your motherboard. Should you not have such a header, or you already used all of them, you can use this bracket and its cable to cleanly route the PSU's interface cable to the outside of the case to plug it into a USB connector.
<table class="resulttable" border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="5">
<tr>
<th rowspan="2">Connectors</th>
<th align="center">Main Power</th>
<th align="center">5.25"</th>
<th align="center">Floppy</th>
<th align="center">4 Pin CPU</th>
<th align="center">SerialATA</th>
<th align="center">PCI-E Aux Power</th>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center">ATX 20+4 Pin</td>
<td align="center">5</td>
<td align="center">1</td>
<td align="center">3</td>
<td align="center">6</td>
<td align="center">4x6+2</td>
</tr>
</table>
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/cablelength.gif
[page=The PSU]
The PSU
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/psu1_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/psu1.jpg)
At first glance GIGABYTE's Odin GT PSU looks like any other ordinary power supply. But when taking a closer look you can see many nice details that improve the overall impression of the unit.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/psu2_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/psu2.jpg)
The red switch on the back is lighted when turned on. A 110V/220V selector is not here - the PSU automatically detects the supply voltage.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/psu3_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/psu3.jpg)
On one of the sides you have a very open honeycomb pattern which should help for airflow. Unfortunately a sheet of transparent plastic is right behind the holes, so this helps only make the PSU look more pretty. So does the embossed "GIGABYTE power supply" label.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/psu4_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/psu4.jpg)
GIGABYTE has chosen to fix the most important cables which you will almost always use. This helps to avoid some of the problems of modularity, like voltage drops on the important connectors but still lets you minimize the number of cables used to keep your case inside clean.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/foil_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/foil.jpg)
The GIGABYTE Odin logo is protected by a thin plastic film which can be peeled off.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/atx1_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/atx1.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/atx2_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/atx2.jpg)
I have never seen a motherboard power connector like the one on the Odin GT. It seems to be much more durable and is much easier to plug in and remove. Its only drawback is that the extra four pins can not be unclipped or somehow else moved out of the way. This could become a space issue on some really old motherboards - which you shouldn't have anyway if you are buying this PSU.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/12v_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/12v.jpg)
GIGABYTE has put the 8-pin EPS and the 4-pin connector on the same cable. This allows easy selection of the right connector for your needs.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/pcie_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/pcie.jpg)
The PCI-E power cables support the new 8-pin standard. If you look closely at the extra two-pin connector you can see two small pins which help align the connector with the bigger one. You can't clip them together though.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/sensors_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/sensors.jpg)
You can attach external temperature sensors to the Odin GT. These can be placed anywhere you like, for example on a HDD or to measure ambient case temperature. Those temperatures are then available within GIGABYTE's Software.
[pagE=PSU Inside & Test Equipment]
PSU Inside
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/warranty_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/warranty.jpg)
This sticker covers one of the screws that needs to be removed to open the PSU. If you break it you lose your warranty.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/inside1_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/inside1.jpg)
A second sticker covers another screw - it took me quite a while to find this one.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/inside2_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/inside2.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/inside3_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/inside3.jpg)
I must say that the GIGABYTE Odin GT is by far the most difficult PSU to disassemble. First two screws are hidden and then you have to figure out that the PSU opens by sliding both sides apart from each other. For a short time I was worried that this would be a W1zzard-proof PSU.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/inside4_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/inside4.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/inside5_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/inside5.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/inside6_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/inside6.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/inside7_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/inside7.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/inside8_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/inside8.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/inside9_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/inside9.jpg)
When taking a look at the inside you quickly realize that this is not a cheap rebranded OEM power supply. Everything seems to be well organized, the heatsinks have even been copper colored for a nice look.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/fan_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/fan.jpg)
Test Equipment
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/setup.jpg
The PSU is connected to an APC SmartUPS which supplies clean 220V input.
AC current is measured using a Peaktech 4010 desktop RS232 multimeter with 0.02A accuracy.
To measure DC output voltages of the PSU we use a Keithley 2700 6.5 digit data acquisition system. All three input voltages are measured at the same time using a solid state switching system.
Power Factor is measured using a generic Power Efficiency Meter.
Measurements for Ripple Voltage were obtained using a 100 MHz Tektronix TDS224 Digital Storage Oscilloscope.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/noisetest_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/noisetest.jpg)
Fan noise measurements are performed with an IEC Type 2 Sound level meter and this setup.
It consists of three high-power resistors and a Socket A motherboard. The motherboard creates a small load which makes sure the PSU turns on (some PSUs require a minimum load). Since there is no hardware installed in the motherboard, its power draw is negligible. The three resistors create a static load of 320W (120W @ 12V + 50W @ 5V + 150W @ 12V) - a typical high-performance system. This setup is also used to determine the power conversion efficiency of the PSU.
[page=P-Tuner Software]
Gigabyte P-Tuner
GIGABYTE's software to control the power supply is called P-Tuner. We tested version 0.2 Beta from the GIGABYTE website. If you search for it, look under "Thermal" - that's where their PSU products are listed.
When you connect the USB cable to your PC, Windows will detect a HID (Human Interface Device), to complete installation you will need to install the 35 MB software. Please note that the PSU implements a dual EEPROM to store its settings. This means that once you have set your parameters you can use the PSU on any other PC with those settings or uninstall the GIGABYTE software.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/alarms.jpg
The main window shows all important monitoring information at a glance. From top to bottom you can see: current power draw (Watts), peak power draw, voltages, current (Amps), peak current, PSU fan speed and System Fan speed if you have a fan connected to the fan output of the PSU. Also visible are the PSU internal temperature and up to four readings from the external sensors you can connect.
On the screenshot above you can also see red alerts at Total Wattage and +12V1 Current. These can be set to go off at a limit you choose.
On the bottom of the window you have three buttons that take you to the screens "Main", "Configure", "Alarms". While the sensor readings are generally correct they are certainly not lab grade accuracy. Especially the current/wattage readings are of lesser accuracy.
Configuration Screen
In the configuration section you can control fan speeds and voltage output.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/pfan.jpg
The fan speed can be adjusted nicely to fit your usage profile. You can click in the graph to select minimum voltage and at which temperature the fan speed starts ramping up. Please note that you can't set very complex curves. The red line starts at a voltage you can select between 4V and 12V, then goes horizontally to a temperature between 25°C and 75°C. At this point it will go up to hit the point 12V / 75°C.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/outputs.jpg
A very nice feature is that you can adjust the voltage output level yourself. The available range is somewhat limited though to be good enough for real hardcore overclockers. Also you should know that none of the readings in GIGABYTE P-Tuner are 100% correct. With the voltage output settings I saw discrepancies of up to 0.3V. Changing one output also affects the voltage of another output. Still, this is a nice feature, great for control freaks.
Alarms Screen
On the Alarms page you can define when an alarm will be triggered. As far as I found out this will only make a button in the P-Tuner Monitoring Section blink red. There will be no audible or visual alarm outside of the application (or I couldn't find how to enable it).
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/alarm1.jpg http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/alarm2.jpg http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/current.jpg http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/voltage.jpg
[page=Performance]
Performance
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/sticker_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/sticker.jpg)
<table class="resulttable" border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="5">
<tr>
<th colspan="10">Gigabyte Odin GT 800W GE-S800A-D1 </th>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>AC Input</th>
<td colspan="9">100V-240V, 10A, 47-63 Hz</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>DC Voltage</th>
<td align="center">+3.3V</td>
<td align="center">+5V</td>
<td align="center">+12V1</td>
<td align="center">+12V2</td>
<td align="center">+12V3</td>
<td align="center">+12V4</td>
<td align="center">+5VSB</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th rowspan="3">Max. Output </th>
<td align="center">30A</td>
<td align="center">28A</td>
<td align="center">18A</td>
<td align="center">18A</td>
<td align="center">18A</td>
<td align="center">18A</td>
<td align="center">3.0A</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2" align="center">180W</td>
<td colspan="4" align="center">744W</td>
<td align="center">15W</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="7" align="center">800W</td>
</tr>
</table>
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/psugraph.gif
Tested on: AMD Athlon64 FX-62 @ 2800 MHz, ABIT AT8, 2x 512 MB DDR400, WD Raptor 36 GB, Radeon X1900 XTX + Radeon X1900 XTX Crossfire
Both 5V and 12V show great stability, the 3.3V line seems to be a bit low and does fluctuate a bit but this is no problem at all, since you can adjust the output voltage in the P-Tuner software. These tests were ran with voltage outputs set to 12.00V, 5.00V, and 3.30V.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/ripple.jpg
The ripple voltage was measured on the 12V line at idle. With an amplitude of 13 mV it's very good.
<table class="resulttable" border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="5">
<tr>
<th>Standard deviation 12V</th>
<td align="right">5.25</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>Standard deviation 5V</th>
<td align="right">4.97</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>Standard deviation 3.3V</th>
<td align="right">7.44</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>Power Factor</th>
<td align="right">0.99</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>Ripple Voltage 12V</th>
<td align="right">13.2 mV</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>Power Efficiency @ 320 W</th>
<td align="right">84% (320W:380W)</td>
</tr>
</table>
Standard deviation is a statistical term, which tells how far away from the average the measurements are. In other words it's the average of the average.
A large standard deviation indicates that the data points are far from the average and a small standard deviation indicates that they are close within the average.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Odin_GT_800W/images/efficiency.gif
GIGABYTE did a great job engineering this PSU to be as efficient as possible. With over 84% it can claim the number one spot of our test group.
[PAGE=Fan Noise]
Fan Noise
For easier comparison of PSU fan noise results we have seperated our test results into three groups with a chart each:
Up to 500W: Typical PSU ideal for a single video card system.
500W to 750W: Plenty of power available for most single and dual video card machines.
Over 750W: For the most hardcore, power hungry and overclocked setups.
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We tested the GIGABYTE Odin GT with the fan set to the "Silent" profile which uses the minimum fan voltage of 4V for most of the time. Unfortunately even then the noise levels were higher than expected. Let's all hope GIGABYTE can add lower voltages to their P-Tuner software in the future to let you configure this PSU to be even quieter.
[page= Value & Conclusion]
Value and Conclusion
<table width="100%" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" id="result">
<tr><th>http://www.techpowerup.com/images/dollar.gif</th>
<td>
GIGABYTE is selling the Odin GT for $199, a very fair price if you consider all the engineering that went into designing this unit.</td>
</tr><tr>
<th>http://www.techpowerup.com/images/thumbup.gif</th>
<td>
Great software control features
High efficiency
Quad PCI-E power
Modular
8-Pin connectors for new VGA cards
Cables sleeved
Additional sensors and fan output included
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>http://www.techpowerup.com/images/thumbdown.gif</th>
<td>
Not very quiet
Can be controlled only with GIGABYTE proprietary software
</td></tr>
<tr><th>9.4</th>
<td>GIGABYTE has once again proven that they can create innovative products with unique features. The GIGABYTE Odin GT Series products are the only PSUs on the market today that offer software control over many features and monitoring. Even version 0.2 Beta of the P-Control software can show the potential of this. You can customize the output voltage or adjust the fan speeds to your needs. While this is certainly a great feature for control freaks it may be less useful for people who just want a working PSU without all the added bells and whistles. A useful feature for everyone is modularity. You can plug in only the cables you need to keep your case insides clean.<br />
In our testing the Odin GT could impress with good voltage stability and excellent efficiency. Only the fan noise was a bit loud, especially when you take into consideration that the fan speed can be adjusted by software, but not enough to make this a very quiet PSU.</td></tr>
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</table>