Power Supply

The power supply included with the Cavalier 2 case is a proprietary Macron 300-watt PS2 switching power supply (MPT-301).  It is narrower than a standard ATX unit, which means it cannot be easily replaced with a different power supply of your choice.

 

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I evaluated the Macron 300 power supply on both features and performance.  A full range of equipment was used to test the power supply under controlled load conditions (263 watt).  In addition to measuring the power going in and coming out I looked at voltage regulation, electrical noise (AC ripple), airflow, sound level, efficiency and cost.

 

The Macron 300 PSU comes with a full compliment of drive connectors.  The wiring harnesses all measure approximately 15′ long to the first connector and the main 20-pin ATX connector cable is covered with black plastic mesh sleeving.

 

·         (1) ATX Main motherboard connector (20 pins)

·         (1) 12V Power connector — Pentium 4 (4 pins)

·         (4) Peripheral HDD connectors (4 pins)

·         (2) Peripheral FDD connector (4 pins)

·         (2) Serial ATA power connectors (15 pins)

 

Overall the power supply tested well with good rail voltages and excellent line regulation.  The efficiency was average and the power factor was rather low.

 

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The unit was quiet, even when operating under a moderately heavy load.  The power supply did produce quite a bit of heat, with the exhaust air temperature measuring 49°C with an internal case temperature of 25°C.  While certainly not the most environmentally friendly (no Power Factor Correction), the unit was quiet and seems to get the job done.
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