A Closer Look
The Spire SP-500W power supply is designed to comply with Intel BTX 1.0a & ATX12V v2.03 specifications and is rated for a combined output power of 500 watts (550 watts maximum). In addition to the big, shinny power supply the large box also includes a power cord, mounting screws, package of colorful cable ties, six modular cables, and a printed Manual.
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The SP-500W power supply uses passive Power Factor Correction (PFC) and the incoming line voltage must be manually set with a small switch on the back panel. The following table lists the specifications for the Spire SP-500W Rocketeer V power supply.
Notice that the Spire SP-500W does not have two or more +12V outputs, which is required by the newer ATX12V v2.2 specification. However, the single +12V output is rated for 29A (348 watts), which should be adequate for all but the most power hungry SLI setups.
The SP-500W Rocketeer V enclosure is coated with a Titanium-look mirror finish and uses two cooling fans — (1) 80mm on the back and (1) 120mm on the bottom. Both fans incorporate blue LED lights. The rear 80mm fan runs at a constant low speed all the time while the 120mm fan speed is controlled by the power supply’s internal temperature, which is a function of the ambient temperature (internal PC case) and the load.
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The main power and +12V power cables that supply the motherboard are hard wired into the power supply (which is my preference). There are eight 6-pin connectors on the front panel that allow connecting the various peripheral power cables of your choice. Latching connectors are used to insure cables don’t come undone over time.
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