As one of the best-known companies in the high-end PC peripherals business, SilverStone needs little introduction. The company has made a name for itself with its variety of boutique products, especially off-beat and compact designs. And, even though the company has diversified over time into several other segments of the market, their unique cases and assorted power supply units (PSUs) remains their most defining product lines to this day.

It's a field that SilverStone has become so entrenched in that although other companies produce compact PCs and related peripherals as well, none of them are really trying to be SilverStone's peer. As a result, SilverStone is one of the very few companies with a true variety of small form factor power and cooling solutions, rather than just a token device or two. Even with relatively standard, ATX-compliant equipment, SilverStone’s power products tend to have great power-per-volume ratios.

For today’s review, we are taking a look at the FX500, a very different PSU than the typical ATX fare that we typically cover. SilverStone’s FX500 is a Flex-ATX format PSU, with the tiny physical proportions that entails, and yet can output up to 500 Watts while meeting 80Plus Gold efficiency standard. Few OEMs – let alone retail companies – bother to develop advanced PSU platforms that are smaller than the full ATX format, making compact PSUs an underserved market. All told, we have seen a few high-end SFX units in the past couple of years, but nothing smaller or even different than that. This makes the the Flex-ATX FX500 a very rare product, as one of the only high-power Flex-ATX PSUs on the market.

Power specifications ( Rated @ 40 °C )
AC INPUT 100 - 240 VAC, 50 - 60 Hz
RAIL +3.3V +5V +12V +5Vsb -12V
MAX OUTPUT 14A 17A 41.67A 2.5A 0.3A
90W 500W 12.5W 3.6W
TOTAL 500W
 

Packaging and Bundle

SilverStone supplies the FX500 PSU in a simple cardboard box that is half the size of boxes designed for ATX products. The artwork on the box is simplistic, with a plain blue/white color theme and a picture of the PSU itself on the front side of the box. Inside the box, the PSU is merely wrapped in a bubble bag, with SilverStone betting that its small proportions and low weight are enough to prevent damage during transport.

Inside the box, we found only the basics that come with any retail PC PSU. Altogether, the PSU comes with four mounting screws, an AC power cable, and basic instructional leaflets. There are no cable straps, cable ties, or other accessories of any kind.

SilverStone FX500
Connector type Hardwired Modular
ATX 24 Pin 1 -
EPS 4+4 Pin 1 -
EPS 8 Pin - -
PCI-E 6+2 Pin 2 -
PCI-E 8 Pin - -
SATA 4 -
Molex 3 -
Floppy 1 -

The SilverStone FX500 Flex-ATX 500W PSU

External Appearance

A mere glance on the FX500 once unpacked is enough to leave most experts wondering how a designer managed to fit a platform with 80Plus Gold efficiency at 500 Watts inside such a small chassis. The body of the FX500 is merely 81.5mm/3.21" (W) × 40.5mm/1.59" (H) × 150mm/5.91" (D), occupying barely a quarter of the volume of a typical ATX PSU. Even its own cables take up more space than the body of the PSU itself.

 

The sticker with the unit’s electrical certifications and specifications covers most of the top surface, with intake airflow vents on the rest. Despite the very limited design options, SilverStone’s engineers did try their best to make this PSU aesthetically appealing. As a result, the FX500 has an all-black chassis, cables, and connectors. The cables are of “flat” type, without external sleeving, in an effort to minimize their volume as well.

SilverStone’s engineers managed to fit a switch next to the AC receptacle at the rear side of PSU. Concerning the tiny proportions of the unit, even the presence of a switch must have been a design challenge. The tiny 40 mm cooling fan of the PSU covers the rest of the rear side’s surface and is supplied by YS Tech, whose products we frequently encounter into middling-to-premium range PSU products.

Internal Design

The OEM behind the platform of the FX500 is Channel-Well Tech (CWT), a company that developed and marketed several Flex-ATX platforms for 1U systems in the past. Yet none of those were as powerful as this variant. The textbook filtering stage is crammed and shielded right behind the AC receptacle, which comes as no surprise due to the lack of space.

 

There is only one significantly-sized heatsink inside the PSU, which is used to cool the two transistors that form a typical half-bridge primary inversion stage. The primary APFC capacitor is a 400V/220μF electrolytic capacitor made by Nippon Chemi-Con and is supported by a very sizable coil that takes almost as much volume as the main transformer of the PSU does.

The secondary side conversion stage is also simplistic, with just a couple of MOSFETs generating a single 12V line. The rest of the voltage lines are being generated by DC to DC converters that are mounted on secondary boards. Nearly all of the secondary capacitors are solid-state polymer products and are supplied by APAQ, a Taiwanese manufacturer. The cables are soldered directly near the edges of the main PCB. The PSU’s designer clearly had no hope of making this platform into a modular design without increasing the unit’s length – there is simply not enough space for the connectors.

Cold Test Results
Comments Locked

35 Comments

View All Comments

  • Spunjji - Friday, November 13, 2020 - link

    Yes, my personal experience from messing with Noctua 40mm fans is that they won't move very much air at all when running at reasonable noise levels.

    That said - it might still be manageable in a situation where the user can guarantee the load will remain at 60% or below in a chassis that is otherwise reasonably well ventilated and/or where the PSU is thermally isolated.
  • Reflex - Thursday, November 12, 2020 - link

    This one supposedly has a silent fan mod, I'd love to see someone look into it: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N4IGM0O/
  • zodiacfml - Friday, November 13, 2020 - link

    god, the price!
  • edzieba - Friday, November 13, 2020 - link

    The key for low noise in SFF is to eliminate as many fans as possible. Rather than peppering 40mm and 80mm fans on top of individual components, use a single 140mm (or at least 120mm) fan and duct airflow to individual components. Same total airflow volume, less noise. While in theory that means you fan now has to spin up if /any/ component demands a higher fan speed, it's still better to have a 140mm go from dead-slow to kinda-slow-ish than to have 3 idling 40mm screamers and one 40mm going hell-for-leather.
  • dotes12 - Friday, November 13, 2020 - link

    They should have designed this around a centrifugal blower fan, instead of an axial 40mm. They can move a lot of air at low dBs.
  • pvdw - Saturday, November 14, 2020 - link

    Good article, but please can stop using the word simplistic when you mean simple, it's a negative word.

    See, e.g.: ://www.thoughtco.com/simple-and-simplistic-1689612
  • linuxgeex - Thursday, November 19, 2020 - link

    What's the power factor like? For commercial use that's a significant concern because utilities charge more per kWh for loads with a poor power factor.
  • qwertymac93 - Thursday, November 19, 2020 - link

    The Silverstone has active power factor correction so power factor is likely very close to 1.
  • qwertymac93 - Thursday, November 19, 2020 - link

    I wonder what sticking an 80mm fan onto the internal vents with double-sided tape would do to the thermals. Perhaps it'd help just enough to use a resistor to drop the 40mm fan's RPM a bit and reduce noise.
  • POLWISE - Monday, November 30, 2020 - link

    A Health Spa is an Area or Tub Bath in Which mineral-rich spring Water (and some times sea-water ) can be utilized to provide medicinal bathrooms. Spa can be properly used for therapeutic massage along with skin care treatments.

    You may have tub in comfy warm water using complete of Minerals to parts of the own muscles extending and human body comfort. You may even acquire the massage at hot tub centers it depends upon up on the essence of spas.

    When We Discuss health hot tub the very First items which comes from our Mind can be really actually just a tub for rich. As the spa is most still more special sort of swimming small from the magnitude of real pool. It's sort of elaborate and pricey also its multi works in-it such as sexy bubble h2o tub. However, you are unable to make use of your health hot tub on day-to-day principles therefore when you make it fresh for a few of weeks it can gets cluttered and also you also services and products and also medium prices.don't desire to tub at dirty hot tub. To completely wash your spa, you might have most useful spa cleaning service Perth in your doorsteps. We're delivering the cleanup ceremony together with highest excellent cleaning

    However, to your own experience if You Would like to Wash all by Your-self then you definitely have to want the cornerstone gear and compounds such as your own cleanup process. In addition, we provide the heaps of pool cleaning programs from our keep such as hot water heaters and blankets wash filters and robots etc.. Alluring bubble tub into the hot tub will be exceptionally calm entire. As the possibility of cleansing a sexy spa might appear stressful, so you could possibly procure the business finished very nicely. Together with all our cleaning services. In the event you realize that you are stressing about the upkeep and also bathe off of one's pool or spa, then the remedy would be an easy 1! Hire expert pool and spa cleansing solutions to get this done to you personally! On the Lookout for advantage? The proficient servicing Technicians in Aqua Spas & Pools may perform just as much or just as a portion of their hot bath care servicing because you would like along with your own funding permits. We've got a lot of apps to select out of --just one which is guaranteed to fulfill your preferences stop by our site.

    Even though our pool and spa builders are all now there, they'll:

    • Evaluation and treat the water

    • Vacuum

    • Confirm filter strain along with also Back-wash as required

    • Brush the walls and also tile lineup

    • Empty pump and skimmer baskets

    • Skim the Top

    • Brush computerized pool cap cloth

    While college is outside and courses really are away It's still Excellent To maintain the youngsters studying through the summer months season holiday season. Thus the kiddies head to distinct spots to relish the summertime in order which they can fresh your own brain. Largely of these kiddies go into h2o pool to relish the summertime holiday season. When it truly is about Christmas or in the community Everybody Lively swimming pool, putting them from your practicing and water their own swim capabilities can be actually really just a remarkable method for visitors to grow.

    Wearing the pool Is a Difficult Job, as It's a Labor-intensive and time-consuming endeavor. It's mandatory that you eliminate filth partials in the pool utilizing vacuum however should we're discussing about cleanup the full swimming pool it is going to be described as considered a pretty time-consuming method. And there are scores of concerns which you should need to really do wash your swimming pool and also ensure it is all set for your summer months. Thus, simply take your away all worries from you personally on your swimming pool we've back you into this with giving the-pool cleansing service in your doorsteps. By Applying the very Finest and powerful chemicals Which Aren't damaging to anybody anticipate that the germs

    Our Site Stipulates a swimming pool support Perth for his Purchaser. We're an expert Perth based professional services and care team who'll get your swimming pool in tiptop shape prepared that you love. Simply sit , unwind and we'll manage your entire swimming pool requirements, for instance, hideous green swimming pool, all those obstinate spots, substituting tired exhausted gear, complete pool washing along with a lot more. Thus, settle back and get prepared to swimming pool. Pool service Perth groups assess that the swimming pool by day in case a few problems in pool this team assess pool difficulty and also immediately fix this problem. All of us aim would be to offer an extensive variety of Pool support Perth.

    If you are a Perth Pool proprietor then this creates complete feel To own Pool vise Perth alive trip you onto a normal foundation. Together with all out of green swimming retrieval to pool pump servicing to assist one along together with your pool basic security certification.

    Some filter wants a opportunity and energy for you to cleanup upward. Some Filter can Require a month cleaning, a few need cleaning in fixed intervals, the others each 3 into four. You'll even should look at your own water amount at any given speed once monthly. During a two-hour summer swimming will permeate as well as also the water amount on the pool will soon probably return. If a person has a problem in pool cleansing ceremony in property, they could get hold of us as us Pool agency Perth may return to wash the pool.

    The chlorine Is the Principal chemical used from the Service clean-up of swimming pool. This is really an naturally occurring compound part and among those simple blocks of thing. Chlorine is generated from salt, bypassing an electrical current through a method of brine.

    Many Men and Women go for the pool to Relish their summer vacations With buddies. Consequently, they need pool gear to really own a swimming pool party with buddies that is manner our internet site supplying an internet devices’ to an individual person.
    You may get hold of us in the event that you are in possession of a fresh pool at your house and also you also want most recent Pool pump Perth there. It features each of form of gear such as swimming Filters, Chlorinators, Heat Pumps, Cleaners, Pool Pumps, pool stall, analyzing fixtures and components etc.. These would be the fundamentals to your swimming pool at your home. One among the greatest services and products of our site is that a Pool Vacuum Perth. Pool siphons operate equally. They create the development of drinking water which classes artificial substances throughout our swimming pools in order that they are able to productively purify water. They communicate water out of your pool into the station, radiator, and also chlorinator therefore that it has a tendency to be more sifted, heated, and processed prior to returning the swimming pool.

    In the Event You're not cleaning your own swimming pool following once at a When it's going to potentially reduce its flavor and allure its own in addition generated odor and lots of poisonous microbes invite Thus, you ought to call for proper products’ to completely wash your own pool.

    The basically component for example center of this swimming pool is swimming pump That's utilized Mostly throughout the full summer season months time, after are several using swimming pump:

    • Pumps are all Utilized to bring and drain Water.

    • It utilized in pool chlorinators.

    • Additionally, it Utilized in salt chlorinator.

    Possessing a pool in your House Can be quite a pleasure for You as Well as your Family. You may love when everything one thing you desire. That you really do not need to travel your loved ones into the shore or any sort of pool clubs you simply have to wash your swimming pool and also this really is preparing to own pleasure within it.

    Pilates Is a Huge exercise and sport action because You have to maneuver your entire human body in opposition to the immunity of this water that make your own muscle extending.

    Swimming is really a great All-round activity since it

    Preventing your heart Speed upward but diminished the strain degree off the human physique.

    Allergic endurance, Muscle energy and health and fitness center.

    Helps preserve a Healthful fat, healthful lungs and heart.

    Tones muscles also and Assembles power.

    Gives an abysmal Human Body work out, as almost most your Muscles for example legs, arms back can be used throughout swimming pool.

    Getting accessible In many areas -- you are able to swim from private pools, lakes, beaches, dams and rivers. Make certain the natural atmosphere you opt to float is not safer.

    We provide the Optimal/optimally caliber Pool Vacuum Perth For-you personally. Which comprise all form of crucial apparatus including station, cleaner along with also lots of diverse points. Pilates is possibly the toughest motion since it comprises lots of chemical muscle tissues to get the job done effortlessly from the plain water. No matter whether or not it really is for health or comfort we assure our thing leaves your own water absolutely clean to create your whole experience odd. If a pump will not switch, however, loses electricity, then it might be overheating. Consider conducting the pump at night time to prevent overheating. When it doesn't do the job, assess the base vents of this engine to ensure that there isn't anything arming your admirer. In case the issue continues accordingly, you could get hold of us all our team arriving into a household to displace the pool purification. You may get our additional items by simply contacting us 08 9375 2544 or may see our website and place ask that there enable us function you at the right method.

    https://poolwiseliving.com.au/

Log in

Don't have an account? Sign up now