NZXT HALE90 1000W Modular Power Supply

Sunday, 03 March 2013 23:17 Last Updated on Friday, 08 March 2013 01:34 Written by Benjamin "Zeus" Heide

Article Index
NZXT HALE90 1000W Modular Power Supply
Features and Specifications
Cables and Inside the PSU
Inside the HALE90 V2 PSU
Testing the HALE90 V2 1kW PSU

Page 1 of 5

Product: NZXT HALE90 1000W Modular PSU
Provided By: NZXT
Price: ~$199.99 Online at Time of Publication

Introduction:

It has been quite a while since we've looked at an NZXT power supply and today we are looking at the newly minted HALE90. The HALE90 V2 series power supplies come in 850W, 1000W and 1200W flavors and appear to be shipping only in white. There are a few differences between the HALE90 and the HALE90 V2, but the biggest physical difference is that the HALE90 V2 is fully modular where the original HALE90 was mostly modular. There are a few differences as well - and we'll get into those as we dive into the review.

PSU Box Front

PSU Box Rear

About NZXT:

NXZT has made quite a name for themselves lately, but if you're not familiar with this company, please take a look at their company profile below.

Our People: React, adapt and be fearless: we’re a group of young people who aspire to be better tomorrow than we are today. We are driven by the yearning to explore, create, change, and push boundaries. Our culture revolves around having a passion to walk off the well-beaten path, and turn away from the status quo.

Our Company: Avant-garde and unconventional: NZXT as created because we aspire to make a positive difference for people. We believe that there are companies that ship product, and then there are companies that ship innovation. We routinely re-invest in ourselves, and hope that we can drive a positive influence in the industry.

Our Products: Think like a beginner: because we grew up in the generation of the 25-cent arcade, the 16-bit home gaming console, and Star Wars Lego collections, the experience is what concerns us. Nothing excites us more than the blank canvas waiting for inspiration. We’re always pushing to learn and reinvent ourselves.

First Impressions:

The PSU comes in a very nice retail package that brags about the 80+ Gold rating. This means that it should achieve no less that 85% efficiency and must achieve at least 90% efficiency at some point. As we'll find out on the following pages, NZXT nails this down and does a good job obtaining these numbers. Please note that if you are drawing 800W of power from the wall, you 720W of actual power to your system as the PSU will eat about 10% of the power - unlike the 20% that many other PSUs burn off as waste heat. In the end, this should keep your system cooler, quieter and hopefully more stable.

In The Box

As soon as you crack open the box, NZXT will impress you with their layout and package. Everything is really well packed - not just for looks but for durability during shipping and also to make things convenient for the end-user. The cables come bundled up in a white bag, with the main power cable, zip ties, screws and a manual all separate for ease of access.

Bundle Bits

Cables in a Bag

PSU First Look:

The NZXT HALE90 V2 1000W unit is pretty much a standard ATX sized power supply that should fit in almost every case that can handle a standard PSU. It isn't extra-long and it has a very nice white finish. This is a nice change from much of the competition and definitely will turn some heads. As you can see in the images below, the HALE90 V2 is completely modular.

The front and back of the PSU are particularly interesting as the mesh on the rear is a bit tighter than we've seen on some power supplies and this has the potential to restrict airflow. Also you'll notice on the rear that the power connector is a bit different than your standard PSU cables. NZXT ensures that this cable can handle the load that can be put on the PSU. Some cheap PSU cables are not up to the challenge and to prevent under-voltage to the PSU, they want to make sure you use their cable.

One the front side, you'll see all the modular connections and on the HALE90 V2, there are different plugs for the PCIe and the Molex/SATA cables. One thing we love about the HALE90 was the modular design, but for some reason they strayed away from it on V2.

Rear Mesh