Up Close and Personal

Let's go a bit more in detail on the Zalman ZM460-APS power supply and unraffle some of the key features and properties. The Zalman PSU meets the ATX standard, which means that the width and height are usually the same, although the length can vary. This power supply has a matte black paint finish and comes with a large 120mm fan.

The look of the ZM460-APS power supply is quite simple, though very professional and elegant. Indeed, it isn't a modular PSU but do you really need that or that just something that can come in handy? I for one don't find it a major feature but that might be linked to the fact that I have a lot of hardware components that need to be powered. Of course for most standard PC's a modular design is a lot more practical as you only need to use the cables that you actually will use.

What catches the eye on the Zalman power supply is the 120mm fan. This 120mm fan is a dual ball bearing unit and is controlled by a circuit within the PSU to turn only as fast as necessary to keep internal temperatures in check and fan noise to a minimum. Zalman does state that the fan will remain inaudible unless and until internal PSU temperatures exceed 50°C barrier. I guess if you reach those levels then noise will not the only matter you will be worried about.

Zalman has only opted for one fan, but the 120mm fan supplies more than enough air circulation though and keeps the inside of the power supply cool. Most of the now standard power supplies from other brands are coming with two fans, which in fact end up in a higher noise level. As Zalman is known to be a company that is focusing on noise reduction with all their products it is good to see that one single well designed and controlled fan can also handle the heat generated by the computer and power supply.

On the side of the 460W PSU we find back the specifications on the voltage and current levels of the Zalman unit. These are detailed and give a good idea on strengths of this power supply. The top of the unit is closed finish is rate matte, not shiny by any means, but it's not flat black either. On top of that it the unit has a rather soft feel and touch.

The power cables all come sleeved with a black coating and come in various lengths. Due to the sleeved cable design we see a reducing in cable mess and an increased air flow inside the case. The cables are surprisingly flexible, so routing the wires should be relatively easy.