If you're into computers, Enermax is one of those rare brand names that needs little or no introduction. They've been around a good long time and they make a good product. When I first started building my own rigs, you basically had three choices in power supplies, the generic $15-$20 noisy gray box, or a equally gray and noisy yet voltage stable brand name such as Sparkle for a good deal more money. At the top of the heap, and price list ...Enermax. If you cared about your hearing and you wanted a stable system, you went with Enermax despite the cost. I've still got the first Enermax Whisper I ever bought, it still works flawlessly and it's still reasonably quiet. The same can't be said of other PSU's I have owned.

Nowadays everyone seems to be offering up a power supply with their name on it. But in truth there are still just a handful of power supply manufacturers making the majority of brands. They may be made to the seller's specs or simply re branded and repacked for the reseller. Here's a little trick reviewers use to find out who actually makes your PSU and many other products (Sorry US only). Don't tell anyone or they'll throw me out of the club. Find the UL file number on your PSU, it's under the backwards "RU" symbol and go to the UL Certifications Directory and plug the number into the proper field, don't worry about the other fields. If we put in the UL number E130843 for the Aerocool AeroPower that runs my test rig, we find out it is manufactured by Topower. One of the few exceptions to this practice is Enermax. Plug in the UL number for a Enermax PSU and you'll find it is made by (you guessed it) Enermax.

This rather unique position allows Enermax to control every aspect of the design and manufacturing of a power supply. The opportunity for innovation is obvious. And Enermax's Galaxy line is a nothing if not innovative. Enermax was the first to introduce a 1000W power supply, but that wasn't the only first. We'll be checking out the new Galaxy Quad Ultra 850W power supply which shares most of the Galaxy 1000's pedigree.

Specs

From Enermax:

World’s FIRST: RAM POWER CABLE for 32-64GB RAM system support.
World’s FIRST: 2007 EPS12V compliant PSU series for heavy-duty systems.
World’s FIRST: PowerGuard 4 mode PSU status monitor and alarm with reset function.
World’s FIRST: DUAL TIER COMBINED POWER for total separation of CPU(s) from system.
World’s FIRST: COMBINED MINIMUM LOAD design for outstanding compatibility.
World’s FIRST: 80-85% efficiency from 20% to 100% load.
World’s FIRST: TRIPLE QUAD support (Core & CPU & GPU).
World’s FIRST: FIVE +12V RAIL PSU for perfect power distribution.
TRIPLE TRANSFORMER design to provide the utmost in stability and power.
ACTIVE PFC & UNIVERSAL AC In with automatic adjustment
SILENT & COOL by 13.5cm & 8cm dual fan design.
24/7 FULL POWER and TIGHT REGULATION @ 0 - 50oC.
World’s STRONGEST: 6A +5Vsb rail to support 2007 systems and multiple USB devices.
World’s MOST: 24 DRIVES support by native + MODULAR cable design.

My ...but that's a whole lotta firsts. Not to mention a "strongest" and a "most". Here's the specs, you may commence drooling now. I could joke about this power supply providing power to a small country, but exaggeration isn't really necessary, this beast literally has enough amperage to start a car... and then some, "Whoa."

Package

My first impression when I picked the package up off my front porch, "@#$%&, son of a *!@#%ing bowling ball!" To say the Galaxy is heavy is an understatement; the shipping weight was listed at 14 pounds! Disregarding the threatening note from my FedEx carrier, I rented a fork lift, hauled it inside and opened it up. The packaging is exactly what you would expect from a top tier manufacturer, slick, informative and designed to stand out on a retailers shelf. Size alone would have insured that; the box dwarfs it's typical counterparts.