Performance Analysis
The Integra M 650W's voltages are rock steady, with the all important 12V line never dropping below 12V or deviating from the ideal value by more than 2 percent.
Naturally, efficiency was never going to be as high as the two other PSUs we have figures for, since they're both 80 PLUS Gold rated. Nonetheless, there are no unwelcome surprises from the Integra M 650W, and it puts in a good show in the low load tests as well, so you won't be excessively wasting electricity in lengthy idle times.
The ripple values are outstanding; with a maximum recorded ripple of 30.3 mVpp the Integra M has a surprisingly clean supply of electricity that's better than the more expensive Antec EDGE 650W.
Noise levels are slightly higher than the 80 PLUS Gold PSUs, though this is to be expected given that less efficient PSUs get hotter. Still, the Integra M 650W doesn't become overly or intrusively loud, but it will probably be audible under load.
Conclusion
The Fractal Integra M 650W is a no-frills supply aimed at the PC enthusiast on a budget. Deliberately kept short and well built, the semi-modular PSU is a solid candidate for builders looking to construct inexpensive small form factor machines.
There's enough power and cabling on tap to house high-end components if needs be, and the results show good consistency between a wide range of loads typical on a modern PC.
We feel that Fractal has hit a decent sweet-spot between performance and price. Backed by a three-year warranty and currently available for around £60, the Integra M 650W is well worthy of going on a shortlist.
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