Nesteq Nova 600W External PSU

Nova 600W External PSU

Manufacturer: Nesteq
UK Price (as reviewed): £139.00 (inc. VAT)
US Price (as reviewed): $249.95

Nesteq may not be a brand you turn to straight away when looking for a PSU, but it is a German company, based in Hamburg, that produces PSUs and hard drive peripherals. So, normal so far, but why design an external unit?

As many Shuttle and other SFF users will know, they are limited to typically 250-350W at most depending on what system you buy. This can suffice even for the latest power hungry graphics cards and quad-core processors, but it will run at its absolute capacity kicking out a ton of heat into an already hot and cramped system.

Modders may also be constrained by what they can do with the brick that is the power supply, trying to find somewhere to hide that in-your-face grey box. With the power supply mounted externally, it allows the unit to be much cooler and quieter in the open air, and also allows more space in your case for air circulation, keeping that cooler and quieter as well. So, it has potential in theory, but how does it stack up in practice? Let's find out...


The PSU comes in a cardboard box with a bit of information on the inside describing what you're buying - this includes rail sizes and PSU features. The actual unit is held in a cocoon of thick foam padding leaving the cables sort of "arranged" around it. All in all, the PSU is kept secure and shouldn't arrive to you damaged, but the rather heavy case lacks a carry handle.

Accessories

• Manual
  
• Case Screws
  
• Power cable

That’s it, no cable ties or anything else, it’s the bare basics here. The English and German manual lacks depth but still gives you enough to get you on your way.