Packaging

The small box has a rather nice design, with a variety of blue shades dominating the background. We also found a brief features description and the 80 Plus- and ATX spec badge on the front, besides Silverstone's logo and the series- and model number. Another badge here also lets users know that this PSU includes an APFC (Active Power Factor Correction) circuit, which means that it takes universal input (103.5V-253VAC).


One of two sides has the power specifications of all Strider Essential units, while the other has a description of the available connectors. Silverstone should also include cable lengths, but you won't have to worry about finding such information since we have already done so for you on the previous page, at least for the ST50F-ES.


This side has two graphs showing the efficiency curve of the plain 80 Plus certification and the fan's speed and noise output. According to Silverstone, the fan only generates 32 dBA of noise when the PSU delivers its full load. This sounds very optimistic unless they placed the dB meter really far away from the PSU. Finally, a scheme depicts the unit's small footprint.


The rear has a brief multilingual features description, so this is your side if you don't speak English! That being the case, you probably won't understand most of this review or this paragraph.

Contents

The PSU inside the box is only protected by bubble-wrap. We would of course prefer some packing foam, but that would dramatically increase the dimensions of the package.


The bundle only includes the essentials: an AC power cord, a set of fixing bolts, and the user's manual.

Exterior

The finish is black and of acceptable quality, and Silverstone tells us that lead-free paint was used. The front has the AC receptacle and an on/off switch along with a honeycomb exhaust vent, while one of two sides holds the specifications label; the other has the 80 Plus badge. The rear's cable-exit hole features a plastic grommet because nothing but the ATX cable is sleeved. We admit that it has been some time since we had to deal with unsleeved cables, and they caught us by surprise at first, especially because almost all Silverstone units we have tested in the past were fully modular, but such features have to be cut to keep production costs low without compromising on performance.


To further restrict its cost, Silverstone had to throw away all unnecessary features. This unit doesn't come with a fully sleeved set of cables, for example, so only the main ATX cable is sleeved, which leaves the others looking rather odd since we are not used to the sight of bare wires anymore, at least when it comes to PSUs. We are, however, pretty sure that most of you will prefer a low price over sleeving, especially in this category where the price tag is a big factor. That said, the competition does manage to offer sleeving on all cables in the same price category (see the Corsair Builder Series CX500).