CaseBuy EZ Power Supply Tester

Written by Ben Hoekstra in Peripherals on 12 January 2005 at 01:00 PM EST. Page 1 of 1. Add A Comment.

Once in a while, a nifty little gadget comes along that we just can't help but get our hands on. Something well designed and innovative that it simplifies all our lives. Today, it's the CaseBuy EZ Power Supply Tester. We will look at how this intelligent little device works its magic. Nevertheless, will it be more useful than a traditional digital multimeter for separating the healthy and mediocre power supplies?

Features:

CaseBuy has created the simplest yet most comprehensive way to test your power supply output - EZ Power Supply Tester. Simply turn on your power supply, plug in your 20-pin power supply connector to mini-tester, and check the LED lights. If a power output is working, the LED will light and you will hear a beep. If the power output fails, the LED will be off with no beep. EZ Power Supply Tester gives voltage readings for each line. As an added feature, you can also test other connections, such as your floppy drive and peripherals.

Contents:

The first thing we noticed about the product was the simple and complete packaging. The only item contained in the package was the tester. Precise instructions on how to use a product can be rare these days, however, turning the product over revealed just that on the back, telling us exactly how to install and operate the device.

Examination:

On initial examination of the tester, we noticed that it was skinned in a brushed aluminum casing. We found this to be a very nice looking addition to the tester's functionality. Additional instructions are printed right on the casing since the cardboard instructions, on the back of the packaging, probably wont last long.

Performance:

The CaseBuy EZ Power Supply Tester promised support for 4-pin molex, floppy drive, and the 12-volt P4 connector. We first plugged in the 20-pin motherboard connector. The LED's lit up without a hitch and on the particular power supply we tested, it passed with excellence. We then plugged in the 5-volt molex connector. Again, it showed a passing grade. We then plugged in the floppy, then the P4 after that. They all passed with the green LED's lighting up and the reassuring beep!

Overall, the CaseBuy EZ Power Supply Tester preformed very well. The diagnostic LED's were bright and the directions were easily readable. The case construction was superb and very stylish. Not only was this a well-manufactured product, it was also very easy to use. Just plug in your main 20-pin connector, then each of the secondary power connectors. There's really no way to mess up. There is one warning however; do not ever, under any circumstances, leave this device connected to your power supply for an extended period of time. Failure to comply with this warning may mean permanent damage to your power supply. The only gripe we had was that the ends of the casing were not painted to match the casing.


We were disappointed that the tester didn't read out exact voltages. Our voltages could be dangerously close to failing, but would still read out as passing. We were pleased, with the product in general, as it was quicker and easier than pulling out a multimeter.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, our time spent with the CaseBuy EZ Power Supply Tester was well spent. A tester that would also output the actual voltage with this compact design would have been phenomenal. However, we can't have everything we want, can we? This is something every computer nut should have in their �computer tool box�. Even though this didn't output the actual voltages, the EZ Power Supply Tester is a good indicator for sorting through the dead PSUs. We appreciate a well-manufactured and easy to use product and hope to see more good products from CaseBuy.

Pros:

� Reliable Construction
� Audible Indicators
� Bright LED's
� Clear Instructions
� Very easy to use

Cons:

� Doesn't show actual voltage
� Ends of casing didn't match - if appearance matters to you
� Device gets warm after awhile

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