We'll take a look at the info sheet, first. Fair disclosure - I had two review samples, and the second and newer one was missing this sheet. Were I EVGA, I'd try to make sure this came in every box. On a unit this complicated, a little extra info doesn't hurt, does it?

Basically, this sheet tells you how to get this unit into single 12V or multi-rail using the DIP switches on it, shows you what the rest of the switches do, and shows you a brief glimpse of the software. I'll have more about that software later, after the cold testing.

This is the user guide. Printed in English only, it is a little bit more informative than most units I get in here. Cable lengths and counts are also found in here, but I found that at least the VGA cables didn't correspond to what was in the box. More on that later.

Here's the power supply itself, and I'm loving the looks of this beast. It's big, it's bad, it's got a rugged gray finish on it, and it has a handle. While some cases may have a problem with that handle, I don't. A handle helps when you're trying to maneuver a power supply this size around, does it not? And it will be a nice, handy attachment point for my exhaust thermal probe, too.

Another angle on the beast.

As is the case with most units this size, the AC receptacle is an IEC C19. Given that this unit has an "overclock mode," which allows it to put out a full 1650 watts, you'd best use the power cord that came with it.

"Read manual before removing," that red sticker says. Good idea.

Here's a close-up of the DIP switches behind that sticker. They allow you to switch the unit between single and multi 12V modes, force the fan to full speed, and also fire up the unit without a motherboard. Nice. That fifth switch enables the rest of the switches.

For those curious, DIP stands for "dual inline package." Basically, it's a term given to PCB mount devices that have two rows of pins for PCB mounting.

Time to give you a look at the sides of the unit. That handle adds 45mm to the length of the unit, by the way. No, you cannot remove it without voiding yonder ten year warranty.

As is the case with most fancier power supplies these days, the other side is inverted. That's so you can always make sure the label faces right side up in your case.

A look at the fan grille.

Time for a load table. Well, two load tables. One for single 12V, one for multi-rail. No, I will not do one for overclock mode. You must run this unit at 230V to get into that mode, making it a waste of time for me to do up a whole other set of tables for it.

Incidentally, in OC mode, you only get 40 degrees at full power, anyway. I have no way to feed this unit 230V, so I won't be testing that.

Let me clear up some confusion right now, which has been brought about by the documentation of this unit vs. all the little numbers on this modular connector panel. In multi mode, the 12V rails go from 12V1-12V8, like most normal power supplies have them. As mentioned earlier in this review, the connectors are all numbered here, but they are not labeled as to which rail they go to, except for the red connectors. Those are the video cables.

What makes the whole thing confusing is that the VGA connectors start at 0, not 1; and end at 7, not 8. You have all eight represented there, but you have to subtract one from your desired 12V rail number to get the right connector. Gee, thanks EVGA.

About the black connectors, now. You can no longer tell which 12V rail goes where by the numbers on the back. The two "periph" connectors are on 12V7. The four " SATA" connectors are on 12V8. Depending on which you pick, the "CPU" connectors are on 12V2/12V3 and 12V5/12V6. Finally, the ATX connector itself is on 12V1. Confused yet? No, I don't know which CPU connector shares which rails. The documentation isn't that specific, and I've got too much of a headache now to get in there and try to trace them.

Yes, you can interchange the SATA and Molex chains on the back of the unit. When tried in the SATA connectors, the Molexes worked fine for me. I was unable to try it the other way around due to the lack of SATA connectors on my load testers, but it wouldn't be wise for the factory to make them physically, but not electrically, interchangeable. Nevertheless, try it at your own risk.

There are so many cables that come with one of these, I'll have to show them to you in batches. These are the black ones, along with the modular cable bag.

At this time, it's worth noting that EVGA has revised the main ATX cable to bear larger wiring to the 5VSB pin. More on that in cold testing.

Here's an up close look at the cabling. Each wire is individually sleeved, which will either please you or drive you absolutely batty. It depends on who you are, really. While this type of cabling looks damn good, it also has the potential to create a rat's nest of unfathomable proportions in your case if you don't watch what you're doing. Make extensive use of those cable ties, people.

Here are the red ones, the VGA cables. As mentioned, the manual lists half of these as being 750mm to the first connector, and the other half being 600mm. In reality, five of them were 600mm, with three at 750mm. Could be a mistake at the factory.

I had to measure several times. See, individually sleeved cables don't lend themselves to measuring well without taking extra precautions to keep them apart and organized. It's very easy to lose track, especially when you go to pick one up and the rest want to come, too.

This is the USB cable. One end is a mini USB, the other is your basic mainboard header.

Finally, here's the cable table with all my measurements. See you on the next page... I've got a fair bit of setup work to do this time.