In normal operation the Odin is effectively silent thanks to the huge fan turning at a very slow pace. When it's loaded ... well we don't know because, as you saw in the review, the load didn't reach 50% even with a Quad core CPU and HD 2900 XT. I could have used an Intel V8 test bed but it's crystal clear that the Odin is aimed at the gaming market so no doubt it would have been pointed out that the V8 is a server/workstation.
At start-up the fan runs at full tilt for a couple of seconds and makes a heck of a racket and then slows right down to a crawl. I have no doubt it could cool a small volcano.
As for efficiency, I gave the figures of 328W and 355W so the efficiency is over 90% when the PSU is barely working for its living at less than half its rated power. The only way to properly test the Odin is to hook it up to a test rig such as the one owned by Enermax. As it's the only Odin in the UK I doubt Gigabyte would have been impressed if I had let a competitor blow it to pieces to see how well it delivers 700+ Watts when we all agree that no-one needs such an outrageous amount of power.
Which is what I said in the review.
As for reading like a Press release well you're welcome to your opinion but I've never seen the word 'gimmick' used in one yet.
As for naff monitoring software I quite agree. Motherboard manufacturers seem obsessed with the latest new idea when very often what we want is something elegant and workmanlike which probably explains at least part of the success of the iPod.
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In normal operation the Odin is effectively silent thanks to the huge fan turning at a very slow pace. When it's loaded ... well we don't know because, as you saw in the review, the load didn't reach 50% even with a Quad core CPU and HD 2900 XT. I could have used an Intel V8 test bed but it's crystal clear that the Odin is aimed at the gaming market so no doubt it would have been pointed out that the V8 is a server/workstation.
At start-up the fan runs at full tilt for a couple of seconds and makes a heck of a racket and then slows right down to a crawl. I have no doubt it could cool a small volcano.
As for efficiency, I gave the figures of 328W and 355W so the efficiency is over 90% when the PSU is barely working for its living at less than half its rated power. The only way to properly test the Odin is to hook it up to a test rig such as the one owned by Enermax. As it's the only Odin in the UK I doubt Gigabyte would have been impressed if I had let a competitor blow it to pieces to see how well it delivers 700+ Watts when we all agree that no-one needs such an outrageous amount of power.
Which is what I said in the review.
As for reading like a Press release well you're welcome to your opinion but I've never seen the word 'gimmick' used in one yet.
As for naff monitoring software I quite agree. Motherboard manufacturers seem obsessed with the latest new idea when very often what we want is something elegant and workmanlike which probably explains at least part of the success of the iPod.