At jonnyGURU.com we grade on four criteria, each with their own weight that has an effect on the total score. Performance, functionality, value and aesthetics are all judged to calculate the final score.

Performance (40% of the final score): Let's start by accentuating the positive. This unit is 80 Plus Bronze, which is good, but not the best we've seen lately. The ripple and noise suppression was pretty good too. Can we eliminate the negative? No. The voltage regulation is all over the place with really high +12V voltages that just kept getting higher, including a +12V rail that was over spec when the non-primary rails were loaded to the maximum. I'm afraid I can only give this unit an 8.

Functionality (20% of the final score): The XFX Core Edition 450W is a fixed cable power supply. Since it's not modular or even semi-modular, it can't get a perfect score, but it does come in a very compact size and the packaging really does a good job of protecting the unit. For this, I give the unit a 9 in this category.

Value (30% of the final score): The price of this unit today is $54 at Newegg before any rebates or anything. That makes it about as inexpensive as any 450W power supply like it. Better power supplies can be had, but they tend to be $10 to $15 more. If the performance was better (no wacky voltage regulation), I would give this unit a 9.5 or 10 for value, but because Seasonic has changed something in the way this power supply functions when it was relabeled for XFX, I can only give it a 9.

Aesthetics (10% of the final score): The XFX Core Edition 450W has a basic look, no frills and comes in a compact size. The cables are all sleeved and basic colors are used. For this, I'm giving this power supply a 9.5.

The XFX Core Edition 450W is clearly a totally different animal from the 650W, 750W and 850W we reviewed recently. On the up side of things, the aesthetics are toned down which means we don't have the trim piece that adds 10mm to the depth of the unit. The lack of a second CPU power connector is addressed, although its less likely you would use a 450W PSU in a multi-CPU system over the option of a 650W+ unit. On the other hand, XFX uses a Seasonic platform that utilizes DC to DC and solid capacitors for the non-primary rails on the 650W+ units, but the 450W is based on the relatively old S12II platform. And if I could grade on excessive marketing fluff and incorrect information on the box, I'd drive this mother into the ground, but over all it's not a horrible unit. I dare say it's an ok unit. But it's not a unit I can find myself recommending.

Stay tuned tomorrow where we'll be doing a quick run down of this unit's slightly bigger brother: the Seasonic S12II based Core Edition 550W.