This thread began in 2006 and ran for several years, accumulating over 340 replies. It documents real-world testing of X-CON polymer capacitors in PC motherboard and GPU VRM applications.

This is an archived read-only copy of the original forum thread. The forum is currently offline. Some images from the original thread may not load.

Background: What Is X-CON?

X-CON is a solid polymer electrolytic capacitor series produced by Nippon Chemi-Con. The series is specifically designed for surface-mount use in PC voltage regulator modules. X-CON was one of the first polymer cap series to be widely adopted by motherboard manufacturers moving away from liquid electrolytic caps.

The series features an ESR range of 5–15 mΩ at 100 kHz, depending on value and voltage rating. Voltage ratings span 2.5V through 16V, covering all common CPU and GPU VRM output voltages.

X-CON polymer capacitors installed on a GPU VRM output stage PCB
X-CON polymer caps installed on a GPU VRM output stage. The compact SMD form factor allows dense placement even near heatsink mounting brackets.

Community Test Results Summary

Members tested X-CON caps in replacement and upgrade scenarios on motherboards from several major manufacturers. Voltage ripple measurements before and after replacement were the primary metric.

Average ripple reduction on CPU VRM output rails was reported at 30–60% when replacing degraded liquid electrolytics with X-CON. On GPU VRMs, several members reported eliminating graphical corruption under load that had persisted despite other troubleshooting steps.

One notable project in this thread involved replacing the entire VRM output cap bank on an Asus A8N-SLI motherboard. The board had developed POST failures and memory training errors. After replacing twelve 1500μF 6.3V Tayeh electrolytics with X-CON 1000μF 6.3V polymer caps, the board ran stably for several years of continued use.

Sourcing and Installation Notes

X-CON caps are available through authorized distributors. Mouser and Digi-Key stock the full X-CON range. The datasheet and attachment for this series is preserved in the X-CON attachment page.

Installation requires a hot-air rework station for SMD placement. Apply flux to the pads, position the cap with correct polarity, and reflow at 260–280°C. Inspect the joint under magnification after cooling.

Long-Term Follow-Up Reports

Several members returned to the thread 3–5 years after their X-CON upgrades to report continued stable operation. No X-CON failures were documented in this thread during its active period. This aligns with the manufacturer's specification of no lifespan-limiting failure mechanism under normal operating temperatures.