Introduction

We would like to thank Seasonic for supplying the review sample.



This year was definitely a very busy one for Seasonic since they revamped all of their high-end lines with new models. They essentially modified their already very good high-end platform in order to ensure even even better performance. It is admittedly very hard to improve on such good design, but their engineers apparently all work around the clock to somehow find ways to do so. We have said so in previous reviews, but are going to mention it again: Seasonic's platforms push the analog circuit to its limit for performance that is almost on par with that of digitally controlled PSUs. However, we would like to see them introduce a digital platform soon since delaying the introduction of digital units any further would give the competition a huge head-start, and truth be told, the fewer player there are for digital PSUs, the less likely it is for their prices to drop to more affordable levels.

We reviewed the SS-1250XM2 unit a while ago, and it left an excellent impression on us with its top-notch performance. Today, we will take a good look at the smaller model with 1050 W maximum power output, which is more than enough for a pretty demanding system. Like all high-end Seasonic units, the SS-1050XM2 is fully modular and comes equipped with a 120 mm fan of high-quality. We would prefer a larger fan for a quieter operation, but Seasonic has thus far insisted on using smaller fans than the competition. This unit is also 80 Plus Gold certified and offers a hybrid operation during which the fan doesn't spin at light loads. The hybrid fan option can be deactivated, which would cause the fan to spin throughout the PSU's entire load range, with its speed depending on the temperature inside.