Sunday, January 8th 2017
Seasonic Updates its PSU Product Lines
After taking a long while - a very long while, in fact - to launch its flagship Prime Titanium PSU series, and after leaving its product line seemingly dormant for a while, it looks like Seasonic was actually getting ready to wake the proverbial sleeping giant: according to the company, 2017 will be an important milestone because it will feature the release of several new product lines that will include high performance - and high quality - power supplies.
This process has already begun with the introduction of the PRIME Titanium Series last year, and will be followed by the completion of that premium line with a 1000 W unit, which will become the flagship model. Moreover, many Platinum (named Prime Platinum and Prime Fanless, replacing the company's Platinum line) and Gold Prime units (replacing Seasonic's Gold X Series) will follow, addressing users that cannot afford the premium prices of the Titanium models. When it comes to the middle segment of the market, nowadays populated by their G series of power supplies, Seasonic is launching its new FOCUS series, featuring medium power output ratings and Gold or Platinum efficiency certification levels which will be manufactured in both fully modular and semi-modular flavors. Seasonic's entry-level PSUs, the M12II Evo and the S12II, will later be replaced by the CORE+ and the CORE line of power supplies, respectively.
All new PSU lines will have a refreshed look, but Seasonic won't (wisely) rest on looks alone; the new models will also feature what the company calls "innovative builds, features, and increased performance". Following the full lineup of the PRIME Titanium, Platinum, and Gold Series in chronological order, the first FOCUS Series models will make their appearance on store shelves in Q2 of this year. Seasonic will also introduce the AirTouch, a specialty PSU which allows users to select among five different cooling profiles.
Seasonic's PSU lineup for 2017 will therefore look something like this:
On 80 PLUS Titanium Efficiency levels, we'll see their PRIME TITANIUM power supplies at 1000 W, 850 W, and 750 W, with the 650 W and 550 W power ratings being taken by their PRIME 600 FL and PRIME 500 FL.
On 80 PLUS Platinum efficiency levels, Seasonic will carry, in addition to the above power ratings, a PRIME PLATINUM line with the addition of a 1200 W PRIME PSU as well as a PRIME 400 FL unit; a little lower on the product segment, we'll find the FOCUS+ models, on power ratings of 550 W through 850 W, as well as the company's special edition Snow Silent PSUs, at 1000 W, 750 W and 650 W.
On the 80 PLUS Gold efficiency levels, Seasonic will feature a PRIME GOLD line on the capacities 1200 W through 650 W; their Air Touch PSU at 850 W; their new FOCUS + line at 850 W through 550 W; as well as the company's new FOCUS series, lower in the product stack, covering capacities ranging from 450 W through 750 W, and a single Snow Silent special edition PSU at 550 W.
Moving down to the 80 PLUS Bronze pie of the product stack, Seasonic will feature their new CORE+ and CORE lines of PSUs, with both series ranging from 450 W through 750 W.
On 80 PLUS Titanium Efficiency levels, we'll see their PRIME TITANIUM power supplies at 1000 W, 850 W, and 750 W, with the 650 W and 550 W power ratings being taken by their PRIME 600 FL and PRIME 500 FL.
On 80 PLUS Platinum efficiency levels, Seasonic will carry, in addition to the above power ratings, a PRIME PLATINUM line with the addition of a 1200 W PRIME PSU as well as a PRIME 400 FL unit; a little lower on the product segment, we'll find the FOCUS+ models, on power ratings of 550 W through 850 W, as well as the company's special edition Snow Silent PSUs, at 1000 W, 750 W and 650 W.
On the 80 PLUS Gold efficiency levels, Seasonic will feature a PRIME GOLD line on the capacities 1200 W through 650 W; their Air Touch PSU at 850 W; their new FOCUS + line at 850 W through 550 W; as well as the company's new FOCUS series, lower in the product stack, covering capacities ranging from 450 W through 750 W, and a single Snow Silent special edition PSU at 550 W.
Moving down to the 80 PLUS Bronze pie of the product stack, Seasonic will feature their new CORE+ and CORE lines of PSUs, with both series ranging from 450 W through 750 W.
63 Comments on Seasonic Updates its PSU Product Lines
That said, it's still rather silly because the PC is seldom at peak.
My current PSU is overkill no matter how you cut it. I bought it because I wanted to reward good engineering at the time.
Even from this snip from a PSU review, it would play into what the reader perceives from that group of data. A few percent look's worse..................
And this from an HP server's audit
Additionally, the efficiency advantage of a higher input voltage is also taken into consideration by 80Plus and the 230V requires 2-5% higher efficiency:
As long as the PSU meets the appropriate 80Plus performance levels it claims to achieve, I don't see any issue with testing at different voltages.
Table gloriously stolen from the Wikipedia page on 80Plus.
Seasonic wins or performs to A+ in all the metrics people should look at ripple suppression, inrushcurrent, effectivity, life-expectancy and so on. Seasonic may not color and RGB lighting and "G4M3Rs-CHO1CE XXXTREEMMME" tags on their PSU's but they perform. Im sure there is a Seasonic PSU that you can find that have performed unsatisfying at some point but if we generelize Seasonic is the top of the pop when it comes to PSU's and their PRIME series proves that they are verymuch in the game. People meassurering PSU on color and amount of RGB should be made fun of!
Have a look at the PSU market below top-end products and see several competitors such as Super Flower, Evga, Corsair and now Bitfenix beating them in not just functionality but value and warranty terms. They might be good on average but the selection of products is currently also very limited and globally so-so competitive in that price range your average customer purchases a PSU from.
EVGA = Seasonic rebranded
Super Flower = not seasonic, but close or on pair IN SOME cases
Corsair = Seasonic rebranded
Bitfenix = not even close.
How is it that they are BEATING them? can you present your "beating" metrics so we can see what the hell you mean. RGB lighting is NOT a quality when it comes to PSUs. I dont know WHAT is its that the do better performance wise? you can go read tests on the subject. Sure you can find good products from them (in corsairs case most of them is rebranded seasonic), but bitfenix does not even come close as a manufacture in general. And who is suddently talking about price!? Seasonic is a entusiast priced manufacture (thats why most of the others uses seasonic rebranded to HAVE a toptier product (their other fabs are not as good as seasonic + patents) What you are basically saying is that fiat beats ferrari due to the price. (and that is stupid) Why do you think that there is fewer!?! because of the entusiast level quality (yes it is harder and more expensive to produce.) And why would the overproduce!? that does not make any sense!? Im going to accept that you are either a troll or person that know nothing about what he is talking about.
example the "new" Focus + 650w when comparing the raw details vs
the old G-650
the "old" by specs is a fair amount better (in my opinion)
new 650 full or semi modular (FX or RM respectively..so direct comparison would be the SSR-650FM, whereas the full modular is SSR-650FX
Input Current 9 - 4.5 A
Output +3.3V@20A, +5V@20A, +12V@54A, -12V@0.3A, +5VSB@3A
MTBF 100,000 hours MTBF @ 25 C, excl. fan
Approvals cTUVus, TUV, CB, CCC, BSMI, EAC, RCM
Dimensions 5.91" x 5.51" x 3.39"
Weight 6.20 lbs.
Connectors
1 x Main Power (24/20 pins) - attached
1 x CPU (8/4 pins) - attached
2 x PCIe (8/6 pins) - modular
6 x SATA - modular
3 x Peripheral - modular
1 x Floppy - modular
old
semi modular
Input Current 8.5 - 4A
Output +3.3V@25A, +5V@25A, +12V@54A, -12V@0.5A, +5VSB@3A
MTBF 150,000 hours MTBF @ 25 degree C, excl. fan
Approvals cTUVus, TUV, CB, EAC, C-tick, BSMI, CE, FCC, CCC, Energy Star, RoHS, WEEE, ErP Lot 6, REACH
Dimensions 3.39" x 5.91" x 6.30"
Weight 6.45 lbs.
Connectors
1 x 20+4pin Main Connector
1 x 8/4pin CPU
4 x 6+2pin PCI-E
5 x Peripheral
8 x SATA
2 x Floppy
it "seems" the old version had that much more oomph it possibly could give, seems to have more approvals, more raw feature present OCC, pop protection etc, and certainly more connectors available on it without having
to spend an extra $20 or so for the next step up which is the 750w as far as raw power, but, still gives up on extra connectors, they seem to want moe $ for it as well, go figure.
Good they have 7 year warranty, not so good in the way to get all the same connectors etc you actually have to pay more for the 750w full modular version...I know not everyone is using multiple graphics cards etc, but, is always better to have too many not being used than not enough to use if you decide to go multi gpu or your connectors for whatever reason burn out/break.
I just find it odd tbh, the "old" G650 I can get for $110, the "new" is $110 for the "plain" focus (focus + 650 is an extra $10) so same price, but loss of connectors, longer in length but shorter in width and height and a bit less weight (I think, it might be a typo in at least 2 of those numbers from a place selling them, probably the length or height?) the full modular version is almost identical but a bit heavier still.
anyways, very odd IMHO, give less, want a bit more money ^.^