Introduction

We would like to thank 1st Player for supplying the review sample.


I reviewed the Steampunk PS-750SP more than two years ago. In this review, I will look at its 850 W brother. The PS-850SP, or Steampunk 850, is a fully modular power supply with the Gold efficiency certification from both 80 PLUS and Cybenetics. It is also rated Cybenetics Standard+ for noise output, which means it isn't quiet. I expected noise output to be lower with a 140 mm sleeve bearing fan and Gold-certified efficiency, but the extended warranty had 1st Player take the safe approach. That said, I am unsure about whether the sub-par fan will even outlive the seven-year warranty. Instead, a rifle bearing or fluid dynamic bearing fan would have been better.

With a capacity of 850 W, fully modular cable design, Gold efficiency, and price tag below $100, the PS-850SP looks appealing. 1st Player can keep pricing low because its mother company, Helly Technology, has a PSU manufacturing line. I have seen more and more Helly products lately, which isn't surprising since price to performance is good. This is a challenging field with big OEMs swatting smaller ones in almost every area. However, with the latter more versatile in design and sizable minimum order quantities usually not required, small and medium-sized brands do prefer smaller OEMs.

Back to the PS-850SP on hand. With a street price of $90, price per performance easily has the potential to go through the roof, making it a good deal for anyone after a strong PSU to power a high-end system. Going after high-end platforms is one approach, but achieving the highest-possible price-per-dollar ratio is much harder.

Specifications