Seasonic's X-460FL is one of the few fanless power supplies on the market. This zero-noise approach makes the unit a prime candidate for a quiet media PC, office or light gaming system. With 460 W of high-quality power it can easily handle a typical single graphics card system - without any added noise from the power supply.
Corsair's AX850 is an 80Plus Gold certified 850 watt power supply that aims to be the highest-quality model in its segment. It is fully modular and shows excellent performance characteristics in our demanding test suite. With a price of $180 it is not cheap but quality has its price.
The Strider Plus ST50F-P is a compact size, single rail and highly versatile PSU thanks to the fully modular design that it utilizes. On top of that is equipped with a quiet 120 mm fan and is 80PLUS Bronze certified. Without any doubt it will be an interesting product for users that want a PSU to power a single graphics card in a not so demanding system.
Chieftec recently made a new addition to their product series with the inclusion of the Nitro 88+ line. The new PSUs are 80PLUS Silver certified and promise efficiency that surpasses 88%. They also utilize a semi-modular design and their OEM is Channel Well (CWT), a respectable manufacturer.
It's a common truth that high wattage PSUs and low noise levels do not get along very well, so many users are forced to buy lower wattage PSUs that cannot support a powerful system with two or three hi-end VGAs. To address this, Zalman's ZM1000-HP Plus 1000 W uses heatpipes to lower the fan's RPMs and minimize noise.
Zalman, a company that is well known for its low-noise products, recently freshened up their PSU range with two new models, the ZM1000-HP Plus and the ZM850-HP Plus. Today we are testing the ZM850-HP Plus, which utilizes a dual heatpipe system to improve cooling of the internal components for reduced heat and noise levels.
PC Power & Cooling is a legendary company in the PSU market with many years of experience and plenty of innovations. Their products traditionally focus on industrial and professional power users and the Silencer 760 W that we test today is no exception. Silencer 760W is a non-modular PSU that can deliver 760 W continuously at 50°C and power two hi-end VGAs with up to 90% less noise per Watt.
Corsair's Gaming Series consists of three single rail PSUs that are made for gamers. Even more average users with a mid-range system will appreciate the reliable and cheap PSU from a company with a very good reputation. We test the 800 W model, which is the most powerful of the series and are impressed by its voltage regulation and efficiency.
OCZ recently released a new line of hi-end PSUs in order to keep up the pace with the competition, since the Z series counts many years in production. The new ZX series consists of three 80Plus Gold and fully modular PSUs that feature a single +12V rail and boast that they are designed with maximum performance in mind. The ZX 1250 will be the test subject of today’s review.
Corsair recently updated their modular enthusiast TX PSU series and presented the TX V2. With a quick look at the specifications the most noticeable difference between the old and the updated models is the efficiency upgrade, from plain 80Plus to 80Plus Bronze. Under the hood, we spotted an OEM change from CWT to Seasonic.
Club 3D is one more graphics card manufacturer that decided to follow the latest trend and present a PSU series. In this review we will evaluate their strongest model, which with its 1000 W is able to support up to three VGAs. Our only concern is that it's only 80Plus Bronze certified.
The High Current Gamer series, according to Antec, manages to combine high power and increased efficiency with low pricing. As the naming scheme reveals, HCG PSUs are intended for users that want to feed their precious PC with lots of power, but are on a tight budget.
In the last PSU review we tested the middle member of the BITWIN series. Now it’s high time for the smallest to confront our vicious load tester. Besides the BW-B430JL we will also present to you detailed information regarding the Multi Link feature, as we are going to link two BITWINs together and gather interesting data (e.g. efficiency at normal and low loads).
Jou Jye's new BITWIN Series is 80 PLUS certified and the models are specially designed for gaming and overclocking since they can work continuously at full load with ambient temperatures up to 40°C. A new and interesting feature is the multi-link connector which lets you install more than one PSU into the system and combine their power output.
Amacrox's Free Earth 88PLUS AX600-88FE PSU boasts 80 Plus Silver efficiency and its name promises that it will save Earth. With a rated capacity of 600 W it will handle all single GPU systems just fine. Thanks to its reasonable pricing, the AX600-88FE is also interesting for budget users.
The Tagan SuperRock 680W is a great power supply for budget aware users who are looking for a cost effective way to power their system. With 680W it should be good for almost everything you can throw at it. During our testing we found out that the PSU is running very quiet which makes it a good candidate for a silent media PC system, too.
IKONIK's latest power supply comes with a whopping 1200W of output power. It offers six 6+2 PCI-Express connectors, which means it is able to handle any video card configuration you can throw at it. The efficiency of over 83% also makes it a viable choice for green computing.
The Hiper Type R Mk-II 680W is a unique power supply because it comes with an integrated 8-port USB hub. A ninth USB connector is dedicated to charging any USB based devices like your Iphone or Ipod, even while the PC is turned off. The PSU itself delivers excellent performance values in stability and fan noise. Efficiency is also high with 82%.
The Hiper Type M 780W is a great all-round power supply. It offers an exceptionally stable 12V line and is sufficiently quiet to not annoy you during every day PC use. Also it supports SLI or CrossFire with a high efficiency of over 83%. With a price of around $125 it is also cheaper than similar products from bigger brand names.
Cooler Master's new Ultimate Circuit Protection power supply is among the first to receive the prestigious 80plus Silver certificate for an efficiency of above 85%. With 900W of output power this PSU can easily handle every rig that you put it into. During our testing we saw very stable voltages, especially 3.3V and 5V delivered great results.
Even though X-Spice is not a very well known brand name, they achieved what nobody else could do: building an extremely quiet power supply that is stable and affordable. We are testing the 530W model today and found that it could easily handle a Quad CrossFireX rig, and produced less fan noise under load than most other power supplies in idle.
The ES-800 from BFG is an 800W power supply that comes with everything an enthusiast might want. It has support for up to four PCI-Express power consumers and features an unorthodox internal layout. In our testing we saw an amazing efficiency of 84.9%.
Cooler Master's Real Power M850 power supply is one of the first power supplies that has six 12V rails. This should be enough power for all your SLI or CrossFire needs. Like many other PSUs today, the M850 comes with a high gloss reflective case and a large number of connectors.
Mushkin's new XP-800AP power supply offers enough power for even the most demanding rigs. The shiny black paint looks great and the connectors are numerous. One special feature is Rail Fusion which lets the user select if the whole PSU should run with one big rail or in Quad Rail mode.
Xigmatek's new NRP-HC1201 power supply offers 1200W of power with support for up to six VGA power connectors. Juice is delivered over four 12V rails with up to 36A per rail. Of course the usual features like long and fully sleeved cables and 80+ high efficiency are present as well.
Xigmatek's new NRP-MC851 power supply offers 850W of power on four 12V rails. The cable management has been optimized in a way that the most often used connectors are fixed to the unit and additional cables are optional.
Zalman's new ZM1000-HP power supply has been designed with fan noise in mind. The heatpipe experts from Zalman have stuck two of these inside their PSU and added a slow running 140 mm fan on top of that. This winning combination results in one of the quietest PSUs we ever tested, especially considering it delivers up to 1000W of power via six independant 12V rails.
Sunbeam's Mini Plant is a wolf in sheep's clothing. The PSU comes in an ATX standard sized casing but offers up to 950W of power. With most other manufacturers this means that the PSU fan will be very loud, not with the Mini Plant. Actually the fan is the quietest we ever tested in the 900W+ segment, you can almost not hear it, even under load.
The Tuniq Ensemble is Sunbeam's latest high-end PSU offering. It comes in at a whooping 1200 Watts with a large number of connectors included. For all your SLI/CrossFire needs you have two PCI-E 6-pin and two PCI-E 8-pin connectors available. Sunbeam has focused on making this a stable and efficient power supply and did a great job, the efficiency rating during our testing is well above 83%.
The SuperNova 600W power supply from AXP (in Europe) and Xion (in the US) is designed to be a cost effective solution for people who do not use things like CrossFire and SLI in their system. Another important feature of this modular power supply is that it has a number of LEDs placed in vital spots to give that PSU a really pretty outward appearance.
Sirtec's new RockSolid 1000W PSU is engineered to deliver high quality stable power to your components. Its modular approach lets you start small and attach just the cables you need as your power requirements grow. For a price of only $200 you get a solid PSU that has up to six PCI-Express VGA connectors.
GIGABYTE's Odin GT line of power supplies is the world's first PSU series that allows software control and monitoring. From within the GIGABYTE P-Tuner software you can adjust voltage levels, fan speed and get detailed monitoring info about your PSU like power draw. In addition to that we found out that the unit also has a very high efficiency of over 84% and good voltage stability.
Akasa's new PowerMax Family of power supplies offers power for demanding gamers and enthusiasts. We test the 1000W version today which has a large number of connectors on extremely long cables in an ATX standard sized case. The unit boasts a high efficiency of over 82% which may even help you save some money on your electricity bill.
Zalman's new ZM850-HP PSU uses two heatpipes to transfer heat away from the hot components on the PCB to the rear of the unit. The hot air is then exhaust by a slow running 140 mm fan. This design allows Zalman to run their fan much slower than the competition. In the end this results in one of the quietest PSUs we have ever used, especially if you consider the 850W maximum load.
Corsair's brand new VX450W power supply comes with a maximum load of 450W. While this may not sound much it is absolutely sufficient to power most of today's systems. The PSU has a very high efficiency of over 83% which allows the fan to run slower because there is not so much excess heat to get rid of. In our fan noise testing this extremely silent unit leads by a large margin over all other PSUs tested so far.
PC Power and Cooling is without doubt one of the best power supply manufacturers out there. Recently they have been bought by OCZ and we are now seeing the first products which are geared for the masses. The Silencer 750W Quad CF comes with an ATI CrossFire certification and boasts four PCI-E power connectors. In our testing we saw excellent regulation qualities and very high efficiency of up to 82%.
The Silverstone Strider 850W is a power supply designed with gamers in mind. It comes with a modularity feature and allows up to eight PCI-Express video card connectors to be used. As fan a 135mm variant is employed, together with the high efficiency of 80%+ it allows the unit to be very quiet, considering the maximum power output of 850W.
The Thermaltake Toughpower 1200W is a massive power supply that can deliver power to any system you could build or dream of. With a total of 99 amps (!) on four 12V rails it easily exceeds any specifications and should be a good choice for a high-performance system with multiple video cards.
While Mushkin is traditionally a high performance memory manufacturer they also have several power supplies in their lineup. Today we take a look at the Mushkin HP-580AP which offers 580W of power output as the name suggests. For a sub $100 price you get sleeved cables, a modular design and Rail Fusion which keeps your system stable, even if you go beyond the rated maximum load.
OCZ's ProXStream is an extremely capable power supply that offers up to 1000 Watts of output. As you would expect it comes with four PCI-E power connectors and is CrossFire/SLI ready. In our testing we come to the conclusion that this PSU will be able to power any system you could think of while still maintaining stable output voltages at all times.
The be Quiet! Dark Power Pro 750W is a PSU of the next generation. It has four independant 12V rails which can supply 20 Amps each. You can connect up to four PCI-E video card connectors which makes this a great PSU for a GeForce 8800 GTX SLI rig. The power supply uses a modular concept which is a great way to keep the cable mess in your case at a minimum level. With over 30 connectors available this PSU will be able to power all peripherals you may have.
The OCZ EvoStream 600W is a powerful PSU that comes with modular connectors to help you reduce the cable mess in your case. On top of that you get four independent 12V rails that can supply all the power your video cards may ever need. In our testing on a Crossfire system the 12V line was exceptionally stable, making this unit a great choice for overclockers.
The Thermaltake Power Express 250W is a video card power supply specifically designed for the needs of current high-end video cards. When you have an older PSU you may not be able to run Crossfire or SLI because the PSU can not supply enough power for the video cards to run stable. When installed, the Power Express will supply 12V to your video card(s), taking a lot of strain off your main power supply.
The be Quiet Straightpower 700W is a high-quality power supply for power hungry gamers and overclockers. It sports features like two PCI-Express power connectors and an 8-pin CPU power connector. A temperature controlled fan helps keep the system noise level at a minimum. During testing we found out that this PSU's inside is identical to an OCZ PSU.
OCZ is well known for their great overclocking memory. But they also had a PSU product a long time ago. Now the power supply line of products gets a refresh with new products. The first of them is the OCZ GameXStream 700W which is designed with gamers in mind. It is SLI Ready and certified by ATI for use with Crossfire.
The chinese manufacturer Sansun isn't too well known yet, because they are a rather new company. If they continue delivering such solid products, I'm sure that this will change in no time.
For a price for which you often get only a plain and unsleeved power supply, Sansun is giving you dual 12V rails and a modularity feature which is usually found only on much more expensive PSUs. All cables are sleeved as well which helps keep your case look clean. Also the important qualities of a PSU like voltage stability and fan noise look good.
The Thermaltake ToughPower offers 550 watts to satisfy all your power needs. Two 6-pin PCI-Express connectors are available for SLI or Crossfire. On top of that you have four SATA and eight 5.25" connector. Two independent 12V rails can supply a total of 38A. During our testing we saw impressive voltage stability and very small ripple.
MGE targets the extreme gamer/modder niche and the build-your-own mainstream market of PC enthusiasts with this power supply. It features a unique blue anodized design with side windows in the PSU case. A PCI-Express video card connector is available, all cables are sleeved. During our testing we found that the PSU can supply stable clean voltage. Another plus is that the retail price of $60 is quite competitive.
Cooler Master has engineered a great PSU which has a PCI-Express Power connector and can supply 12V from three rails. Most PSUs have only one or two. For the visual aspect there is a Watt Viewer which goes into a drive bay and automatically displays the current power consumption of your computer - without the need of additional software.
Sirtec may not be one of the known big players of the PSU industry, but in fact they are a huge OEM producer of power supplies, for example for Thermaltake and Chieftec. We test Sirtec's 410W unit which offers a beautiful chrome finish and a low-noise fan at a very competitive price.
Thermaltake has put together a nice package consisting of a PSU with modular cables, a 5.25" drive bay real-time Watts Viewer and an additional 120mm case fan.
Today we have a very special PSU on the test bench - it is completely passive. Fortron trusts their design so much that they say a backup fan is not needed.
I was surprised to see the Fortron Sparkle ZEN power our demanding test platform without any load problems. While the electrical noises were definitely annoying, they are only noticable on higher power systems.
Silent and powerful? Is the included CPU HSF worth it?
The 5V and 3.3V lines are exceptionally stable. The 12V line tends to fluctuate a bit, but stayed above 12V at all times. All lines are well within the limits set by the ATX Specification.
