Efficiency

Using the efficiency results from the previous page, we plotted a chart showing efficiency of the V1000 at low loads and at loads equal to 20-110% of the PSU's maximum-rated load.



At low loads, the V1000 outperforms many Platinum units, and this is nothing less than impressive given that its efficiency is Gold. However, the Platinum units take their revenge at normal loads, with the V1000 still registering a very high overall efficiency score close to the Platinum competition.

Efficiency at Low Loads

In the next tests, we measured the efficiency of the V1000 at loads much lower than 20% of its maximum rated load (the lowest load that the 80 Plus Standard measures). The loads that we dialed were 40-, 60-, 80-, and 100 W (for PSUs with over 500 W of capacity). This is important for settings where the PC is in idle mode with power saving turned on.


Efficiency at low loads is amazing! The fact that this unit has 1 kW capacity and is only Gold rated, not Platinum, makes its performance here even more significant. Seasonic did wonders with this platform and managed to drastically restrict heat/energy dissipation at very low loads.

5VSB Efficiency

The ATX spec states that the 5VSB standby supply's efficiency should be as high as possible and recommends 50% or higher efficiency with 100 mA of load, 60% or higher with 250 mA of load, and 70% or higher with 1 A or more of load.

We will take four measurements: one at 100, 250, and 1000 mA each, and one with the full load that the 5VSB rail can handle.


The 5VSB rail is highly efficient, surely matching the overall performance of the PSU. Efficiency easily surpassed the 80% mark with our last test, something not often seen on this rail.

Power Consumption in Idle & Standby

In the table below, you will find the power consumption and the voltage values of all rails (except -12V) when the PSU is in idle mode (powered on but without any load on its rails) and the power consumption when the PSU is in standby mode (without any load at 5VSB).


Vampire power is low, much lower than the requirements of the ErP Lot 6 2013 directive.

Fan RPM, Delta Temperature and Output Noise

The cooling fan's speed (RPMs) and the delta difference between input and output temperature are illustrated in the following chart. The following results were obtained at 38-45°C ambient.



A chart that shows the cooling fan's speed (RPMs) and the output noise follows. We measure the fan's noise from 1 meter away—inside a small custom-made anechoic chamber with internals that are completely covered in specialized soundproofing material (Be Quiet! Noise Absorber Kit) . Background noise inside the anechoic chamber was below 30 dBA during testing, and the results were obtained with the PSU operating at 38-45°C ambient.



The following graph illustrates the fan's output noise throughout the entire operating range of the PSU. The same conditions of the above graph apply to our measurements, but the ambient in this case was between 28°C and 30°C.



At normal ambient, the fan operates at low speed until it utilizes about 750 W which makes the V1000 ideal for users that want a really quiet PSU.