Home | Forums | Article Search | Subscribe & Shop | Contact Us | Log Out The Power Struggle Email This Print This View My Personal Library Heavy Gear January 2009 • Vol.9 Issue 1 Page(s) 22-25 in print issue Add To My Personal Library The Power Struggle Six PSUs Jump In The Ring Although PC components have as diverse functions as the appendages on your own body, every moving part (both inside your chassis and a human) has an important common denominator: a power source. For you and me, it’s our heart, pumping blood to all our extremities. For a PC, it’s the continuous supply of wattage keeping your PC well-oiled and working. Although the exterior of many PSUs may not be very exciting traditionally, the majority of the units we reviewed buck this trend, thanks to professional-looking finishes and smart design. Our selection might seem a bit willy-nilly due to the varying wattages, but hopefully this broad range will give you some options in terms of PSU enclosures, cable management, and performance. How We Tested We started a system originally assembled by one of CPU’s well-respected contributors, and then we tweaked it just a bit to amp things for the competition. For all our power supplies we utilized the following configuration: Intel Core 2 Quad CPU Q6700 at 2.67GHz, Nvidia GeForce 9600 GT, three SATA hard drives, one optical drive, Nvidia nForce 790i Ultra SLI motherboard, 1GB Crucial Ballistix DDR3-1,333, and a Dell 3007WFP 30-inch display, all running on Windows Vista. For our single 1,000W+ PSU, the Topower PowerBird 1100 B1, we added an additional GForce 9600 GT. We placed everything inside the Thermaltake Armor+ Super Tower. This model comes equipped with clear side panels and features a monstrous 230mm fan opposite the motherboard. There wasn’t an overwhelming amount of room for uncomplicated cable management, but we welcomed the challenge during each installation. To stress the four cores, we simultaneously ran four trials of Prime95 for two consecutive hours. We also looped 3D Mark06 at 1,920 x 1,440 (the highest the system could sustain) for the same stretch of time while playing a CD on repeat. PC Power & Cooling Silencer 500 $99.99 PC Power & Cooling www.pcpower.com CPU Rating: 4 In May 2007, we reviewed three PSUs from PCP&C: the Silencer 750 EPS12V Quad, Turbo-Cool 1KW SR, and Silencer 610 EPS12V. (See “High-End PSUs” on page 66 for reviews of the Silencer 750 EPS12V Quad and Turbo-Cool 1KW SR; see “Baring The Midrange” on page 71 for a review of the Silencer 610 EPS12V.) In our April 2008 issue, we tested two more of their units: the Turbo-Cool 1200 and Turbo-Cool 860. (See “PSU Showdown” on page 19.) All of these garnered a CPU rating of 4 or better; as far as we’re concerned, there’s no reason to give the Silencer 500 anything less. The Silencer 500 mimics the design of the Silencer 610, appropriately, with ventilation on the sides and an 80mm fan at the rear. However, it’s quite a bit shorter in length. The 500 heated things up on the inside but never buckled during its two-hour test run. Further, the efficiency rating clocks in at 82%. PC&C claims that its low-turbulence circuitry cuts down on the noise by up to 90%, in contrast to the Turbo-Cool 860. The black matte finish is utilitarian enough to mask any scratches it may have acquired during installation. The malleable sleeving never restricted us from manipulating cables within the chassis. If you want stability without too much flash, you can consider the Silencer 500 your next power investment. (The five-year warranty is a plus, too.) Chieftec APS-600C $119.95 Chieftec www.chieftec.com CPU Rating: 4 Chieftec’s extensive A135 series, touting “efficient energy,” offers eight power supplies ranging from 500 to 850W. We received the midrange APS-600C, characterized by a modest coal-colored finish and a ginormous 140mm fan. Appropriately, this unit stayed relatively cool during its test run. After we shut down Prime95, the CPU temp remained unusually low, comparatively. We recorded the power factor at 0.979; the max wattage topped out at 270W. The APS-600C comes with a bundled modular cable set. Compared to the modularization on the PowerBird 1100 B1, the connectors are less densely packed, but you’re sacrificing some watts, naturally. Each molex connector features “annoyance-free tabs” for squeeze-and-pull functionality (for more details, see the Everest 900, later). You’ll want to follow the connectors chart to properly insert the modular cables. Although it comes with a short two-year warranty, the APS-600C proves to be a reliable, affordable, and well-designed PSU in the middle of the A135 line. Topower PowerBird 1100 BI $269 Topower www.topower.com CPU Rating: 4 On multiple occasions, I’ve called the PowerBird 1100 B1 a “beast” because of its obvious dominance in size and cabling options, not to mention the classy mirrored coating. Topower says the casing also incorporates nanotechnology to shield EMI. Our Topower rep says that the PowerBird’s construction is better than pure-grade metal and produces less interference. This PSU makes you pay attention to its modular cable organization. No leads are hardwired. Using the Connector Definition chart next to the modular interface helps you pair each lead with the right cable. There’s a mix and match of cables. Five are sleeved in rubber, while the other seven sport a stretchable nylon weave. The cables were easy to move about the case, although it was quite cramped around the leads. With six sets of 12V rails, the PowerBird is both SLI- and CrossFire-certified. Specifically, the PowerBird can support two GeForce GTX 260 GPUs. Like we mentioned earlier, we changed to a dual-GPU configuration by adding the Nvidia 9600 GT. The PowerBird passed the standard torture test with a solid performance. In light of our analysis, it should be capable of handling a more substantial system. Antec EarthWatts 500 $89.99 Antec www.antec.com CPU Rating: 3.5 Antec has gone green with its line of efficient PSUs, which includes 380-, 430-, 500-, and 650-watt units. The EarthWatts 500 is basic because it wants to be that way; it’s designed to provide ecofriendly power for your system. The casing is essentially a gray metal box, equipped with a sleeved motherboard lead, standard cabling, and an 80mm fan. Although this architecture is all about saving on construction, we stretched some connectors to the max inside our tower. Antec is really pushing the 80 Plus certification. This efficiency rating covers any conditions between 20 and 100% of load so as to reduce heat and extend the life of the PSU. Suffice to say, the EarthWatts 500 is durable and delivers in terms of power regulation. We didn’t detect any noise pollution, either. Overall, this model is about function over form. If you don’t mind sacrificing aesthetic appeal (and some wattage) for green power, you won’t even have to drop a Benjamin for this one. FSP Everest 900 $219.99 FSP www.fspgroupusa.com CPU Rating: 3.5 The FSP Everest 900 will really excite you if you’re a fan of accessories and a variety of colors. At first glance (once you’ve inserted all the modular cables), you’ll notice the detail in the selection of red and blue mesh sheathing around the PCI-E cables. Additionally, the clear fan lets you see almost every interior component. Because removing Molex connectors from the case can be a real pain sometimes, we appreciate that FSP includes what’s called “Smart Molex” tabs on the ends of each molex connector. When you press both tabs, you can yank it out of its socket with only a little leverage. Being CrossFire- and SLI-certified, the Everest 900 is certified for two Radeon HD X2900s (or better) or 8800 Ultras/GTXes. It’s compliant with Intel Core 2 and AMD Athlon 64 CPUs. The Everest also boasts quad 4-Channel 12V rails. We mentioned accessories because the Everest 900 includes a carrying pouch for unused connectors, Velcro bundling straps, and extra screws. Aside from this bonus, the unit stands out as a great “showcase” PSU to add to your already impressive (and colorful) rig. FSP Blue Storm II 500 $89.99 FSP www.fspgroupusa.com CPU Rating: 3.5 The Blue Storm II 500 also claims to be good for the environment, owing to its efficiency rating of 80 to 85% (maximum). With a full-range, active PFC, this PSU is intended to be highly effective in terms of energy savings. According to FSP, the Blue Storm switches to energy-saving mode when in standby. In addition, the casing is thermal coated, and the fan features heat moderation control. FSP also added a mesh grille for even more airflow. If you’re really into modular PSUs, you probably won’t appreciate the Blue Storm’s simple design. Even so, you will find the Smart Molex mechanisms on the Blue Storm’s power connectors. You could consider this model a bargain at $89.99; it has less flash but should appeal to the eco-conscious. Keeping It Real Choosing a PSU should be based on how the unit can handle real-world conditions. We took this fact into consideration when deciding on components. Consequently, all of our systems were consistently stable and didn’t randomly reboot. No components failed because of heat-related issues, though a couple of PSUs did heat up (as expected). If you’re enthused about PSUs, you’ve probably already decided which unit you prefer. Even so, keep in mind that green power is springing up everywhere. Although you’ll ultimately burn less juice in the end, this feature seems to be characteristic of midrange models currently, such as the EarthWatts 500 and the BlueStorm II 500. Modular is becoming much more convenient, as well, so we recommend power supplies with detachable leads, including the PowerBird 1100 and the Chieftec APS-600C, if you’d like to avoid untangling the traditional bundle. by Joanna Safford Mighty Morphin’ Power Booster OK, the FSP Booster X5 doesn’t exactly have morphing capabilities, but it may prompt you to shout, “Go, go, power booster!” If your current PSU no longer supports the powerful system you’ve pieced together, you can take advantage of a supplemental PSU such as the Booster X5 450W Plus. For starters, the X5 rates at 85% efficiency with a lifespan of 50,000 hours. Like its sister model, the 300W Booster X3, the X5 can supply extra power to up to two graphics cards. The two 6+2 pin connectors deliver wattage to compatible cards. Since this component isn’t self-sufficient, there’s one molex port designed for the primary PSU. Cooling relies on dual 40mm, self-contained fans that operate on each side of the large LED “X” emblazoned on the front. If you want to match this feature to the color of your chassis, you can choose from a few fluorescent colors to complement the “X”. A power booster is an efficient addition to any PC with lackluster performance. The X5 is no exception. And to that we say, “Mastodon!” Booster X5 450W Plus $99.99 FSP www.fspgroupusa.com CPU Rating: 3.5 Specs Showdown We've compiled this chart to help you compare the performance of each PSU side-by-side. You'll also note other features and pricing at the bottom. Any information labeled as "N/A" was submitted by manufacturers as such, or no specification was made available. "Cable side" denotes from which side the primary cable channel protrudes. PSU location assumes mounting in a standard tower case; "fan" indicates that the cables are nearest to the panel opposite the motherboard, and "plug" means cables reside closest to the motherboard tray. When measuring the cable length, we folded the cable harness against the side of the PSU and determined its length by how much the cable still extended after it was restricted (simulating a typical, cramped case). Manufactuer (per UL File #) is the original manufacturer name. Click here to view comparison chart  User Reviews Be the first to write a review of this product Want more information about a topic you found of interest while reading this article? Type a word or phrase that identifies the topic and click "Search" to find relevant articles from within our editorial database. 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