Computer power supplies $100 and up are pretty much all good enough. But as they say, there is no limit to perfection, PSU manufacturers continue to amaze with interesting know-how, both external design and internal circuitry. We have selected five expensive, but in many ways innovative PSUs, including models with a senior 80 PLUS Titanium energy efficiency certificate. Among them there is even one completely fanless.
Chieftec Photon is a power supply with semi-modular cables (processor and motherboard fixed, the rest are removable) and a glowing fan. Moreover, they did not save on the turntable: the 12 cm creation of Hong Hua is built on a durable hydrodynamic bearing and can be synchronized with the motherboard using a 5-volt connector. Compatibility with ASUS Aura, Gigabyte Fusion, MSI Mystic and ASRock Polychrome is officially declared, but most likely it will work with Biostar Vivid.
The circuitry of the power supply is relatively simple: the Sirfa platform (other Chieftec models usually use CWT) with old-school group stabilization, which provides an efficiency of 85%. Group stabilization is no longer able to give a higher efficiency. The high voltage capacitor is Taiwanese Teapo at 85 degrees Celsius. Moreover, in order to reduce the cost, the product did not pass the official 80 PLUS certification. But 85% efficiency is about the same as the Bronze certification.
Pros : RGB sync fan, semi-modular cables.
Cons : No official 80 PLUS certification.
The FSP Hydro G Pro is a fully modular PSU with flat wire noodles, 90% efficiency officially confirmed by 80 PLUS Gold certification, and, most interestingly, a moisture-proof conformal coating of the printed circuit board and electronic components. This allows the PSU to work even in conditions of high humidity up to 95%. For example, in industrial production or just in a marine climate.
Based on FSP’s own design and production circuitry. FSP is, in principle, one of the largest OEM manufacturers of PSU electronics for other brands, such as be quiet! and gigabyte. The platform is already on progressive separate DC-DC stabilization, with a powerful Single Rail +12 V solid line. A Japanese Hitachi high-voltage capacitor at 105 ° C, and a Protechnic Electric fan on an FDB bearing. A dedicated button on the case allows you to switch to semi-passive cooling mode.
Pros : Moisture-proof conformal coating, semi-passive cooling.
Cons : The price is close to Platinum-certified PSU.
Fractal Design Ion+ 2 Platinum is a fully modular and semi-passive power supply with 80 PLUS Platinum energy efficiency certification (up to 94% efficiency). It has two 4+4-pin connectors, which allows you to connect a Workstation motherboard with two processors. Cables are made very soft and pliable Ultra Flex, thanks to the use of a large number of the finest copper strands. High Power development circuitry, and Japanese Rubycon capacitor.
The fan is branded Fractal Design Dynamic GP with a diameter of 14 cm and with a hydrodynamic bearing for 100,000 hours of uptime. Moreover, thanks to Zero RPM technology, the fan does not rotate at low load on the PSU (in the hot season, you can activate constant light airflow). All things considered, the Ion+ 2 Platinum comes with a 10-year warranty. In length, the PSU turned out to be quite compact – only 15 cm, already taking into account the protruding connectors of the modular cables.
Pros : Soft Ultra Flex cables, quiet 14cm fan.
Cons : Overpaying if you are not building a dual processor PC.
Seasonic PRIME Fanless TX is a series of PSUs with fully passive cooling up to 700W. There is no fan inside at all, which is clearly visible through the abundant perforation. As, however, there are no large passive radiators – only small aluminum plates, as in a conventional power source. All thanks to the highest energy efficiency certificate to date, 80 PLUS Titanium, which means 96% efficiency. By comparison, a 700W bronze PSU puts out 105W of waste heat, while a titanium PSU puts out only 28W.
Circuitry in PRIME Fanless TX own design and production by Seasonic. In general, Seasonic has been a major innovator in the PSU market for several decades now. It was she who at one time was the first to make an adjustable fan speed in the PSU, active reactive power correction Active PFC, and the first to certify the entire model range of her PSU 80 PLUS. PRIME Fanless TX has another honorary certificate – the maximum silence of Cybenetics A ++.
Pros : No fan at all, 80+ Titanium and Cybenetics A++ certified.
Cons : Significantly more expensive than models with semi-passive cooling.
be quiet! Dark Power Pro 12 is a series of German power supplies up to 1.5 kW. The length is an extended 20 cm, this does not include modular cable connectors, which should be considered when choosing a case for assembling a PC. The body of the PSU is not made of steel, but of aluminum. A fine dust filter is used instead of the typical wide slot air intake grille. The fan is represented by the branded be quiet! Silent Wings on hydraulic bearings, frameless design and aerodynamic grooves on the blades.
But all the most interesting in Dark Power Pro 12, of course, is “under the hood”. This is a half-bridge digital voltage regulation LLC. A similar Load-line Calibration technology is used, for example, in motherboards to optimize the voltage on processor cores. In addition, an Overclocking Key switch is provided to combine six 12V sub-lines into one single heavy-duty line to power an extremely overclocked CPU or graphics card.
Pros : LLC digital voltage regulation, Overclocking Key switch.
Cons : Will not fit in every computer case.
