Seasonic Super Silencer 350 watt and 460 watt Power Supplies

There are four power supplies available in Seasonic’s Super Silencer line: 300 watt, 350 watt, 400 watt and 460 watt models.  Not surprisingly, from the outside the only apparent difference between our 350 watt and 460 watt review samples is the name plate.  But what I did find surprising was that on the inside they also appear almost identical.  Upon closer inspection I noted the 460 had a few slightly larger components (heatsink, capacitor and fuse) and an extra capacitor that the 350 doesn’t have.

It turns out the major difference between the four models is just the 12 VDC section.  The 12 VDC output increases with each larger model but the +3.3 V, +5.0 V, -12 V and 5 VSB outputs stay the same.  Seasonic also decided to eliminate the unused -5 VDC output, which has been removed from the ATX12V rev. 1.3 guidelines.  (Some older ISA cards used -5 VDC.)

Three Seasonic ATX Power Supplies Reviewed - Cases and Cooling 61

Three Seasonic ATX Power Supplies Reviewed - Cases and Cooling 62

 

Three Seasonic ATX Power Supplies Reviewed - Cases and Cooling 63

 

Next we have a couple of pictures of the Super Silencer 350 with the cover removed.

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Three Seasonic ATX Power Supplies Reviewed - Cases and Cooling 65

(Seasonic Super Silencer 350 — click to enlarge)

 

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Three Seasonic ATX Power Supplies Reviewed - Cases and Cooling 67

Three Seasonic ATX Power Supplies Reviewed - Cases and Cooling 68

The Super Silencer 460 looks almost identical to the 350 except for a few slightly larger components and an additional capacitor.  The only real difference between the 350 and 460 is the increased amperage capacity on the +12 VDC output.  The Super Silencer 350 is rated at a maximum 19 Amps output while the Super Silencer 460 increases the +12 V rail to a maximum output of 25 Amps.

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Three Seasonic ATX Power Supplies Reviewed - Cases and Cooling 70

(Seasonic Super Silencer 460 — click to enlarge)

As I mentioned before, the two Super Silencer units are very similar both inside and out.  Here are a few pictures of the two units, side-by-side for comparison.

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Three Seasonic ATX Power Supplies Reviewed - Cases and Cooling 72

(Seasonic Super Silencer 350 and 460 — click to enlarge)

The Super Silencer 350 and 460 incorporate the same 80 mm rear mounted, variable speed, ball bearing exhaust fan.  The Superred fan is made by Cheng Home Electronics (CHA8012CB-A) and is rated for a maximum airflow of 37.8 CFM at 3,000 RPM. 

The fan uses soft rubber mounts between the fan housing and power supply case to dampen vibrations and reduce noise.  The fan speed is temperature controlled.  Under relatively light loads the fan spins at around 1,500 RPM and is very quiet — virtually inaudible.  As the PSU load (and internal temperatures) increases, the fan speeds up and can become quite noticeable.

 

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