Differential Temperature, Noise and Size/Weight
Differential Temperature and Noise Levels
To simulate real world operation the Thermaltake Toughpower 1,200W power supply was mounted in a modified mid tower case (Lian Li PC60) for testing. Some of the warm exhaust air from the PSU under test is recirculated back into the case, which allows the internal case air temperature to increase with load, just like it would in a real PC. The internal case air temperature is allowed to increase up to 40ºC and then held constant from then on at 40ºC.
The differential temperature across the Toughpower power supply was calculated by subtracting the internal case air temperature (T in) from the temperature of the warm exhaust air flowing out the back of the power supply (T out).
Thermocouples were placed at the air inlet and exhaust outlet. The ambient room air temperature was 23ºC (74ºF) +/- 0.5ºC during testing.
T out = temperature of air exhausting from power supply radiator
T in = temperature of air entering power supply radiator
ΔT = T out – T in
Sound pressure level readings were taken 3’ away from the rear of the power supply in an otherwise quiet room. The ambient noise level was 29 dBA.
The Toughpower 1,200W power supply was very quiet at low to medium power levels and never became what I would consider noisy even at maximum output when supplied with relatively cool room air. Not surprisingly, as the load increased along with the synthetic case air temperature, the fan really ramped up at max load when sucking in 40°C air.
Note: I am not able to take SPL readings at the higher loads due to all the programmable DC load cooling fans running.
Physical Size and Weight
The Thermaltake Toughpower 1,200W power supply unit measures: 150 x 86 x 200mm (W x H x D). This is a little deeper than a standard ATX PSU but not bad for a 1,200W unit.
And last but not least, a basic measure of any ATX power supply is the unit’s overall physical weight. This may seem rather simplistic but it generally holds that more industrial grade components and larger heatsinks equal a better PSU. The following graph illustrates how the Thermaltake 1,200W PSU compares to some other popular power supplies on the market.
(click to enlarge)
I’ve had this PSU for a
I’ve had this PSU for a little over 7 years now, powering my main personal computer. I have never been pushing the limits of its capacities, but for the average loads of my needs it has been the perfect PSU. No hickups, just stable, steady power output over more than 7 years of active (though not 24/7) use, including alot of gaming. It has been feeding from one to three graphics cards through various upgrades over the years, in addition to four case fans (1x120mm, 3x200mm), a core i7 CPU with two additional 140mm fans and 5 hard drives. All this with a minimum of noise. Not for a second have I had any regrets as far as buying this PSU goes, it is, and has been, worth every penny. A well deserved Gold Award!