Introduction and Features
Seasonic’s new flagship power supply line.
Introduction
Sea Sonic Electronics Co., Ltd has been designing and building PC power supplies since 1981 and they are one of the most highly respected manufacturers in the world. Not only do they market power supplies under their own name but they are the OEM for numerous big name brands. One of their latest power supply offerings is the new PRIME Ultra Titanium Series, which currently includes four models: 650W, 750W, 850W and 1000W. Seasonic has tweaked their current PRIME Titanium lineup to create the new Ultra Series.
The PRIME Ultra Series power supplies incorporate top-notch components and have been designed to deliver the highest level of electrical performance. They feature Titanium level efficiency (80 Plus Organizations highest rating), fully modular cables, and they come backed by a 12-year warranty! We will be taking a detailed look at the new PRIME Ultra 850W Titanium power supply in this review, which Seasonic had shipped to us directly from amazon.com.
The PRIME Ultra Series builds upon the PRIME Titanium platform by delivering extremely tight voltage regulation on the three primary rails (+3.3V, +5V and +12V) and providing superior AC ripple and noise suppression with an extended hold-up time. They feature an new super-quiet, low-speed 135mm cooling fan with a Fluid Dynamic Bearing and come with Seasonic’s premium Hybrid Fan Control that offers fanless operation at low to mid power. The PRIME Ultra Series power supplies also include SATA 3.3 adapters with support for the “power disable” (PWDIS) feature of some newer, high-capacity HDD, a PSU tester, and flexible cables without the little built-in filter capacitors found on previous models.
Seasonic PRIME Ultra Titanium Series PSU Key Features:
• 1000W, 850W, 750W or 650W continuous DC output
• Ultra-high efficiency, 80 PLUS Titanium certified
• Micro-Tolerance Load Regulation (MTLR)
• Top-quality 135mm Fluid Dynamic Bearing fan
• Premium Hybrid Fan Control (allows fanless operation at low power)
• Superior AC ripple and noise suppression (under 20 mV)
• Extended Hold-up time (above 30 ms)
• Fully modular cabling design (without line capacitors)
• Multi-GPU technologies supported
• Gold-plated high-current terminals
• SATA 3.3 adapters (PWDIS)
• Included PSU tester supports quick and easy testing before installation
• Protections: OPP,OVP,UVP,SCP,OCP and OTP
• 12-Year Manufacturer’s warranty
Here is what Seasonic has to say about the PRIME power supply line: “The creation of the PRIME Series is a renewed testimony of Sea Sonic’s determination to push the limits of power supply design in every aspect. This elegant-looking, exclusive lineup of new products will include 80 Plus Titanium – in the range of 650W to 850W, and Platinum-Gold-rated units in the range of 850W to 1200W, with excellent electrical characteristics, top-level components and fully modular cabling.
Seasonic employs the most efficient manufacturing methods, uses the best materials and works with most reliable suppliers to produce reliable products. The PRIME Series layout, revolutionary manufacturing solutions and solid design attest to the highest level of ingenuity of Seasonics’s engineers and product developers. Demonstrating confidence in its power supplies, Seasonic stands out in the industry by offering PRIME Series a generous 10-year manufacturer’s warranty period.
The PRIME Titanium Series is Seasonic’s flagship line of power supplies that was developed on the foundations of more than forty years of Seasonic engineering knowledge. Its ultra-high efficiency and outstanding performance are the fine results of Seasonic’s continuous commitment to innovation and advancement. Improved low-load efficiency and highly suppressed ripple and noise are just some of the characteristics that set this series apart from other power supplies on the market.
The PRIME Ultra family; top-notch Seasonic design shines through this modern power supply technology, where high level components are assembled into an optimal circuit design to guarantee the highest level of electrical performance.
The PRIME 850 Titanium achieves 80 PLUS® Titanium certification, where efficiency is 94 % at 50 % load. This leading member of the series boasts an improved DC to DC converter design where pins and a copper plate replace cables to connect the back panel and the PCB for increased efficiency. Fully modular cabling makes this power supply one of the most versatile high-end choices for PC enthusiasts.”
Nice Review. I always enjoy
Nice Review. I always enjoy the details. : )
One question though. Are there any companies that are selling PSU’s in the 700-900 Watt range, that have a better efficiency than Titanium ?
Dell was supposedly the first to get Titanium on the market, but I was wondering if there’s a company that has been bold, and put a product that is beyond Titanium+ ?
Personally, I want the most efficient PSU possible, because of high room temps, due to climate of my country.
Thank you – we are glad you
Thank you – we are glad you enjoy the reviews! Currently, within the 80 Plus Orginaization certification criteria, Titanium is the highest rating. Keep in mind that this is a minimum specification and a vendor can always produce a product that exceeds the criteria (even better efficiency). For example, if Seasonic came out with a new Super Ultra PSU that achieved 98% efficiency it would still be labelled a Titanium unit.
Thanks for the response Lee.
Thanks for the response Lee. : )
Do you know of any PSU’s that meet the criteria that you mentioned ?
I thought you would be best to ask, because your company probably sees tons of titanium PSU’s, and maybe you remember the literally best % efficiency PSU.
I would be very interested in buying a PSU that exceeds Titanium Standards.
If you can’t remember any, that’s alright, Titanium is great for now, but I’m always looking for better.
I have high temperatures where my PC sits, so every % point of efficiency, makes a big difference to me.
No, I am not aware of any ATX
No, I am not aware of any ATX PSUs that operate up to 98% efficiency – sorry. Most of the "Titanium" series PSUs I have tested in the last year peak at about 94% efficiency.
If you really want to optomize the efficiency of your PC, make sure you match the PSU to the actual load your PC is pulling. For example in this review, the efficiency of the PRIME Ultra 850W Titanium peaks at about 60% load. Ideally you should measure the actual load of your PC with an inexpensive AC watt meter and then select a PSU that has a peak efficiency around that load. An 850W PSU would be ideal for a PC that draws 450~550W. Hope this helps.
Cooler Masters Made in Japan
Cooler Masters Made in Japan 1200W unit exceeds Titanium standards.
That being said, why do you need such high efficiency? 80 Plus ratings are a scam and youre better off with a bronze unit thats high quality than some arbitrarily 80 plus titanium rated thing.
Ya why would anyone want to
Ya why would anyone want to know what efficiency to expect with a shiny marketing sticker. I mean like c’mon the bronze is good enough for gaming right but it is just arbitrary anyways. Who cares I can get a 300W supply for like 15 bucks 80 plus standards are such a sham.
How long is a power supply
How long is a power supply run at say, 450w to test the temperature of air coming out and noise?
We test a PSU for 30 minutes
We test a PSU for 30 minutes at each load point to let temperatures equilibrate.
I bought a Prime Titanium 650
I bought a Prime Titanium 650 about 8 months ago. What makes this new model any different?
For example, it says: “The PRIME Ultra Series builds upon the PRIME Titanium platform by delivering extremely tight voltage regulation on the three primary rails (+3.3V, +5V and +12V) and providing superior AC ripple and noise suppression with an extended hold-up time.”
Does that mean the Ultra has better voltage regulation, AC ripple and noise suppression? They’re both Titanium rated, so should have the same basic specs.
Then we get this “informative” blurb: “This leading member of the series boasts an improved DC to DC converter design where pins and a copper plate replace cables to connect the back panel and the PCB for increased efficiency.”
Does that mean the original Prime DOESN’T have pins and a copper plate?
The packaging looks exactly the same as the one I got, and there is no Ultra marking on the box.
Help me out here…
From their website: ‘Each
From their website: ‘Each PRIME Ultra Series power supply will also ship with a SATA 3.3 adapter to support the “Power Disable” (PWDIS) feature of the newer, high-capacity hard drives. The inline capacitors on the cables were removed, which takes away the bulkiness inside the system. To maximize flexibility, the 180-degree SATA connectors ensuring more flexibility and easier installation.’
The new “Ultra” series
The new "Ultra" series incorporates minor tweaks to the basic PRIME Titanium platform. The features the reader above pointed out are the most obvious external differences. Internally the new Ultra series appears virtually identical – Seasonic doesn't say what minor tweaks they may have made to the circuit design, but I'm guessing they are minor as the PRIME Titanium was already a VERY GOOD platform. I believe the earlier PRIME Titanium units (without the Ultra name) also had the pins & plate. Seasonic is just pointing this out as an included feature. If you have a PRIME Titanium PSU you don't need to worry about missing out on any big improvements. As far as basic performance parameters, I have seen no real difference between the original PRIME Titanium and the new Ultra models: same great efficiency, voltage regulation, AC ripple suppression, etc.!