2003 Power Supply Roundup Part II: Better Faster Cheaper
by Kristopher Kubicki on July 31, 2003 1:58 PM EST- Posted in
- Cases/Cooling/PSUs
ThermalTake sent us their PurePower 420W APFC for our last power supply roundup<link>, but it could not keep up with Enermax and Antec. The 480W PurePower supply is a little more powerful than the previous one we looked at, so we have slightly higher expectations.
Like Antec’s TrueControl, the ThermalTake PurePower looks like a very different power supply than the original 420W power supply from several months ago. Also like the TrueControl, this power supply comes with a forward fan control. There is no ability to control the fan speed of the fans connected to the unit, but the control does allow manipulation of the onboard fans. Interestingly enough, the PurePower 480W comes with 2 different control panels, (one gold, and one silver). If you happen to prefer one color over another, ThermalTake allows you to choose one instead of another.
The ThermalTake PurePower 480W includes on SATA connection. Most serial ATA hard drives come with SATA adaptors anyway, but it is good to see some manufacturers anticipating the mainstream adoption of the technology. We continue to expect more power supplies to come with these connectors.
Wattages
|
|
3.3V |
5V |
12V |
-12 |
-5 |
+5vsb |
combined theoretical |
actual combined |
advertised total |
|
ThermalTake PurePower 480W |
99.00 |
200.00 |
216.00 |
9.60 |
1.50 |
10.00 |
299.00 |
240.00 |
480.00 |
The PurePower 480W wattages are well rounded for either an Intel or AMD system. One thing to note is that the combined +3.3V/+5.0V wattages are very high at 240W. There is plenty of muscle in this power supply for an AMD or Intel system.
The ThermalTake PurePower 480W is a moderately priced power supply, about $74. However, considering the 420W PurePower cost $110 last year, we can tell that ThermalTake is making progress in producing a better product for lesser cost.
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Anonymous User - Saturday, August 2, 2003 - link
#11, yes P=IxV, but the power ratings in the table were obviously taken from manufacturers' data rather than actual measurements, which is why when any power rating for any of the positive voltages is divided by that voltage, the quotient exactly equals an integer. That would not be a problem if all manufacturers applied identical standards to their specifications, but many computer users have learned that this isn't the case.Anonymous User - Saturday, August 2, 2003 - link
Perhaps you could include a Q-Tec PSU in the next review? They retail here in Sweden at about 60% of the price of corresponding Enermax and other high quality units, so assuming they aren't totally lousy they're very cheap.Anonymous User - Friday, August 1, 2003 - link
I agree with #15. Definitely take a look at the PC Power and Cooling 400w Silencer PSU. I own two of these units and they're very high quality with reasonably low noise.Anonymous User - Friday, August 1, 2003 - link
Enlight power supplies are always being excluded from these PSU comparsions. I have a Enlight 360W PSU and it's very stable and very quiet. Test some Enlight PSUs!Anonymous User - Friday, August 1, 2003 - link
I appreciated the comments concerning AMD users, but what I really need is some sort of guidance on AMD processor speed vs combined power or 3.3V rail current for upgrading older systems. Many older cases have limited power supplies and I'm trying to figure out the fastest processor I can install and still have reliable operation. Example: A 300 watt supply with 25A of 3.3V can only support up to a Athlon 1600+ on an ECS K7S5A Pro or a 350 watt with a combined power of 200W can support up to 2200+. Oh, and forget that old 250 watt power supply altogether. I need something like that... yeah, I know: your mileage may vary, void where prohibited by law, no watts were endangered in the making of this article.....:-)Anonymous User - Friday, August 1, 2003 - link
Next time you guys might want to check out the PC P&C Silencer 400. It's built just as heavily as the Turbo Cool but with a quieter fan.Anonymous User - Friday, August 1, 2003 - link
Hey guys, im sure 1 or 2 of you resistorheads are an ee or will soon be one.. ripple and noise are only part of a good pwr supply.. we need the facts... how many watts do these power supplies really put out. how do they respond with a big load.. will they take an overload.. how well are they protected...thats what i wanna read aboutMIDIman - Friday, August 1, 2003 - link
WOW - excellent review. I'm getting a zalman for my silent box.Nice to see you guys pumping out articles quickly again! Thanks!
idenyit - Friday, August 1, 2003 - link
hey just wondering the allied A400ATX hows that compare with the B400ATX thats offered on newegg? any differences?Anonymous User - Friday, August 1, 2003 - link
#10, doesnt P=IV? The Power and Voltage measurements were given.