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As we said a couple of months ago, the latest Seasonic S12G range of power supplies are designed to target the mainstream enthusiast audience.
Seasonic are trying hard to keep the pricing down, while not compromising on the component selection inside. The retail price of the S12G-450 is around the £55 inc vat mark. Being able to buy a quality unit from Seasonic at less than £60 is certainly welcomed.
Many people think that they need a 750W or greater power supply. Even in 2014, we see a lot of people buying the highest wattage power supply they can find, rather than placing a focus on the quality of the unit itself. This really is a big mistake. Trust us when we say that an Intel or AMD system built around an R9 270X doesn't need a 1250 watt power supply. Even if you want to buy another later, for Crossfire.
Unless you are using multiple high level graphics cards in Crossfire or Sli (or a dual GPU card such as the AMD HD7990) then a quality 450W is often more than enough. Several of our Core i5 and Core i7 overclocked systems, featuring a R9 280X/GTX770 or similar, will often demand between 300-350 watts under gaming load.
Technically we have no concerns with the S12G-450 power supply. It is rock solid and delivered around 530 watts before safely shutting down. Seasonic are known to over specify their power supplies, which offers additional reassurance.
Load regulation is also noteworthy, and the fan never emits enough noise to become intrusive. Ripple suppression is also excellent, falling well within the industry rated guidelines. Seasonic use high grade 105C capacitors in both primary and secondary stages, ideal for long term reliability, especially in warm environments.
The only major downside to the S12G range of power supplies is that they are non modular. Modular cabling adds cost however, so it makes sense for Seasonic to hard wire the cabling as they work hard to reduce consumer pricing. Thankfully Seasonic have adopted flat ribbon cables, although if you are working inside a space restricted case with poor routing capabilities then you may want to look at one of their more expensive modular designs.
If you are building a new system and want a rock solid power supply without spending a fortune, then the Seasonic S12G-450 deserves serious consideration. At only £55 inc vat, it really is going to prove difficult to beat.
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Pros:
- competitive price point.
- built with 105c capacitors both on primary and secondary stages.
- 80 Plus Gold
- delivered 530 watts+
- quiet
- excellent ripple suppression.
Cons:
- Not modular.
Kitguru says: If you are happy routing additional cables then the S12G-450 is a fantastic power supply, built to a competitive price point.
