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Today we look at the latest Seasonic S12G 750W power supply, a new 80 Plus Gold design using top grade Japanese components. This is the highest output model in the new Seasonic range, alongside a 450W, 550W and 650W unit. Seasonic are gunning for the mass market enthusiast audience, aiming at an estimated price around €100. The new S12G range isn't modular, however Seasonic have achieved an 80 Plus Gold rating, and offer a substantial 5 year warranty with each unit. Is it worth the money?
Seasonic told us that ‘The S12G Series is the newest addition to Seasonic's families of retail products. The S12G Series is designed to support Intel’s Haswell processors, features standard all in one cabling with more SATA cables and is an affordable solution for a wide range of applications. It meets the demands of users who are looking for reliable 80 PLUS Gold performance for gaming and overall usage.”
Special Features:
- DC to DC converter Design
- Conductive Polymer Aluminum Solid Capacitors
- Highly reliable 105c Aluminum Electrolytic Capacitors.
- Smart and Silent Fan Control (S2FC)
- Active Power Factor Correction (up to 99%)
- Ample +12V Output
- 120mm Ball Bearing Cooling Fan
- Multi-GPU Technology Support
- Ultra Ventilation (Honeycomb Structure)
- Gold Plated High Current Terminals
- Soft Rubber Mounting Cushions
- Universal AC Input (Full Range)
- 5 Years Warranty
The Seasonic S12G ships in a nicely coloured blue box with the power supply highlighted bottom right, alongside some specifications and other details.
Inside, the power supply is protected between soft foam pieces, which will offer a high level of protection during shipping.
Inside, is a small multi language user manual, regional specific power cable, mounting screws and various cable ties.
As we mentioned earlier in the review this is a non modular design. All the cables are hardwired into the back of the chassis. They are all flat ribbon style cables, except for the main power 20/24P connector.
The S12G 750W resides at the top of the power output range and is equipped with no less than 10 SATA connectors and four 6+2 pin PCIe connectors, to support high end dual card Crossfire and SLi systems. All of the cables are long length, including the EPS12V/ATX12V connector which measures 650mm.
The S12G 750W is finished to the high standards we expect from Seasonic. It is certainly plain, but it will suit a variety of system builds. All of the cables are hardwired into the chassis – which helps pass on a lower cost to the end user.
The unit passed our screwdriver stress test. This involves running a Philip's head screwdriver down the side of the chassis with weak to modest pressure. After all, how often have you accidentally hit a power supply with some tools during a system test phase?
A large 120mm fan can be seen behind a plain black cooling grill. There is no company branding in the middle of the fan which follows the new style we have seen with recent Seasonic power supplies reviewed this year.
One side of the S12G has a honeycomb style vent to aid with the cooling process. Next to this is a Seasonic sticker, a power switch and connector.
The S12G 750W can deliver 62Amps on the +12V output for 744W of the total power output.
Seasonic are using an ADDA AD1212HB-A70GL fan in this unit – they are a Chinese brand. This is a 120mm ball bearing fan rated to 75CFM at 42dBa. Fan speeds are rated up to 2,200rpm. As the S12G is a 80 Plus Gold certified power supply we wouldn't expect the fan to spin at these speeds, even under extreme duress.
The build quality is excellent and the overall design is very similar to the G Series units we have tested in the past. Obviously there is no modular PCB on one side of the chassis. Soldering quality on the main PCB is also at a very high standard.
The non modular cables are sleeved into the chassis, and tied down in multiple places to protect them against fraying.
Filter starts with an X cap, four Y caps and a coil. On the main board is a TVS diode, two Y caps, an X cap and two coils.
The daughtercard above holds the PWM controller, which is an ICE2Hs01G.
The primary capacitor is Nippon Chemi Con – a high grade Japanese model rated in this unit – 420v 470uF 105c. All electrolytic secondary side capacitors are Nippon Chemi Con or Rubycon which is reassuring.
On this page we present some super high resolution images of the product taken with the 24.5MP Nikon D3X camera and 24-70mm ED lens. These will take much longer to open due to the dimensions, especially on slower connections. If you use these pictures on another site or publication, please credit Kitguru.net as the owner/source.
Additional technical assistance: Peter McFarland and Jeremy Price.
Correctly testing power supplies is a complex procedure and KitGuru have configured a test bench which can deliver up to a 2,000 watt DC load. Due to public requests we have changed our temperature settings recently – previously we rated with ambient temperatures at 25C, we have increased ambient temperatures by 10c (to 35c) in our environment to greater reflect warmer internal chassis conditions.
We use combinations of the following hardware:
• SunMoon SM-268
• CSI3710A Programmable DC load (+3.3V and +5V outputs)
• CSI3711A Programmable DC load (+12V1, +12V2, +12V3, and +12V4)
• Extech Power Analyzer
• Extech MultiMaster MM570 digital multimeter
• Extech digital sound level meter
• Digital oscilloscope (20M S/s with 12 Bit ADC)
• Variable Autotransformer, 1.4 KVA
|
DC Output Load Regulation
|
||||||||||
|
Combined DC Load |
+3.3V
|
+5V
|
+12V
|
+5VSB
|
-12V | |||||
|
A
|
V
|
A
|
V
|
A
|
V
|
A
|
V
|
A | V | |
|
75W
|
1.23
|
3.35
|
1.19
|
5.05
|
4.95
|
12.11
|
0.50
|
5.02
|
0.20
|
-12.05
|
|
150W
|
2.17
|
3.35
|
2.83
|
5.05
|
10.07
|
12.10
|
1.00
|
5.01
|
0.30
|
-12.06
|
|
375W
|
6.15
|
3.34
|
6.05
|
5.04
|
26.15
|
12.08
|
1.50
|
5.01
|
0.50
|
-12.07
|
| 565W |
10.31
|
3.34
|
10.86
|
5.02
|
38.34
|
12.05
|
2.00
|
5.01 |
0.60
|
-12.07
|
|
750W
|
10.72
|
3.33
|
13.84
|
4.99
|
53.59
|
12.02
|
3.00
|
5.00
|
0.80
|
-12.08
|
Load regulation is excellent right across the output range.
| Seasonic S12G 750W | Maximum Load |
| 844W |
We managed to reach around 844W before the unit would shut down gracefully, after the protection kicked in. This is an excellent result.
Next we want to try Cross Loading. This basically means loads which are not balanced. If a PC for instance needs 500W on the +12V outputs but something like 30W via the combined 3.3V and +5V outputs then the voltage regulation can fluctuate badly.
| Cross Load Testing | +3.3V | +5V | +12V | -12V | +5VSB | |||||
| A | V | A | V | A | V | A | V | A | V | |
| 734W | 1.0 | 3.35 | 1.0 | 5.05 | 60.0 | 11.96 | 0.2 | -12.02 | 0.50 | 5.02 |
| 154W | 15.0 | 3.31 | 15.0 | 4.98 | 2.0 | 12.12 | 0.2 | -12.01 | 0.50 | 5.01 |
The unit passes our Cross Load testing with a set of very good results. Even when we hit the +12V output with 60A, the line held at 11.96V.
We then used an oscilloscope to measure AC ripple and noise present on the DC outputs. We set the oscilloscope time base to check for AC ripple at both high and low ends of the spectrum.
ATX12V V2.2 specification for DC output ripple and noise is defined in the ATX 12V power supply design guide.
|
ATX12V Ver 2.2 Noise/Ripple Tolerance
|
|
|
Output
|
Ripple (mV p-p)
|
|
+3.3V
|
50
|
|
+5V
|
50
|
|
+12V1
|
120
|
|
+12V2
|
120
|
|
-12V
|
120
|
|
+5VSB
|
50
|
Obviously when measuring AC noise and ripple on the DC outputs the cleaner (less recorded) means we have a better end result. We measured this AC signal amplitude to see how closely the unit complied with the ATX standard.
| AC Ripple (mV p-p) | ||||
| DC Load | +3.3V | +5V | +12V | 5VSB |
| 75W | 5 | 10 | 15 | 10 |
| 150W | 10 | 10 | 15 | 15 |
| 375W | 10 | 10 | 25 | 15 |
| 565W | 15 | 15 | 30 | 15 |
| 750W | 15 | 15 | 35 | 15 |
Ripple results are excellent, and all well within rated tolerance levels. The +12V output peaked at 35mV at full load which is an excellent result.
|
Efficiency (%)
|
|
|
75W
|
86.88
|
|
150W
|
88.34
|
|
375W
|
92.11
|
|
565W
|
89.56
|
|
750W
|
88.91
|
The Seasonic S12G 750W is a very efficient unit, peaking at 92% at 50% load. This drops to around 89% at full load. Very impressive results.
We take the issue of noise very seriously at KitGuru and this is why we have built a special home brew system as a reference point when we test noise levels of various components. Why do this? Well this means we can eliminate secondary noise pollution in the test room and concentrate on components we are testing. It also brings us slightly closer to industry standards, such as DIN 45635.
Today to test the power supply we have taken it into our acoustics room environment and have set our Digital Sound Level Noise Decibel Meter Style 2 one meter away from the unit. We have no other fans running so we can effectively measure just the noise from the unit itself.
As this can be a little confusing for people, here are various dBa ratings in with real world situations to help describe the various levels.
KitGuru noise guide
10dBA – Normal Breathing/Rustling Leaves
20-25dBA – Whisper
30dBA – High Quality Computer fan
40dBA – A Bubbling Brook, or a Refrigerator
50dBA – Normal Conversation
60dBA – Laughter
70dBA – Vacuum Cleaner or Hairdryer
80dBA – City Traffic or a Garbage Disposal
90dBA – Motorcycle or Lawnmower
100dBA – MP3 Player at maximum output
110dBA – Orchestra
120dBA – Front row rock concert/Jet Engine
130dBA – Threshold of Pain
140dBA – Military Jet takeoff/Gunshot (close range)
160dBA – Instant Perforation of eardrum
|
Noise (dBA)
|
|
|
75W
|
<28.0
|
|
150W
|
<28.0
|
|
375W
|
30.2
|
|
565W
|
32.7
|
| 750W | 34.2 |
The large fan holds a low level of noise right through the range, spinning up at around 550W output. In the last 75W of output it rotates much faster although it never becomes intrusive even when holding a steady 750W load.
|
Temperature (c)
|
||
|
Intake
|
Exhaust
|
|
|
75W
|
36
|
39
|
|
150W
|
38
|
42
|
|
375W
|
39
|
46
|
|
565W
|
45
|
55
|
|
750W
|
47
|
59
|
The 120mm fan spins slowly below 500W and the high level of efficiency means the heat produced isn't excessive at all. At full load it peaks at a 12c above ambient intake.
|
Maximum load
|
Efficiency
|
|
844W
|
87.9
|
For those interested, we measured efficiency when stressing the unit to breaking point. 87.7 percent efficiency at 823W … hardly practical, but interesting regardless.
The latest Seasonic S12G range of power supplies is the companies first major attempt at bringing a high grade 80 Plus Gold Certified power supply into a very competitive price zone. The retail price of the 750W unit we reviewed today is only $119.99 in America, or €100.83 in Europe.
As we all know, United Kingdom tech prices are always higher, but even after factoring in 20% VAT we should see this S12G 750W unit entering retail to the end user for around £100 inc vat. It might be a little more initially, but we expect prices to stablise around £99.99 inc vat over the coming months.
For many, a 750 watt power supply is the perfect capacity. The majority of enthusiast gaming systems will require around 300-400 watts under load, so this S12G 750W will be running at optimum efficiency, between 50 and 60 percent load.
An added benefit is that there is plenty of future proofing for those people gaming with a single graphics card today. With four 6+2 pin PCIe connectors there is plenty of support for a Crossfire or Sli system. Obviously if you want to game with three or more high end graphics cards you should be looking at a 1000W+ unit.
Technically, this supply is rock solid, and our review sample delivered close to 850watts before shutting down. Obviously its not ideal to be running a system at close to maximum output on a regular basis, but it does offer reassurance that Seasonic are still over specifying their power supplies.
Load regulation is excellent, the unit is quiet under load, and it achieves 80 Plus Gold efficiency without a hitch. Ripple suppression is also noteworthy, falling well within industry rated specifications. Seasonic are using high grade Japanese 105c Nippon Chemi Con and Rubycon capacitors inside the unit, which is again, very reassuring to sustain long term reliability.
The only downside to this unit is the fact that it is not modular, but Seasonic are attempting to keep the cost of the 750W unit as close to £99.99 as possible so we can understand their reasoning. Unfortunately if you have a chassis with poor cable routing capabilities then hiding all these cables may be tricky. It is good to see Seasonic incorporating their flat ribbon style cabling however, as routing these behind a motherboard tray is less difficult.
We are very impressed with this power supply, it is the latest in a long line of success stories for Seasonic. The S12G-750 earns our MUST HAVE award, especially when we factor in the competitive pricing.
Pros:
- very competitive pricing.
- built with 105c high grade Japanese capacitors.
- 80 Plus Gold.
- delivered almost 850W under load.
- ripple suppression is excellent.
- quiet.
Cons:
- Not modular.
Kitguru says: If you can live with a non modular power supply then this is pretty much as good as it gets, especially given the capacity and pricing.
