SilverStone Strider Gold 1200W PSU Review (SST-ST1200-G)

1. Introduction2. SilverStone Strider Gold 1200W (Bundle/Cabling)3. SilverStone Strider Gold 1200W (External)4. SilverStone Strider Gold 1200W (Internal)5. Testing Methodology and Results6. Closing Thoughts7. View All Pages

The SilverStone Strider Gold 1200W is a fantastic product and one we would easily recommend to a prospective customer desiring an extremely powerful, futureproof power supply.

The eye-catching box is the first indication that something special lies inside, and true enough, the bundle is very impressive, comprising quality cable ties, additional modular cables and two booklets pertaining to the product.

The build quality of the Strider Gold is without question, they are using a special scratch resistant lead free paint which both looks great and is very durable, even with rough handling. As this is a fully modular design, every cable can be removed and various combinations can be utilised to suit specific system builds. The headers are also clearly labelled and colour coded to make a system build as hassle free as possible.

On a technical level, the Enhance design is bulletproof with 105c rated capacitors used throughout – we always like to see Nippon Chemi-Con as part of the product build as they are one of the finest manufacturers of capacitors and electronics components in the industry.

Load regulation is very strong, maintaining a very tight dynamic across the range, and the product excelled with both noise suppression and cross loading tests. We wouldn't say it was the quietest power supply we have tested, but within a performance PC under high load (900W+) you can be sure that other components in the system build will be generating more noise than this power supply.

Prices are around £190 in the UK, meaning a £20 lower overhead than the Corsair AX1200W, its closest 80 Plus Gold certified competitor, which retails for around £210 inc vat. The Corsair unit delivers higher levels of efficiency, but they are both fantastic products capable of powering any high end gaming enthusiast system. In real world terms I used the Strider gold to power a HD6990 QuadFireX system with overclocked 990x @ 4.8ghz and didn't experience any issues over the course of a week.

Pros:

• Incredible levels of power for the most taxing system builds
• high efficiency
• great build quality
• price is very competitive

Cons:

• Under high load it is audible
• no power switch

KitGuru says: Silverstone's offering in the high end is certainly worth a shortlist.

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