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It has been quite some time since we looked at a new supply from FSP, so when they offered us a model from their PTM Pro range I was excited to see what they had to offer in 2020. This new model is Platinum certified, fully modular and incorporates Japanese capacitors. FSP are also offering a 10 year warranty with these new power supplies.
While availability of FSP power supplies in the United Kingdom is always a concern FSP have informed us that there are five units in this range, a 650W, 750W, 850W, 1000W and 1200W unit. Prices are set at $164.99/€124.99, $189.99/€139.99, $214.00/€174.99, $249.00/€189.99 and $269.99/€214.99 respectively.
Hydro PTM Pro Overview:
- Unique product ID with changeable side stickers for DIY enthusiasts and gamers
- Intelligent fan speed control circuit design
- Advanced thermal layout design
- Complies with newest ATX12 v2.5 & EPS12 v2.92 standards
- High efficiency ≧ 92%
- Active PFC ≧ 99%
- High Wattages with 80PLUS® Platinum Certification
- Powerful +12V single rail design
- Ribbon cables for the need of enthusiasts and gamers
- Full Japanese electrolytic capacitors
- Support 6+2 pin PCI-Express Connectors
- Complete Protections: OCP, OVP, SCP, OPP, UVP, OTP
- Global Safety Approved
The FSP box artwork is actually really nice, and it's not often I say that. The power supply is shown – with the modular panel at the front. A key list of specs are listed along the bottom, with the Wattage.
The rear of the box shows the insides of the supply itself with a list of key technical data. I don't remember an instance of a company showing the insides of their power supply on a retail box!
An interesting alert message on the box, clearly intended for the American audience. I've never seen this before on any power supply box I have received for review in 20 years. Thankfully I don't really want kids, so I'm fine.
Inside the box we are presented with a user manual, a bag of cables, and several stickers if you wish to try and colour coordinate the unit.
Inside the bag are two bundles of cables, and a power cable.
The cables are all ribbon style, to help with routing during a system build. The cable quality is excellent throughout.
14 SATA cables, and 8 PCI power connectors certainly means you aren't short of possibilities for a new system build. There are also three 4+4 pin power connectors as well for high power draw processors.
The FSP Hydro PTM Pro 1200W has a nicely textured outer chassis which gives a lot of grip in the hand. This textured finished is very resilient to damage as well. The unit measures 150 x 190 x 86mm (LxWxH).
FSP are focusing a lot on their ‘conformal coating' which they say protects their power supply and internal components from dust, humidity, stains and ‘harsh environments'. They say this power supply will work perfectly even in 95% relative humidity.
A large fan is positioned behind some grill holes – cut directly into the outer chassis. We will get a closer look at the fan when we open the unit shortly.
One side of the power supply is home to the power connector and an ECO button with the slogan ‘Power never ends'. This amuses me as it is right next to the power off switch. With the ECO button on the fan will not operate until the load is over 30%.
The FSP Hydro PTM Pro 1200W is able to deliver a whopping 100 amp via the +12V rail. Both minor rails are capable of 20A.
FPS are using a ‘Protechnic Electric' 135mm FDB (Fluid Dynamic Bearing) fan inside this unit. Model ‘MGA13512XF-A25' – 12V 0.38A. We have seen this fan in some units back in 2016. It's a really good fan however, and a proper FDB one too. MTBF is rated at 100,000 hours.
If you cannot see the gallery below, then enable us in your ad blocker. These can sometimes throw up a false positive.
This single rail DC-DC design is using high rated Japanese capacitors throughout the design. Due to the high levels of efficiency there are only a few heatsinks in specific locations to aid with cooling. FSP are not using a partial plastic shroud between the fan and components to direct the airflow.
The primary stage capacitors are 105c rated and 450V 560uF for a monstrous combined 1120uF output. It offers OCP, OVP, SCP, OPP, UVP and OTP protections. Like some server PSU designs, FSP are using copper bars between the mainboard and the daughter cards to increase conversion efficiency.
Soldering quality is very good across the main board and daughtercards and they are using a dissipation system transferring heat through a thermal pad on the bottom of the PSU – using the metal chassis as a cooler.
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.
We test ambient temperatures at 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 | |
|
120W
|
0.90
|
3.35
|
0.93
|
5.02
|
8.95
|
12.09
|
0.50
|
5.02
|
0.20
|
-12.02
|
|
240W
|
1.62
|
3.35
|
1.63
|
5.02
|
18.45
|
12.08
|
1.00
|
5.02
|
0.20
|
-12.02
|
| 600W |
3.00
|
3.34
|
3.11
|
5.01
|
46.78
|
12.03
|
1.50
|
5.01
|
0.30
|
-12.01
|
| 900W |
4.01
|
3.34
|
4.05
|
5.01
|
70.86
|
12.00
|
2.00
|
5.01
|
0.30
|
-12.01
|
|
1200W
|
5.02
|
3.33
|
5.20
|
5.01
|
94.57
|
11.97
|
2.50
|
5.01
|
0.30
|
-12.02
|
The load regulation of the FSP unit is quite good, holding within 1.5%
| FSP Hydro PTM Pro 1200W Platinum | Maximum Load |
| 1355 Watts |
We managed to get another 155 Watts from the power supply before the protection circuitry kicked in. The supply was undamaged and it was ready to fire up again when we dropped the load to a more realistic level. It could deliver 1,300 Watts for sustained periods of time, without a problem.
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 | |
| 1190W | 4.0 | 3.34 | 3.0 | 5.03 | 88.0 | 11.97 | 0.2 | -12.02 | 0.50 | 5.01 |
| 240W | 19.0 | 3.32 | 22.0 | 4.99 | 2.5 | 12.08 | 0.2 | -12.02 | 0.50 | 5.01 |
The FSP Hydro PTM Pro 1200W handled our cross load tests without any issues. When hit with 88 A the +12V rail held around 11.97.
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 |
| 100W | 5 | 5 | 10 | 5 |
| 200W | 5 | 5 | 10 | 5 |
| 400W | 5 | 10 | 15 | 5 |
| 600W | 5 | 10 | 15 | 5 |
| 800W | 10 | 10 | 20 | 10 |
| 1000W | 15 | 15 | 25 | 10 |
| 1200W | 15 | 15 | 25 | 15 |
Ripple Suppression is excellent, peaking at 25mV on the +12V rail at full load. The +3.3V and +5V rails peak at 15mV respectively.
|
Efficiency (%)
|
|
|
100W
|
90.4
|
|
200W
|
91.5
|
|
400W
|
92.7
|
|
600W
|
94.2
|
|
800W
|
93.8
|
| 1000W | 92.7 |
| 1200W | 91.5 |
The overall efficiency results are excellent, peaking at over 94% between 40-60% load, and dropping to 91.5% at full load.
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 SkyTronic DSL 2 Digital Sound Level Meter (6-130dBa) 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)
|
|
|
100W
|
<28.0
|
|
200W
|
<28.0
|
|
400W
|
<28.0
|
|
600W
|
30.6
|
| 800W | 32.7 |
| 1000W | 34.7 |
| 1200W | 37.9 |
The FSP Hydro PTM Pro 1200W hardly emits any fan noise if the load is under 600 Watts. At around 800 Watts load the fan spins up a little further to compensate, and at 1000 Watts it becomes clearly audible, rising to around 38dBa at full load. We measured a maximum fan speed of around 1,600 rpm at full load.
Overall the tone and whine of the fan is relatively unobtrusive, even when spinning at higher speeds.
|
Temperature (c)
|
||
|
Intake
|
Exhaust
|
|
|
100W
|
35
|
38
|
|
200W
|
36
|
41
|
|
400W
|
38
|
45
|
|
650W
|
43
|
49
|
|
800W
|
45
|
53
|
| 1000W | 47 | 58 |
| 1200W | 50 | 62 |
The large FDB fan and high efficiency of the design ensure that the temperatures are always well maintained inside the chassis, even under high load situations.
|
Maximum load
|
Efficiency
|
|
1355W
|
90.6
|
Pushing the power supply above its rated limits generates an efficiency level of around 90.6%. Not a realistic situation to be running but interesting nonetheless.
The Hydro PTM Pro 1200W is one of the better units I have tested from FSP in recent years. First impressions are positive, the textured finish feels great in the hand, and it proves to be very resilient to scratches and is basically immune to messy looking fingerprints.
Technically it didn't disappoint either, delivering stable power across a wide range of power demand situations. It also handled our challenging cross load tests without a hitch.
The single rail Hydro PTM Pro 1200W managed to deliver 1355 Watts before safely shutting down, and it maintained a sustained 1300 Watts load for quite some time in my testing, showing that it is clearly over specced, giving headroom under heavy load situations.
It is always reassuring to see 105c rated Japanese capacitors used in a design, and FSP have not cut any corners in the design of this unit. It uses high grade Japanese electrolytic caps in both primary and secondary stages.
The fully modular design and high grade ribbon cables are a plus point, and the noise levels below a 1000 Watt demand can certainly be classed as non-intrusive. Eco mode ensures the fan will remain inactive at lower power demands. It is only between 1000 Watts and 1500 Watts load that the fan becomes clearly audible to ensure enough airflow is hitting the internal components.
The overall efficiency of the unit is high, hitting a peak over 94% during a load demand around 55%.
The only negative point I can really make is that trying to find this unit is difficult. FSP told me directly in email that it is currently not available in the UK via usual channels, but it is available in Germany. I am still waiting to get the link from them, so I can't confirm the pricing. FSP claim the pricing for the 1200W unit is $269.99/€214.50, so make sure you aren't being gouged before a purchase.
FSP told me that they are supporting these power supplies with a 10 year warranty.
Buy link for USA readers: $269.99 from Newegg HERE.
Discuss on our Facebook page HERE.
Pros:
- Lovely external finish.
- 10 year warranty.
- 100% Japanese capacitors.
- High levels of efficiency.
- Solid load regulation.
- Quality cabling
- Eco mode.
- Fully modular.
- Quiet under normal load.
Cons:
- Availability is poor.
KitGuru says: The FSP Hydro PTM Pro 1200W is a quality, high performing power supply. Technically it is a solid design built to very high standards. My only concern with FSP is that they need to focus on getting their supplies more readily available throughout Europe.
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