80plus | KitGuru https://www.kitguru.net KitGuru.net - Tech News | Hardware News | Hardware Reviews | IOS | Mobile | Gaming | Graphics Cards Thu, 30 Mar 2023 15:40:25 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.3 https://www.kitguru.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/cropped-KITGURU-Light-Background-SQUARE2-32x32.png 80plus | KitGuru https://www.kitguru.net 32 32 Cybenetics wants more accurate efficiency certification for PSUs and noise ratings https://www.kitguru.net/channel/generaltech/matthew-wilson/cybernetics-wants-more-accurate-efficiency-certification-for-psus-and-noise-ratings/ https://www.kitguru.net/channel/generaltech/matthew-wilson/cybernetics-wants-more-accurate-efficiency-certification-for-psus-and-noise-ratings/#comments Tue, 02 May 2017 20:04:21 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=332504 For a long time now, many of us have bought power supplies based on the 80Plus certification standard, which rates PSUs on a bronze, silver, gold and platinum scale based on efficiency. Cybenetics thinks it can do things a little better, which is why it has formed a new efficiency and noise certification standard for …

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For a long time now, many of us have bought power supplies based on the 80Plus certification standard, which rates PSUs on a bronze, silver, gold and platinum scale based on efficiency. Cybenetics thinks it can do things a little better, which is why it has formed a new efficiency and noise certification standard for PSUs, aiming for greater accuracy in testing while also providing consumers with information on PSU noise in addition to efficiency.

The Cybenetics test procedure has been in the works for years now, putting together years of experience in power supply testing to increase accuracy and reliability. The lab is equipped with ‘state of the art' equipment, which is used to test load combinations using a custom application to account for efficiency results across thousands of different load combinations. This is a step above the current standard, which tests four common load points to rate overall efficiency.

This new proprietary process should allow for a more accurate overall efficiency rating, taking into account things like power factor, vampire power and +5VSB rail efficiency. All tested PSUs must be compliant with the ErP Lot 6 2010/2013 and ErP lot 3 2014 directives and also meet all requirements mentioned in the (EU) No 617/2013 regulation:

(a) 85% efficiency at 50% of rated output power;
(b) 82% efficiency at 20% and 100% of rated output power;
(c) Power Factor = 0.9 at 100% of rated output power.

Aside from efficiency testing, Cybenetics also wants to provide noise certifications. This is known as the ‘LAMBDA' certification and is tested by using a sophisticated monitoring program to check noise readings throughout a PSUs entire operational range. Those readings are the converted in to sound pressure levels, averaged out and converted back to the decibel reading we are all used to seeing. This noise certification will eventually expand to other areas of PC hardware too.

The PSU efficiency rating is currently known as ‘ETA' and has five levels: A+, A, B, C and D. LAMBDA noise certification on the other hand consists of seven levels: A++, A+, A, B, C, D, and E. Manufacturers can choose to either display their basic level badge, or a more comprehensive bade that shows exact efficiency and noise ratings.

KitGuru Says: Cybenetics' new certification certainly sounds interesting and it would be nice to finally have a comprehensive noise level test for hardware before they hit the market. Perhaps over time we will see ETA certification become as recognised as 80Plus in the PSU space.

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Seasonic announces PRIME-series Titanium power supplies https://www.kitguru.net/components/power-supplies/matthew-wilson/seasonic-announces-prime-series-titanium-power-supplies/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/power-supplies/matthew-wilson/seasonic-announces-prime-series-titanium-power-supplies/#respond Fri, 08 Jan 2016 14:38:05 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=280131 Seasonic has quite a bit in store for us this year as the company just announced its new PRIME series of 80 PLUS Titanium rated power supplies, aiming to push the limits of design and be the quietest active cooling PSUs around. The Prime series will feature a class-leading ten-year warranty, as well as both …

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Seasonic has quite a bit in store for us this year as the company just announced its new PRIME series of 80 PLUS Titanium rated power supplies, aiming to push the limits of design and be the quietest active cooling PSUs around. The Prime series will feature a class-leading ten-year warranty, as well as both Platinum and Titanium, rated units, with wattages between 550W all the way up to 1200W for the most demanding users.

The Prime series of power supplies came out of a close collaboration between Seasonic and graphics card manufacturers during the development phase. These PSUs are built using industrial grade components and a new circuit design with zero PCB cabling.

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You will be able to pick up a Titanium rated Prime PSU in 650W, 750W, 850W and 1000W options. In addition to that, there will be Platinum rated variants in the 550W to 1200W range along with a separate fanless 550W power supply. All of these units are modular, promise quiet operation and come with the massive ten-year warranty.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: Seasonic are one of the most highly regarded power supply makers on the market so it will be great to see how these new Prime-series power supplies perform in testing. Are any of you rocking a Seasonic power supply right now? I happen to use one at home in my personal rig. 

 

 

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Seasonic celebrates its 40th year in the PSU business https://www.kitguru.net/components/power-supplies/andrzej/seasonic-celebrates-its-40th-year-in-the-psu-business/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/power-supplies/andrzej/seasonic-celebrates-its-40th-year-in-the-psu-business/#comments Tue, 30 Jun 2015 07:11:31 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=256681 Logically, if you start out by creating apparatus and methods to test power supplies, you naturally have a deeper understanding of the product's internals. When Mr Chang started Seasonic in 1975, that was exactly his approach. Now, 40 years on, Seasonic has established itself as the most successful PSU manufacturer we have ever seen in …

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Logically, if you start out by creating apparatus and methods to test power supplies, you naturally have a deeper understanding of the product's internals. When Mr Chang started Seasonic in 1975, that was exactly his approach. Now, 40 years on, Seasonic has established itself as the most successful PSU manufacturer we have ever seen in the KitGuru Labs. The consistency of its products is legendary and it holds patents on the smarter parts of its designs – as well as being the creator of the world's first 80Plus power supply. So what makes them so different?

KitGuru was invited inside Seasonic to find out. As well as a full presentation at Seasonic's headquarters on the company's history and milestones, we also managed to catch up with Nils and Ray from the European office, who told us a lot of interesting facts. For example, if you want the failure/lowest return rate possible, then you make the PSU design team responsible for doing RMAs (Return Material Authorisation) – i.e. the PSU creators do all of the repair work. Knowing they will be forced to repair anything that goes wrong on a Platinum series PSU in the next 7 years, will change an engineer's approach to component selection. Interesting.

KitGuru says: We love the idea that analogue devices require a complete set of knowledge on ‘what has already been', before a designer can take the product to the next level. The process of building layer upon layer of personal knowledge is something profoundly human and we applaud Seasonic's efforts to build and cultivate that expertise.

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Thermaltake unveils 80Plus golden wonder @ Computex https://www.kitguru.net/components/power-supplies/faith/thermaltake-unveils-80plus-golden-wonder/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/power-supplies/faith/thermaltake-unveils-80plus-golden-wonder/#comments Thu, 03 Jun 2010 18:39:52 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=4047 Computex has become THE event for the launch of new products. Ancient KitGurus remember the days when companies would hold onto new products and wait for the old Comdex show in Las Vegas in November. Comdex has died and CeBIT is dying – but Computex is still going strong. Thermaltake's substantial stand in the Nangang …

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Computex has become THE event for the launch of new products. Ancient KitGurus remember the days when companies would hold onto new products and wait for the old Comdex show in Las Vegas in November. Comdex has died and CeBIT is dying – but Computex is still going strong. Thermaltake's substantial stand in the Nangang event centre had a load of new products, one of which put a smile on KitGuru's face – a brand new, top of the range PSU.

When KitGuru put the Thermaltake Toughpower 775w PSU to the test, it sailed way past the 80Plus Bronze rating and clear into Silver efficiency territory for a number of our tests. Now its engineers have turned their attention to producing a high-end PSU, capable of delivering way over 1,000 watts – complete with an 80Plus GOLD certification.

CEO and Founder, Kenny Lin, was on hand to show the new PSU off.

Absolutely stunning... and the PSU is nice too!

Apart from the raw facts and figures that come with an 80Plus certificate, KitGuru readers will like the simple styling and matt black finish.

80Plus means that a PSU will deliver more than 80% efficiency at 20%, 50% and 100% of the rated load. Gold rated supplies like this Thermaltake unit will be no less than 88% efficient.

KitGuru says: With modern graphics cards/CPUs, KitGurus need more and more power. As you increase wattage, a small percentage loss quickly turns into a lot of wasted energy. If you're thinking about buying a high end PSU, you need to look at the 80Plus rating. Cheap supplies could lose 25-40% of the power you put in. Losing up to 400w?  That's like going out and leaving eight 50w bulbs going at home. It's crazy. Do like Kenny and choose a golden wonder.

Discuss over here in our forums or just leave a quick comment below

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Power Supply Buying Guide https://www.kitguru.net/components/power-supplies/faith/psu-buying-guide/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/power-supplies/faith/psu-buying-guide/#comments Sat, 15 May 2010 08:39:14 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=1805 System failure and instability?  We all used to love blaming Windows, but poor power supplies are often the cause. Whether you’re solving issues, upgrading or buying a complete new rig – KitGuru investigates the dark art of PSUs for you. Why do we need a PSU? Your home is probably wired to deliver more than …

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System failure and instability?  We all used to love blaming Windows, but poor power supplies are often the cause. Whether you’re solving issues, upgrading or buying a complete new rig – KitGuru investigates the dark art of PSUs for you.

Why do we need a PSU?
Your home is probably wired to deliver more than 7,000 watts (7kw) along 2.5mm twin core cables in your walls. Even the most demanding PCs rarely use more than 1kW.  For computers to work, we need to use a good quality power supply unit (PSU) to convert the high AC voltage of your house's power grid to a usable, low voltage, DC suitable for your system’s components.

Technology Factors Affecting Choice
The PSU you choose depends on the number/nature of components used in your PC. For example, different graphics solutions can have different connectors. Some graphics draw all the juice they need from the PCI-Express slot, while power-hungry cards like Fermi also need a 6-in AND 8-pin connector. If you dislike noise, you ought to check the acoustics and thermal performance of the unit you plan to purchase.

Some products offer unique features (such as Nesteq's EECS cable management system) which you might find interesting for the application you have in mind.

Also, some situations might require you to look for specific features. For example, if you are using a cheaper Uninterruptable Power Supply (UPS), you need to ensure that the PSUs hold-up time (measured in milliseconds) is longer than the switchover time for the UPS. You can see the ‘hold up time’ in action on your notebook PSU, when the green indicator light stays bright for a while after the wall socket has been turned off.

I’ve heard of rails, how many do I need?
Now this is a proper marketing war, over a simple difference in design.
Overall, units with multiple 12V rails are considered to be ‘safer’, while units with a single large 12V line are preferred by enthusiasts because they negate the possibility of a weak 12V line getting overloaded by a single power hungry device.
Let’s say this nice and clearly, to avoid misunderstanding…  High-end PSUs, from quality vendors, that use multiple 12v lines – are created in such a way that all of these lines exceed the ATX safety specifications.

Units with single and very powerful 12V lines are [said to be – Ed] dangerous, because people try to imagine a catastrophic event which might force most of the power in the circuit being channelled through a single connector, in which case the cable would surely melt – possibly even starting a fire. The example normally quoted is when a faulty component doesn’t cause a short circuit. Quality manufacturers integrate several safety methods to ensure this does not happen, which is why such catastrophic events are extremely rare (although there is an interesting story about a French journalist who ended up in hospital while testing a ‘famous brand’ PSU – or so the story goes).

Efficiency: How much of my expensive juice will get wasted?
Typically, if a supply loses less than 20% of the total power consumed, then it is considered ‘efficient’.  Look for the ‘80Plus’ sticker on modern PSUs. And remember; the more efficient a power supply is, the less energy will be lost as heat; this means that not only do efficient PSUs run cheaper, they also tend to operate quieter. There are five 80Plus levels:-

80 PLUS Test Type 115V Internal Non-Redundant 230V Internal Redundant
Fraction of Rated Load 20% 50% 100% 20% 50% 100%
80 PLUS 80% 80% 80% Not defined
80 PLUS Bronze 82% 85% 82% 81% 85% 81%
80 PLUS Silver 85% 88% 85% 85% 89% 85%
80 PLUS Gold 87% 90% 87% 88% 92% 88%
80 PLUS Platinum Not defined 90% 94% 91%


So how much power do you need?

Switching PSUs are designed to continuously work at 50-60% of their rated capacity; not at their maximum load. Having a power supply work very heavily loaded for prolonged periods of time not only will have it operating at lower-than-optimal efficiency, but it can also be disastrous for its lifespan. Be aware all you hardcore folders out there!

Taking these issues into account, a lot of ‘online wattage calculators’ tend to double the actual power consumption of your system when recommending a power supply. For example, they tend to add up the maximum thermal power design (TPD) for your components, just to be ‘on the safe side’, even if you almost never hit that level in everyday use.

Inefficiency happens at both ends of the scale
If you massively over-specify a PSU, then you will also incur a hit on efficiency. It’s important to choose the right wattage.

While power users might have 2 or more high-end graphic cards in their rig, most systems are much less power hungry. Here are 3 typical usage scenarios:-

Graphics CPU Other Total PSU
Power Fiend 250w 100w 80w 430w ≈850w
Normal Gamer 120w 80w 60w 260w ≈500w
Jo Average 50w 50w 60w 160w ≈350w

The price of a PSU can vary from £10 to well over £200 and there are a huge number to choose from.
You also need to decide if you need a ‘modular’ PSU, one where you only plug in the cables you need.
Having this option costs a little more, but can mean better airflow, quicker build times and easier upgrading.

Quality manufacturers
In reality, most of the PSUs you can buy will have been assembled in one of a small number of factories. However, each will have different components, features, noise/efficiency levels and warranty – so it is worth looking for a reputable brand, including (alphabetically)… Antec, BeQuiet, Coolermaster, Corsair, Enermax, FSP, OCZ, Seasonic and Thermaltake.

What does KitGuru like?
For PSUs up to 600w, KitGuru likes OCZ’s XStream and Antec’s EarthWatts series.
From 600w to 775w, there are great choices from Coolermaster (Silent Pro), Thermaltake (Toughpower XT) and Corsair (TX).
After 850w it is between BeQuiet, Corsair and Enermax. At the ultra high-end, Thermaltake has been creating 1500w PSUs for many years and Antec now has some strong designs in this area.

Buy links…
Overclockers
Scan

YOYOTech

Discuss on our forums here or just leave a quick comment below

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