9-Way 850W Power Supply Roundup

Seasonic S12D 850W

Seasonic is one of those few manufacturers who have yet to send us a power supply that we wouldn’t hesitate to use in one of our systems. Their S12D proved itself to be a worthy successor to past generations of Seasonic power supplies by passing every test with flying colors. While it didn’t distinguish itself in any one category, this black-clad unit preformed extremely well while being one of the (subjectively) quietest competitors. We also loved the fact that comes with perfectly sleeved, long cables that are sure to reach any part of your case.

As you have probably already realized, it is hard for us not to find something wrong with a product. Perhaps we’re too critical but this is honestly one of the only units in this roundup that we can’t fault for anything. From efficiency to voltage regulation and ripple suppression, everything is just brilliantly executed.

Unfortunately, availability hurts the S12D 850W along with the fact that it isn’t modular but is priced equal to or higher than some modular units here in Canada. In the US on the other hand, the S12D presents an amazing value for your hard earned money as long as a modular interface isn’t one of your needs. As such, when we take into account its performance along with its US price, Seasonic is the proud recipient of both our Dam Good and Dam Good Value awards.

Pros:

- Great performance
- Very quiet
- Long cables
- Compact size
- Price in the USA



Cons:

- Availability
- Price in Canada






Silverstone Strider Plus 850W

In this roundup we have seen power supplies that offer stunning performance and others that are budget friendly but finding a combination of the two is next to impossible. Amazingly, the Silverstone Strider Plus 850W actually did the impossible and became a sort of Holy Grail for us by offering high-end performance at a price that is unbelievably low. It has 80Plus Silver certification with the numbers to back it up, tight voltages, great ripple suppression, a fully modular interface and cables that you have to see to believe. There really isn’t anything not to like.

Did we mention that the Strider Plus costs about $50 - $75 less than similarly performing power supplies? If you are upgrading your system, $75 almost covers the price difference between a HD 5850 and the mind-blowing HD 5870. Granted, the odd lack of an on / off switch may have some of you scratching your heads but we don’t think this will really hamper people in any way. On the other hand, some of the cost savings over the other products in this roundup will be eaten up by the price you pay for shipping its gargantuan box.

Simply put, the Strider Plus 850W is the perfect power supply for a time when people are looking for the best value for their money. It offers the optimal mix of price, performance and functionality which is why it receives our Dam Good and Dam Good Value awards. If you are looking for a new power supply, this should be the one that’s at the top of your list.

Pros:

- Amazing performance
- High efficiency
- Low price
- Very long cables
- Compact in size
- Fully modular interface


Cons:

- Massive box means higher shipping costs






Thermaltake Toughpower XT 850W

Thermaltake’s Toughpower XT isn’t a bad power supply per se since it has good voltage regulation, runs quietly and has some good length cables. Unfortunately, the fact that you would have to pay ~$250CAD for nothing more than a modular, prettied up Channel Well PSH-based product is simply atrocious when you consider Corsair’s own PSH-based TX850W retails for $150 these days. Even the PSH-based Xigmatek unit in this roundup is priced significantly lower. To make matters even worse, Thermaltake’s own site lists an MSRP of….wait for it….$289! We have one word for the price of this unit: idiotic.

Pricing aside, there are other things that bother us about the Toughpower XT. Its average efficiency really isn’t all that great considering its 80Plus Bronze certification and the ripple it displayed (while within the ATX specs) is far too high for the market segment it plays in. Those LED indicators on the side might look good to a newcomer but they honestly don’t serve a single function other than to add to the cost of an already overpriced PSU. Another gripe we have is the PCI-E cable layout. The lack of functional 6+2 pin PCI-E connectors means a sinfully ugly adaptor needs to be plugged onto the 8-pin connector if you want to use a modular 6-pin PCI-E cable. It looks to us like Thermaltake didn’t want to pay for the licensing of the 6+2 pin PCI-E connector.

If you can find it for less, this power supply may represent a better value than some other competitors but it would still be behind many other 850W PSUs on the market in terms of efficiency, ripple suppression and functionality. As it stands, the Thermaltake Toughpower XT is overpriced and thoroughly underwhelming.


Pros:

- Good voltage regulation
- Quiet
- 5-year warranty


Cons:

- Price
- Lackluster ripple suppression
- Low efficiency
- Price (yes, it needs to be mentioned again)
- No 6+2 Pin connectors means adaptors need to be used