pcemag.com - Hardware Review

Hardware Review

PC Power & Cooling
TURBO-COOL 850 SSI

Ok, when buying a new PC, what's the comes to mind before you even check your bank account? Without a doubt it's always gonna be, "Intel or AMD?" After deciding on this imperative question, you check your bank account, your enthusiasm dies and you start settling for less. As you start balancing price and performance, one vital component — also considered the lifeline of your PC — is almost always overlooked, and that's the power supply unit. PC Power & Cooling has continually earned the title as the best power supply money can buy. There are other quality PSU manufacturers out there, but if you want the best, it doesn't get any better than the Turbo-Cool 850 SSI.

Now before we get any further, let us clarify why you would want to spend big money for this power supply. Most users out there have seen incredible 850W power supplies for an incredibly low price of $35, but are you really getting what's advertised? To properly compare power supplies, wattage claims must be stated at maximum ambient temperature for continuous full-load operation. Most manufacturers claim that their tin can PSU can reach up to 850W, but it can only happen at the unrealistic ambient temperature of 25°C, even though the typical interior temperature of a PSU is at least 40°C. With this said, let's hope readers out there can distinguish between quality versus scrap metal.

This 850 SSI is equipped with 850W continuous maximum power and 950W of peak power, dual 12V connectors, six SATA connectors, eight molex connectors, overvoltage protection, and overload protection. This power supply unit is also NVIDIA SLI certified and comes standard with dual PCI Express video connectors. It is also one of the most efficient at 85% with .99 PFC. The 850 SSI is a standard ATX form factor, however, it is longer than most power supplies, measuring at about nine inches deep, so it's definitely not one for cramped rigs. Although this PSU is only equipped with a single exhaust, the Delta fan is very efficient in keeping the unit cool while keeping noise at a tolerable level. If you want to make the investments in your rig last, this is definitely the way to go.

During our test run of the 850 SSI, it was one of the quietest enthusiast PSUs we've ever installed. Furthermore, the cables didn't present too much of a problem since each connector is individually wrapped in its own cable mesh to give you the clean and tidy feeling you would expect from a high-end rig.

PC Power & Cooling has set another standard in quality components. Over the years, manufacturers along with system builders have done whatever it takes to cut costand squeeze every ounce of profit available. As a result, components that receive the least amount of fanfare (i.e. the PSU) were reduced to scrap metal that barely got the job done. Nevertheless, quality never comes cheap; at $469, this can be the single most expensive component in your rig. But with a five-year warranty, unrelenting power, and quiet operation, this PSU will probably outlast any other component that you own.

by John Chen