Seasonic Platinum Series 860W - Platinum without the Fuss
by Martin Kaffei on February 24, 2012 12:00 AM ESTIntroducing the Seasonic Platinum Series 860W
In a short time we've seen quite a few companies come out with their first 80 Plus Platinum power supplies. A couple weeks ago we reviewed the Enermax Platimax with 750W, which was a good PSU even though our testing showed slightly less than the advertised efficiency. Enermax also has a 500W Platimax unit, and there are several other brands launching or ready to launch 80 Plus Platinum offerings. Today we'll look at another sample, this time in the form of Seasonic's Platinum Series 860W.
One thing that all of the 80 Plus Platinum models have in common is that they are very expensive. Something else to consider is that there are only a limited number of companies that actually manufacture PSUs, building various models according to the specifications their partners request. Seasonic is one such company, and we can expect other brands to use variations of the Seasonic Platinum Series we're reviewing today. The 860W model we're looking at includes two different modes for controlling the fan speed, a fullly modular connector system, and DC-to-DC converters for two of the smaller output voltages.
It's been nearly a year since we reviewed Seasonic's X-560 80 Plus Gold power supply, and it's still one of the best PSUs available. The Platinum Series looks set to continue from where the X-Series left off, as their new Platinum Series is very similar to the previous generation Gold products in many respects. Which raises an interesting question: are they even able to surpass their previous generation, especially when we factor in pricing and availability? On the following pages we will show the differences between the new series and the older models, along with all the important measurements and test results.
While efficient PSUs are all the marketing rage in the world of power supplies, we should keep in mind that many manufacturers are trying to reach 80 Plus Platinum levels via "cheap tricks". Enermax and FSP decided to cut the EMI filtering while SuperFlower still has an aversion to over current protection. Shunt resistors for example transform some of the power into power loss when current flows through it, since there is a voltage drop, but that's actually their job as they measure and prevent overcurrent. We are looking forward to see a better solution from Seasonic -- which doesn't mean other solutions would be bad.
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Death666Angel - Friday, February 24, 2012 - link
I read that OCP isn't that necessary in a single rail 12V design with the 12V offering nearly the whole capacity. General overpower protection is enough there. Is that not true?Martin Kaffei - Friday, February 24, 2012 - link
Hi,if there is an overcurrent on one ouput only, the total power might be below the level for OPP.
Death666Angel - Friday, February 24, 2012 - link
So, you are saying 3V and 5V could draw overcurrents then? :P That would be a special situation in this day and age.Martin Kaffei - Saturday, February 25, 2012 - link
That won't be simple. The ouput cables are parallel-connected to 12V which means the current usually gets shared. But it might happen that a high current will flow through a single cable when resistance is low enough. E.g. an unwanted bridge between two pins.This is no short circuit since there are enough resistors (or components with resistance) between the voltage source (secondary winding) and the output. SCP doesn't work.
This is no over power since resistance is low enough that you don't need much work (voltage) to transport load carrier. Voltage will be much lower. Power is the product of voltage and current which means the total power might be below the settings for OPP, even if current is high. OPP doesn't elese.
versesuvius - Friday, February 24, 2012 - link
What is the guaranty on this power supply? 5 years? 7 years? Or just 2 years?InsaneScientist - Friday, February 24, 2012 - link
Pg 2. - Last sentence of the second paragraph:"Seasonic also provides a 7-year warranty..." ;)
versesuvius - Friday, February 24, 2012 - link
Yes, I missed that. Actually the Seasonic site is equally skimpy on this little detail as well.It would be a really good idea if Anandtech provided a spec sheet of sorts for the reviewed products so that they could be glanced for basic info. This particular review saves a lot more than that, which in the case of a "Best PSU Ever" and a Gold award, it is certainly lacking.
I searched for "guaranty" on all pages before posting. I should have searched for "warranty". Being an Iranian I always thought that they are the same, but it looks like they are the same at the same time that they are not (i.e. You take the manufacturer to court for "guaranty", and reseller or distributor for "warranty"):
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_difference_b...
Anyway, here is a 100 months on the spot replacement guaranty:
http://www.green-case.com/products/power/power.php...
The page says that the power is certified Platinum by EPRI-EPA, but it is sold under 80-Plus Gold. (Maybe Platinum for 230v and Gold for 110v. :) )
ProtonGuy - Friday, February 24, 2012 - link
Guarantee is the more common spelling in this day and age by the way.AnnihilatorX - Friday, February 24, 2012 - link
Seasonic always makes extremely good PSU and they haven't disappoint this time eitherI own an X-560. Before I bought Seasonic I was with Enemax.
someone need to convince me really hard not to buy from Seasonic again
entity279 - Friday, February 24, 2012 - link
Own one for 1 about month and a half. It was a (pricey) no brainer since I wanted spare power (my current sistem uses less than 400W in full load but it will be upgraded from time to time), efficiency & absolute silence. The Super Flower based alternatives were nowhere to be found in my country (Romania).So far works perfectly.