bequiet! Pure Power L8 500W Review

Be quiet! is well known over seas for their comitment to low noise levels.  Fans are individually selected from the highest quality componets and individually tared out.  This is done by testing each fan at high speeds and adding tiny balancing weights with a specialized computer to get the most exact balance possible.  The end result is a computer balanced fan spin with no vibrations.

Each fan is then set up to match the model of power supply.  This means the fan in our 500W model spins at a rate designed for the size and cooling needs this 500W power supply and not just the product line as a whole.

Combine this with the custom textured fan blades and you get what be quiet! calls the lowest possible noise level.  At 10% load the Silent Wings fan runs at about 491 RPM and produces 13.3 dB.  At 100% load the system runs at 1400 RPM and puts out only 25.1 dB.

To really see what kind of difference a good silent power supply can make I chose a rather noisy back up gaming system I built for my daughter.  The system is a single GPU setup powered by a nice entry level power supply from Corsair.  The setup uses a single ATI 6750 and a Cooler Master water cooling setup powered by its own 120mm fan.  The case is also a Cooler Master N200 we reviewed previously in a very similar build with its own front 120mm fan.  The New Egg power supply calculator shows this setup as a ~419 W system.

I first tested the ambient room noise and found my Radio Shack Sound Level Meter registered it too far below 50 dBA to register.  Next I tested just the L8 with nothing else in the room on and found to my surprise that the L8 also idles enough below 50 dBA to avoid registering.  (All tests were performed at about 6 inches off the side of the power supply in the late evening.)

Next I tested the donor machine at idle in the same room.  The Cx430 installed averaged 59 dBA idle.  It doesn't sound too bad but to put it in perspective my performance build is idling at 51 dBA while I write this out on it with four 120 mm Noctua case fans, a 1050W Cooler Master Hybrid PSU and a EVGA 770GTX!

Next I changed out the power supply to the L8 500W and let the system idle for an hour or so to "burn in".  I then measured ambient to make sure there was no change and recorded a new idle sound level of 55 dBA idle.  That's a nice drop of 4 dBA just from the change!  To help put that in perspective most studies find a 10 dB change is perceived as doubling the volume.

With a name like be quiet! I expected a solid showing when it comes to noise reduction and I got it.  A very noticeable reduction in the overall volume of my test build could be heard even without the measure.  And that's with the upgrade to 500W.  I also got a solid performing unit with high quality components and a three year warranty.  All that for ~$75 at launch.

I can see why be quiet! has been the bestselling power supply brand in Germany for 5 years running.  I can also easily see the L8 series becoming a force to be reckoned with around the world.  While I prefer a modular setup and Multi GPU compatibility they add cost to the final product and you can't argue with the feature set at this price point.

Silent Operation
Solid 2 12v rail design
80 Plus Bronze Certification
Budget Friendly Price Point

Not modular at this power level
No multi GPU support