Thermaltake Toughpower SFX 1000w Modular Power Supply Review

SFX Power Supplies are not for everyone.  The majority of DIY and Enthusiast builds are on the larger ATX platform where there is plenty of space for full sized components, longer power cables and places to hide everything away.  However, full sized builds are no longer a necessity.  High-end gaming systems are now limited to only a single GPU and most motherboards have become rather conservative when it comes to their power and connection requirements.  

As our need for large gaming systems starts to diminish there will be an increased demand for smaller cases and the hardware required to make those systems work.  This is the reason behind why SFX power supplies exist.  Early versions were limited in their power delivery due to size constraints.  However, as the technology has advanced, we are starting to see 80 Plus power efficiency increase along with power capacities over 1000w.

This is an important metric when it comes to the Thermaltake Toughpower SFX 1000w Platinum power supply.  First the 80Plus Platinum rating indicates that the power supply is greater 92% power efficient at 50% loading which not only translates into less heat but can also lower power bills and generate less noise from the cooling fan.

To take further advantage of the Platinum rating the Toughpower SFX a zero-fan mode when the PSU is under a 30% loading condition, which for most PCs is quite often.  In fact, the only time I was able to get the fan to come on was when I was gaming and even then, the fan was near silent.

While SFX power supplies can be used in full sized systems they are really best left to Small Form Factor (SFF) builds where space is at a premium and cooling is limited.  In these smaller cases heat is often a limiting factor that impacts available power and component selection.  This is where the Toughpower SFX has a distinct advantage.  The 1000w power handling and 80 Plus Platinum rating can allow for a wider range of component selection while also offering a quiet and efficient power solution for the build.  In addition, if you really don’t need 1000w of power you can select either an 850w or 750w version and get all of the same features.

Overall, I’m rather impressed with the new Thermaltake Toughpower SFX line of power supplies.  They look great, are fully ATX 3.1 compliant and fully respect the SFX form factor.  Too many 1000w+ SFX psu’s tweak the size specification to fit the required electronics or have parts hanging out past the chassis.  In a full-sized chassis this isn’t a big deal however, with SFF (Small Form Factor) builds, where space is a premium, you really need to know that everything can fit as it was designed.