Seasonic Prime TX-1600 Noctua Edition power supply review

Seasonic, a longstanding leader in power supply technology, is recognized for its expertise in designing and manufacturing high-performance power supply units (PSUs). With a reputation built on delivering durable, efficient, and reliable products, the company caters to a diverse range of users, including professionals with demanding workloads and gaming enthusiasts requiring stable power delivery. Seasonic's distinction lies in its in-house design and manufacturing of PSU platforms, with a strong emphasis on premium components and engineering excellence.

This review takes a close look at the Prime TX-1600 Noctua Edition, a collaborative effort between Seasonic and Noctua. This flagship model in Seasonic’s Prime series combines Seasonic’s proficiency in power supply design with Noctua’s renowned cooling expertise. The unit features titanium-level efficiency combined with very impressive specifications and a power rating of 1600W at 50°C, targeting insatiable power users who are building systems with extreme power demands. Its standout feature includes Noctua’s NF-A12x25 HS-PWM fan to deliver superior cooling performance. The power supply also complies with ATX 3.1 and PCIe 5.1 standards, ensuring compatibility with the latest hardware, including GPUs requiring high transient power. The collaboration is further reflected in the PSU’s design, with Noctua’s brown color found throughout the product. It is an expensive product, but it sets the performance standard for top-tier PC PSUs, making it one of the best power supplies on the market.

Specifications and Design

In the Box

The Seasonic Prime TX-1600 Noctua Edition comes packaged in a durable, very long cardboard box featuring a black-and-brown theme. This color scheme departs from Seasonic's usual black-and-silver design for Titanium-rated units, aligning with Noctua’s signature aesthetic. Inside, the PSU is securely enclosed in a nylon pouch and further protected by dense foam inserts to ensure safe transport.

The included bundle is extensive, featuring mounting screws, a 90-degree ATX adapter that doubles as a jump-start tester, an AC IEC C19 power cable, cable ties, five cable straps, cable combs, and a metallic case badge. It is important to note that users must avoid jump-starting the PSU with the adapter connected to a motherboard.

The Prime TX-1600 features unique cables with individually sleeved wires in black and brown, complementing the unit’s aesthetic theme. These cables include two PCIe 5.1 12V-2x6 connectors for modern GPUs, six 6+2 pin PCI Express connectors, and 18 SATA connectors. Notably, two of the SATA connectors are 3.3 V cables, which may be incompatible with older devices and disable hot-swapping functionality.

External Appearance

The Seasonic Prime TX-1600 Noctua Edition features an understated and robust design. Its chassis is coated with self-cleaning satin black paint that resists fingerprints, with decorative embossments adorning the left and right sides, adding texture without compromising the semi-minimalist aesthetic. The PSU also prominently features Noctua’s signature brown in its fan guard plate, which covers most of the unit’s bottom.

The PSU deviates from standard ATX dimensions, with a length of 210mm—considerably longer than the ATX guide limit of 140mm. This extended size necessitates compatibility checks with cases to ensure proper fitment. The fan grille design prioritizes minimizing turbulence noise over aesthetics. Regardless, it seamlessly integrates into the PSU’s overall design.

The rear panel houses the IEC C20 AC power inlet, an on/off switch, and a hybrid fan mode button. Enabling hybrid fan mode allows the PSU to operate passively under lower loads, while disabling it forces the fan to spin at minimal speeds. The front side is filled with cable connectors, labeled for straightforward installation.

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Internal Design

Internally, the Prime TX-1600 Noctua Edition is equipped with a Noctua NF-A12x25 HS-PWM 120mm fan. This fan incorporates advanced features such as an SSO2 bearing and Sterrox liquid-crystal polymer blades, which provide excellent thermal performance and reduced noise levels. There is no official datasheet for this particular model but our measurements revealed a maximum speed of about 2400 RPM.

The PSU’s design is entirely in-house, reflecting Seasonic’s expertise in power supply development. Its internal layout is very dense, utilizing massive heatsinks for any PC PSU, let alone a design with that high an efficiency. The input filtering stage is robust, featuring six Y capacitors, four X capacitors, and two oversized inductors for enhanced EMI suppression.

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The Active Power Factor Correction (APFC) stage eliminates rectifying bridges in favor of four rectifier MOSFETs mounted on large heatsinks, improving efficiency. The APFC includes four additional MOSFETs, two diodes, and three enormous Nippon Chemi-Con 820μF capacitors, forming an interleaved topology for maximum reliability and efficiency.

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The primary inversion stage utilizes four Infineon 60R080P7 MOSFETs in a full-bridge LLC topology. These are mounted on dedicated heatsinks just before the dual main transformers. On the secondary side, 16 MOSFETs split across two arrays generate the primary 12V rail. The DC-to-DC circuits are on a vertical daughterboard in parallel to the connector’s board and produce the 3.3V and 5V rails. All capacitors, including secondary-stage components, are supplied by Nippon Chemi-Con, one of the currently most reputable manufacturers. Despite the dense layout, the build quality is immaculate.

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Cold Test Results

Cold Test Results (25°C Ambient)

For the testing of PSUs, we are using high precision electronic loads with a maximum power draw of 2700 Watts, a Rigol DS5042M 40 MHz oscilloscope, an Extech 380803 power analyzer, two high precision UNI-T UT-325 digital thermometers, an Extech HD600 SPL meter, a self-designed hotbox and various other bits and parts.

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During cold testing, the Seasonic Prime TX-1600 Noctua Edition demonstrated spectacularly high efficiency, meeting both the 80Plus Titanium and Cybenetics Titanium certification requirements with a 115 VAC input, missing the 80Plus Titanium certification requirements with an input voltage of 230 VAC by a hair at maximum load. It achieved an average nominal load efficiency of 93.1% at 115 VAC and 94.8% at 230 VAC. The efficiency peaked at approximately 40% load and remained fairly stable across the entire nominal load range (10–100%). At very low loads, the PSU maintained excellent efficiency levels, surpassing typical standards for advanced PC PSUs.

The Noctua NF-A12x25 HS-PWM fan remained inactive until the load exceeded 800 watts, allowing the PSU to operate passively under lower power conditions. When the fan did engage, it spun at low speeds and generated minimal noise. Even under maximum load, the fan did not go anywhere near its full rotational speed, maintaining a fairly quiet operation. Thermal performance during cold testing was notable, with internal temperatures staying very low despite the PSU’s high power output. The effect that the designer’s choice of heatsinks and the inclusion of Noctua’s advanced fan are evident on the thermal and acoustics performance of this unit.

Hot Test Results

Hot Test Results (~45°C Ambient)

During hot testing, the Seasonic Prime TX-1600 Noctua Edition exhibited a marginal drop in efficiency compared to cold conditions. The unit achieved an average nominal load efficiency of 92.9% at 115 VAC and 94.6% at 230 VAC, reflecting a slight decrease of 0.2% from cold testing results. This efficiency drop is minimal, with the PSU virtually completely unfazed by the >20 degree Celsius temperature increase.

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The Noctua NF-A12x25 HS-PWM fan activated slightly earlier during hot testing, starting operation at approximately 650 watts compared to 800 watts in room temperature conditions. The fan speed increased progressively with load but even now it does not ever reach its maximum rotational speed. Acoustic performance was outstanding, with noise levels remaining controlled and within a tolerable range throughout testing. Thermal performance was exceptional, with operating temperatures remaining extremely low for a PSU with such a high power output. The internal components were kept well within safe limits, with no indication of thermal stress.

PSU Quality and Bottom Line

Power Supply Quality

The Seasonic Prime TX-1600 Noctua Edition exhibits outworldish electrical stability and power quality, setting the standards for a top-tier PC PSU. The 12V rail maintains regulation at 0.4%, while the 5V and 3.3V rails hold at 0.8% and 0.7%, respectively. Ripple suppression is particularly noteworthy, with maximum ripple levels measured at 20 mV on the 12V rail, 14 mV on the 5V rail, and 14 mV on the 3.3V rail. These would be top-class results for any PC PSU, which the Prime TX-1600 achieves while outputting 1600 watts with an ambient temperature above 45 degrees Celsius.

During our thorough assessment, we evaluate the essential protection features of every power supply unit we review, including Over Current Protection (OCP), Over Voltage Protection (OVP), Over Power Protection (OPP), and Short Circuit Protection (SCP). All protection mechanisms were activated and functioned correctly during testing. The OCP trigger thresholds are set at 128% for the 3.3V rail, 132% for the 5V rail, and 126% for the 12V rail. The OPP is set to engage at 128%, aligning with expectations for an ATX 3.1-compliant power supply.

Bottom Line

The Seasonic Prime TX-1600 Noctua Edition sets itself apart as a meticulously engineered power supply unit, showcasing a unique collaboration between Seasonic and Noctua. The design of the unit reflects this partnership, with a robust black chassis accented by Noctua’s signature brown, creating a distinctive aesthetic that some will love and some will hate. The inclusion of individually sleeved black-and-brown cables further complements the theme. Aesthetics are something typically subjective but we believe that it will be a great visual match if other Noctua products are found in the system. Internally, the PSU features a densely packed layout with oversized heatsinks, premium Nippon Chemi-Con capacitors, and advanced circuit design, ensuring both durability and performance.

In terms of efficiency and electrical performance, the Prime TX-1600 Noctua Edition delivers industry-leading results. The unit meets 80Plus Titanium and Cybenetics Titanium certification requirements, achieving a peak efficiency of 94.8% at 230 VAC during cold testing and maintaining an impressive 94.6% in hot conditions. At 115 VAC, it maintains similarly high efficiency, with peak values reaching 93.1% during cold testing and 92.9% in hot conditions. Voltage regulation is exceptional, with deviations of just 0.4% on the 12V rail and ripple levels as low as 20 mV, setting a high standard for power quality.

The PSU’s thermal and acoustic performance is equally impressive, some of which success can be attributed to Noctua’s NF-A12x25 HS-PWM fan and special grill design, but we should not forget about the massive heatsinks and top-tier components either. This advanced cooling design ensures minimal turbulence noise while effectively maintaining very low operating temperatures with no or minimal airflow, even under full load and elevated ambient conditions. Even when the fan does start – and it takes quite a load to make it start at all – it remains remarkably quiet even at higher loads, never reaching its maximum speed during testing.

At a retail price of $570, the Seasonic Prime TX-1600 Noctua Edition represents a significant investment, but it justifies this cost by setting performance benchmarks in nearly every category. Its combination of cutting-edge design, unparalleled efficiency, superior electrical stability, and remarkable thermal and acoustic characteristics makes it a standout option for users who demand uncompromising quality. For professionals and enthusiasts building systems with extreme power requirements, this PSU is a definitive choice, offering a balance of innovation, performance, and reliability that is difficult to match.

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