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80 PLUS Gold: Four Efficient 700-850 W Power Supplies

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Gamers and enthusiasts are always on the lookout for crème de la crème hardware. It's easy to pick winning CPUs and graphics cards; less so for PSUs. We put four 80 PLUS Gold devices from Antec, FSP, Seasonic, and SilverStone under the magnifying glass.

Seasonic X-760

The Seasonic X-760 (from the manufacturer's new X series) employs a high-quality, yet simple design. The 760 W PSU comes with fully-modular cabling. 

Despite its respectable maximum output, the X-760 isn't the priciest option in our roundup given its street price under $200.

As with all the X-series models, the fan doesn't kick in until a load of around 20% is reached. On this particular model, this means that the PSU operates completely silently up until you hit about 150 W of load. And even when the fan is working, the noise level remains pleasantly low.

The modular cable harness is long enough for more enthusiasts, and the number of output connections is also sufficient. With four 6+2-pin PCIe plugs, eight SATA connectors, and eight four-pin Molex leads, the PSU should satisfy users with single- and dual-GPU graphics configs, plus a number of hard drives and fans. The Seasonic X-760's single 12 V rail can deliver up to 756 W and handle a maximum load of 63 A.

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Seasonic X-760
AC Input100-240 V, 50-60 Hz
DC Output+3.3 V+5 V+12 V (#1)+12 V (#2)+12 V (#3)+12 V (#4)-12 V+5 Vsb
25 A25 A63 An/an/an/a0.5 A3.0 A
Individual OutputRow 3 - Cell 1 Row 3 - Cell 2 Row 3 - Cell 3 Row 3 - Cell 4 Row 3 - Cell 5 6 W15 W
Rail UtilizationSysSysCPU & VGA
Combined Output125 W756 W
Total Continuous Output760 W
Peak Outputn/a
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51 Comments Comment from the forums
  • compton
    Every now and again you can catch the Seasonic X series on sale. I picked up a X-650 for about $110 with shipping. For that price, there isn't really anything better. With out a sale, I still say full modular and 80+ Gold is worth the premium over less auspicious contenders.

    Thanks for an excellent review.
    Reply
  • jjb8675309
    no need for a 200 dollar psu for me
    Reply
  • on the seasonic X-760 introduction, the first paragraph states that it comes with hard-wiring. But if you look at the pictures, and further down the review, you'll notice that it is fully-modular.

    no pun intended here ;-)
    Reply
  • The Greater Good
    comptonEvery now and again you can catch the Seasonic X series on sale. I picked up a X-650 for about $110 with shipping. For that price, there isn't really anything better. With out a sale, I still say full modular and 80+ Gold is worth the premium over less auspicious contenders.Thanks for an excellent review.
    I've used the X 650 in builds for two of my friends. I can't wait to get mine. The cabling is perfect for the Antec 1200 case.
    Reply
  • What about noise? Only had a quick glance at the article but that didn't seem to have been measured.
    Reply
  • flong
    Great review, but where is Corsair???? Certainly Corsair is one of the industry leaders and most recommended PSUs on the market.

    This review would have benefited greatly by including both silver and gold rated PSUs from 750W - 1000W. Some Silver rated PSUs actually perform at nearly at gold levels (Corsair) and so they are a great value.

    It would have been nice to have some expert comment on Au's claim that a non-modular cable setup improves efficiency. This appears to be a myth because we see many modular units outperform non-modular units in their class.

    Still I really enjoyed this review.
    Reply
  • jah_33
    Not to forget is that a 80+ PSU generates about twice the heat of a 80+ Gold PSU, 20% compared to 10% of the power output. So a gold certified PSU should be significantly more quiet then a 80+ given equal cooling.

    flongGreat review, but where is Corsair???? /citation]Corsair don't build there own PSU:s the are mostly Seasonic built, some CWT. For example the Corsair AX series are nearly identical to the Seasonic X series, the only difference is the fan.
    Reply
  • darreng101
    I have a SeaSonic X-760 fitted to an O/C'ed i7.

    The 'fan-on' at 20% (i think without looking back) is worst case, mine kicks on at about 30-35% depending on ambient temp, so its awesome quiet. Even when on its quiet.

    It works very well in a dual gaming/home cinema box...

    I'd definiately recommend one
    Reply
  • lol. 200 dollar psu's!

    are you guys complete noobs! do you think we need this ...?
    Reply
  • dominatorix
    ok., compare: http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/gaming-psu-efficiency,2796-11.html
    with: http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/750-watt-psu-80-plus-gold,2927-3.html
    Reply