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Pros, Cons And Final Verdict
It looks like Super Flower designed an even better platform than its Platinum-rated Leadex (easier said than done, right?). After the ultra-high-end 1600 T2, which is overkill for all but the most affluent enthusiasts, the Titanium line-up is finally getting more realistic models featuring capacities from 750W to 1kW, and soon a 1.2kW version as well.
The SuperNOVA 850 T2 can be used in a potent system since it has enough power to easily feed two high-end graphics cards along with an overclocked CPU and other power-hungry components. Up in the $240 range, its price is sky-high. But its performance puts the PSU on top of our charts. Currently, this is the most efficient PSU we've ever benchmarked. Besides that, the 850 T2 is also the quietest power supply in our lab, passive models excluded. In fact, with Eco mode enabled, it behaves a lot like a fanless model. Even when the PSU delivers its full load for a prolonged period, the fan only spins slowly so long as your ambient environment is under 30 °C or so. In other words, if you want to build a dead silent system and you cannot use a passive PSU for whatever reason (like, you need more than 500-600W of power), then the 850 T2 should be your go-to.
The only flaws we uncovered, besides the obvious high price, were the 3.3V rail's average performance in our Advanced Transient Response tests and the short distance between the peripheral, four-pin Molex connectors. Everywhere else, the 850 T2 performed very well, registering tight load regulation, amazing ripple suppression, super high efficiency levels and a long hold-up time. Moreover, Super Flower upgraded the 5VSB circuit, enabling increased efficiency. The only thing left to do now is also increase its capacity, since 2.5A is a little light for a 850W unit.
Other notable features include a 10-year warranty, fully modular cabling (which most enthusiasts prefer nowadays) and Japanese caps. In addition to increased reliability, these features also ensure high performance is maintained over time, since the best caps age more slowly compared to lower-quality ones.
Given all of that, the SuperNOVA 850 T2 easily earns our Editors' Choice award. We strongly believe that a lower price would make this product a lot more attractive to enthusiasts who recognize the benefit of unprecedented efficiency beyond a slightly lower power bill. We are well aware that Titanium-class PSUs are still rare. But if EVGA could get the 850 T2's price closer to $200, the competition would have a really hard time keeping up. Right now, though, the 850 P2 is a better buy since it's so much more affordable. If money isn't an issue for you and you want the best 850W power supply out there, your best option is the SuperNOVA 850 T2.
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Aris Mpitziopoulos is a Contributing Editor for Tom's Hardware, covering Power Supplies.
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