FSP Twins 500W Redundant PSU Review
The FSP Twins series combines the usability of a normal ATX PSU and the advanced features of a redundant server unit. The Twins 500W we're evaluating today addresses users that need an ultra-reliable PSU and are willing to pay for it.
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Performance, Performance Per Dollar, Noise, And Efficiency Ratings
Performance Rating
The following graph shows the Twins 500W's total performance rating, comparing it to other PSUs we've tested. To be more specific, the tested unit is shown as 100 percent, and every other product's performance is shown relative to it.
The performance of FSP's Twins 500W isn't up to the levels of similar-capacity desktop PSUs. However, this power supply's major advantage is its redundant functionality. Normally we'd only draw comparisons to similar hardware. But this is a pretty unique PSU, and the only of its kind in our benchmark results library.
Performance Per Dollar
The following chart may be the most interesting to many of you because it depicts the Twins 500W's performance-per-dollar score. We looked up the current price of each PSU on popular online shops and used those prices and all relative performance numbers to calculate the index. If the specific unit wasn't available in the United States, we searched for it in popular European Union shops, converting the listed price to USD (without VAT). Note that all of the numbers in the following graph are normalized by the rated power of each PSU.
We only provide this graph for reference purposes, since it is like comparing apples to oranges when we pit a redundant PSU against normal desktop ones.
Noise Rating
The graph below depicts the cooling fan's average noise over the PSU's operating range, with an ambient temperature between 28°C and 30°C (82°F to 86°F).
Since this is practically a server unit, you shouldn't expect it to operate quietly.
Efficiency Rating
The following graph shows the average efficiency of the PSU throughout its operating range, with an ambient temperature close to 30°C.
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Average efficiency is pretty low, since this frame uses two power modules that are Gold-certified with 230V input.
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Aris Mpitziopoulos is a contributing editor at Tom's Hardware, covering PSUs.