Getting the Right Power: 15 PC Power Supply Units

Turbo Cool 510 ATX PFC & Turbo Cool 510 ATX Deluxe

PC Power & Cooling offers two power supply units in the high-performance class with the Turbo Cool 510 ATX PFC : According to the manufacturer, the two devices provide maximum power of 510 watts - the difference lies in the equipment and the color of the case. The black Deluxe version has a total of 12 connectors for drives - two of them for S-ATA hard drives ; they do without FDD connectors. The Turbo Cool 510 ATX PFC, on the other hand, offers only 6 connectors for hard disks and drives, and 2 FDD connectors.

Moreover, the Deluxe model offers setting options for voltages for the individual power supply unit lines. Unlike the True Control 550 from Antec, however, the settings are made on potentiometers that are located within the power supply unit case. They are only accessible from the outside through little holes. This means that once they are built in or are in operation, optimization is not possible.

The screwdriver has to be inserted through these little holes in the case if one wants to adjust the voltages

As with the Antec device, the measured, maximum power of the Turbo-Cool power supply units exceeds the measurement range of the test platform : with up to 478 or 485 watts (Deluxe version), both power units deliver good, stable values. The advantage of the black version over the standard model is the lower operating noise : with 36.8 dB(A) at minimum load pleasantly quiet - at a full 5 dB(A) the silver-gray device is already louder. Moreover, at full load, the standard power supply unit is much too loud at 52 dB(A) - but with 48 dB(A) the black model could not be described as quiet either. One disadvantage of the Deluxe version is also the fact that the ATX cable comes up too short at 45 cm.

Outside of the limitations addressed, the two devices make a good impression and provide plenty of power.