SilverStone Strider Platinum ST85F-PT PSU Review

SilverStone's Strider Platinum series offers compact dimensions along with Platinum efficiency and a fully modular cable design. The 850W member of this line will be evaluated today. Its strong card against the competition is the 471W power density score.

By Aris Mpitziopoulos
published

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Performance, Performance Per Dollar, Noise And Efficiency Ratings

Performance Rating

The following graph shows the ST85F-PT's total performance rating, comparing it to other units we have tested. To be more specific, the tested unit is shown as 100 percent, and every other unit's performance is shown relative to it.

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SilverStone's offering cannot keep up with the strong competition in this category, which achieves longer hold-up times, tighter load regulation, and better ripple suppression. Still, the ST85F-PT takes the lead from its high-end sibling, the Titanium-class ST80F-TI.

Performance Per Dollar

The following chart may be the most interesting to many of you because it depicts the ST85F-PT'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.  

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The performance per dollar ratio of SilverStone's ST85F-PT trails EVGA's 850 P2, the most relevant competition. In addition to its high performance, the 850 P2 is available at a good price. Really, it's tough to beat.

However the ST85F-PT is 25 mm shallower, and that can be a major advantage to anyone who needs a compact PSU with enough capacity to support a strong system. 

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).

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The low-speed fan and its relaxed grant this unit quiet operation (at normal temperatures, at least).

Efficiency Rating

The following graph shows the average efficiency of the PSU throughout its operating range, with an ambient temperature between 28 °C and 30 °C.

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The ST85F-PT beats EVGA's 850 P2 just slightly, while the be quiet! high-end model is a ahead of both.

Aris Mpitziopoulos
Aris Mpitziopoulos
Contributing Editor

Aris Mpitziopoulos is a Contributing Editor at Tom's Hardware US, covering PSUs.

6 Comments Comment from the forums
  • panathas
    I don't understand, first you said: "On the other hand, it doesn't have an issue with inaccurate power-good signals that last longer than the corresponding hold-up time" and your last words were: "It is a great shame though that it is affected by the inaccurate power good signal disease". Which one is true? Also in the CONS section you only mentioned the Hold-up time and not the power good signal.
    Reply
  • turkey3_scratch
    18699506 said:
    I don't understand, first you said: "On the other hand, it doesn't have an issue with inaccurate power-good signals that last longer than the corresponding hold-up time" and your last words were: "It is a great shame though that it is affected by the inaccurate power good signal disease". Which one is true? Also in the CONS section you only mentioned the Hold-up time and not the power good signal.

    First one must have been an mistake since it does drop the PWR_OK after the voltages are already out of spec.
    Reply
  • Aris_Mp
    Yes something was way out in this phrase. It is fixed now.

    This PSU is affected by a fake power good signal, which usually is the case in Sirfa's platform.

    In the cons section. Sometimes I don't mention the fake power good signal, when the hold-up time is already too low. But I will make sure that I do from now on.
    Reply
  • Virtual_Singularity
    ty for the review. So, I know it's kind of not really adequate for comparison considering the watt difference. But, looking at the performance of that last Lian Li sfx reviewed, and this thing, still must say that LL didn't do so badly, though they could really help things if they extended that warranty by at least a year or more.
    Reply
  • DotNetMaster777
    SilverStone looks nice taking into account that this is compact dimensions ?!
    Reply
  • Co BIY
    I think the exterior photos need something for scale. Full-size black boxes and tiny high efficiency black boxes look the same size on a screen without something for scale.

    No comment on vacant modular socket plugs. First time I've seen that. Also the copper bars aren't a feature I've seen commented on before.
    Reply