SilverStone Strider Titanium ST1500-TI PSU Review

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Teardown & Component Analysis

Before proceeding with this page we strongly encourage you to a look at our PSUs 101 article, which provides valuable information about PSUs and their operation, allowing you to better understand the components we're about to discuss. Our main tools for disassembling PSUs are a Thermaltronics soldering and rework station and a Hakko FR-300 desoldering gun. Finally, for the identification of tiny parts we use an Andonstar HDMI digital microscope.

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General Data
Manufacturer (OEM)Enhance Electronics
Platform Model-
Primary Side
Transient Filter6x Y caps, 4x X caps, 2x CM chokes, 1x MOV, 1x CM02X
Inrush ProtectionNTC Thermistor & Relay
Bridge Rectifier(s)2x Shindengen LL25XB60 (600V, 25A @ 113°C)
APFC MOSFETs4x Infineon IPP50R140CP (550V, 15A @ 100°C, 0.14Ω)
APFC Boost Diode2x CREE C3D10060A (600V, 10A @ 153°C)
Hold-up Cap(s)3x Nippon Chemi-Con (450V, 470uF, 2000h @ 105°C, KMQ)
Main Switchers4x Infineon IPP50R140CP (550V, 15A @ 100°C, 0.14Ω)
Driver ICs2x Silicon Labs Si8230BD
APFC ControllerChampion CM6502S & CM03X Green PFC controller
LLC Resonant ControllerChampion CM6901T6X
TopologyPrimary side: Full-Bridge & LLC Resonant Controller Secondary side: Synchronous Rectification & DC-DC converters
Secondary Side
+12V MOSFETs16x Infineon BSC014N04LS (40V, 100A @ 100°C, 1.4mΩ)
5V & 3.3V2x DC-DC Converters
Filtering CapacitorsElectrolytics: Rubycon (6-10,000h @ 105°C, ZLH), Sun'con (105°C), Nippon Chemi-Con (4-10,000h @105°C, KY) Polymers: Unicon (UPH, 2000h @ 125°C)
Supervisor ICSITI PS223 (OVP, UVP, OCP, SCP, OTP)
Fan ModelYate Loom D14BH (140mm, 12V, 0.7A, 2800 RPM, 140 CFM, 48.5 dB[A], Double Ball Bearing)
5VSB Circuit
Rectifier1x PFR10V45CT SBR (45V, 10A)
Standby PWM ControllerSanken STR-A6062H

This looks to be a new platform from Enhance Electronics, featuring a full bridge topology along with an LLC resonant converter. On the secondary side, a couple of DC-DC converters are used to generate the minor rails, and the +12V rail is regulated by a huge number of Infineon FETs.

We also notice many polymer filtering caps on the secondary side and only few electrolytic ones. Polymer caps are preferred because they can withstand much tougher conditions and last longer. Of course, electrolytic caps still have to be used in PSUs due to their increased capacity. On top of that, their impedance helps avoid unwanted oscillations in some cases. In short, then, you can replace most electrolytic caps on a PSU's secondary side with polymer ones, but you cannot get rid of them all.

The following footage shows the ST1500-TI's internals.


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Aris Mpitziopoulos
Contributing Editor

Aris Mpitziopoulos is a contributing editor at Tom's Hardware, covering PSUs.

  • berezini.2013
    This is the season to be mining. Its winter and those that do mine should be doing so to keep the house warm during peak winter season if not to earn extra cash to go under the tree then to at least help lower their heating bill. -evil grin- actually im trying to promote people to buy more graphics cards because when all this fake coin crashes it will be raining graphics cards cheap everywhere!
    Reply
  • jihtu
    Yeah, when it crashes - who knows, maybe it only crashes in 10 years, maybe it wont? Dont be so cynical
    Reply
  • wesley_agina
    I had not noticed the absence of a power switch, someone could have sent an uncompleted one, otherwise looks great.
    Reply
  • Jean-Yves
    No power switch? Who will buy this?
    Reply
  • berezini.2013
    its been what couple weeks... and already someone jacked 500mil? people are not stupid as you think to keep fake digital money as real money.
    Reply