SilverStone SX500-LG Power Supply Review

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SilverStone's SX500-LG fits into the new SFX-L form factor. It's longer than normal SFX units, allowing for a larger fan that reduces output noise.

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Performance, Performance Per Dollar And Noise Ratings

Performance Rating

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

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Performance per Dollar

The following graph may be the most interesting to many users because it depicts the unit's performance-per-dollar score. We looked up the current U.S. dollar 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 EU shops, converting the listed price to U.S. dollars (without VAT). Note that all the numbers in the following graph are normalized by the rated power of each PSU.  

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Noise Rating

The graph below depicts the cooling fan's average noise over the entire operating range of the PSU, with an ambient temperature between 28 and 30 C.

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This is a truly silent PSU, which is amazing given its compact dimensions. Users who require a small PSU but were afraid to buy one due to increased noise output have absolutely no reason to worry about the SX500-LG's acoustics.

Aris Mpitziopoulos
Contributing Editor

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

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9 Comments Comment from the forums
  • Giannis Karagiannis
    Nice review! Indeed, the price is high but this is common with non standard ATX size PSUs. Apart from the high price it looks like a very good unit however.
    Reply
  • PaulBags
    I'm waiting to see the 700w platinum version of this in review. If we can get a 700w platinum sfx-l, how long until we can get shorter and/or higher wattage fanless atx?
    Reply
  • Aris_Mp
    I will ask for their 700 W model as well.

    As for higher wattage fanless ATX units, only with Titanium efficiency (for less energy dissipation)
    Reply
  • jtd871
    YMMV, but there are people who have reported a galloping or chirping noise associated with this model. It's not clear if it's the fan, the thermistor that turns the fan on and off or a combination of both. Based on the ambient testing temps for this review, it might not have been noticed or noticeable. Discussion on for those wanting more info.
    Reply
  • Aris_Mp
    Haven't noticed anything weird in my sample, else I would have mentioned it in the review.
    Reply
  • Vlad Rose
    Still not compatible with their first generation Raven RVZ01 models. Be careful if you buy one through an online retailer as you might get back stock as Silverstone never bothered to call it a revision change..
    Reply
  • mikelim2000
    Got the same PSU, no weird sound, almost dead silent. My PC is dead silent, no case fans, only other fan is the Be Quiet! Shadow Rock LP for my cpu and that's literally dead silent.

    Reply
  • ThePSU
    Honestly....Aris no mean to offend you but you barely explain how you test these, what equipment you use, or anything. Just a bunch of oscillating graphs is not making you a confident reviewer to me. One must reveal how they come up with these numbers in detail and equipment used. Otherwise until I can myself replicate these things, your reviews are utterly useless to me.
    Reply
  • Aris_Mp
    I am not easily offended no worries. There is a whole article about this. And also there are links to this article right before each new test, in all of my reviews. For me as well a reviewer that doesn't share is methodology and equipment isn't a trust worthy one.

    http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/how-we-test-psu,4042.html
    Reply