Super Flower Leadex Titanium 1600W Power Supply Review

Why you can trust Tom's Hardware Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.

Load Regulation, Hold-Up Time And Inrush Current

To read about our PSU tests in-depth, please check out How We Test Power Supply Units.

Primary Rails And 5VSB Load Regulation

The following charts show the voltage values of the main rails, recorded over a range from 40W to the maximum specified load, and the deviation (in percent) for the same load range. You will also find a chart showing how the 5VSB rail deals with the load we throw at it.

Load Regulation testing is detailed here.

Hold-Up Time

Our hold-up time tests are described in detail here.

In the above screenshot, the blue line is the mains signal and the yellow line is the "Power Good" signal. The Leadex PSU is right-on in achieving the ATX spec's minimum hold-up time. For a 1.6kW unit, this isn't something to be taken lightly, since it demands bulk caps with increased capacity.

Inrush Current

For details on our inrush current testing, please click here.

With 115V, the inrush current was low. But with 230V, the situation turns and the Titanium Leadex gives us the highest inrush reading we have ever recorded with our equipment.

Load Regulation And Efficiency Measurements

The first set of tests reveals the stability of the voltage rails and the PSU's efficiency. The applied load equals (approximately) 10 percent to 105 percent of the maximum load the supply can handle, in increments of 10 percentage points.

We conduct two additional tests. In the first metric, we stress the two minor rails (5V and 3.3V) with a high load while the load at +12V is only 0.10A. This test reveals whether the PSU is Haswell-ready or not. In the second test, we determine the maximum load the +12V rail can handle while the load on the minor rails was minimal.

Swipe to scroll horizontally
Test12V (A/V)5V(A/V)3.3V(A/V)5VSB (A/V)Power DC/AC (W)Efficiency (%)Fan Speed (RPM)Noise dB(A)In/Out (°C)PF/AC  (V)
111.4841.9831.9970.991A159.8290.740044.550.967
12.0375.0373.3025.049V176.1437.69114.9
224.0212.9793.0011.191A319.7393.280045.740.990
12.0255.0293.2965.039V342.7838.63114.9
336.9403.4863.5221.391A479.8293.730047.360.993
12.0125.0223.2915.031V511.9339.60114.7
449.8633.9824.0151.591A639.5593.6399045.242.180.996
12.0015.0153.2855.020V683.1052.79114.5
562.4784.9875.0281.795A799.4493.3499045.243.060.997
11.9885.0083.2805.009V856.4554.16114.3
675.1196.0026.0461.999A959.3492.7799045.243.350.998
11.9754.9993.2745.000V1034.1055.67114.2
787.7847.0127.0652.200A1119.2192.13143050.944.750.998
11.9634.9893.2684.989V1214.8059.16114.0
8100.4948.0318.0922.405A1279.2891.35149051.345.530.998
11.9504.9803.2634.981V1400.3560.18113.8
9113.6628.5428.6262.410A1439.2390.61198561.346.360.998
11.9364.9733.2574.975V1588.3561.53113.7
10126.6089.0639.1303.0221599.0989.61198561.347.500.997
11.9224.9653.2524.9581784.5064.64113.5
11133.3929.0679.1363.0251679.0489.40198561.348.670.997
11.9154.9633.2504.9541878.1566.08114.4
CL10.09714.01914.0050.001117.3782.91149051.345.600.959
12.0425.0003.2925.060141.5754.05115.0
CL2133.2741.0021.0031.0021602.0590.04198561.347.100.997
11.9214.9933.2655.0061779.2063.94113.5

Load regulation is great on all rails, although it is a little looser than the Gold- and Platinum-rated versions of this platform to achieve higher efficiency. As a result, our efficiency measurements are out of this world. A few years ago, we didn't think we would see a PSU reaching almost 94-percent efficiency with 115V input. Super Flower did a great job here, and surely the company deserves our congratulations. This PSU easily matches the lower-capacity and digitally controlled Corsair AX1500i, which up to now was the efficiency king in our charts. On top of that, the Leadex Titanium 1.6kW is capable of delivering its full power at temperatures that reach 50 °C, which is amazing considering the performance it registers under such tough conditions.

Probably the only downfall is the increased fan noise that we measured once we pushed the PSU at high operating temperatures. At up to 30 percent of its maximum rated capacity load, the unit operated in passive mode, outputting zero noise. However, once the fan gets going, it exceeds 60 dB(A), which is a lot of noise from a PSU.

Aris Mpitziopoulos
Contributing Editor

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

  • Shankovich
    As much as these super powered PSU reviews are interesting, I wouldn't mind seeing more PSU's for the regular non 4-way Crossfire/SLI user. I think in July you guys did some 450W reviews? Wouldn't also mind a battle of the basement review for those cheap PSU's just for fun. Again, love these 1000+ Watt reviews, but maybe toss in some sub 600W stuff in there more often if possible. Love the depth you guys go to in your PSU reviews!
    Reply
  • Dark Lord of Tech
    Can't wait till it arrives.
    Reply
  • Bezzell
    Can you arc-weld aluminum with this?
    Reply
  • Bezzell
    One lead from ground, the other on the 12v?
    Reply
  • MasterMace
    The Power Supply failed 80 Plus Titanium specifications at 50% (93.34% vs 94%) and 100% (89.61% vs 90%)
    Reply
  • tanjo
    Page 9 graphs shows a different PSU (Corsair CS850M) though they all link to the correct full list images when clicked.
    Reply
  • ko888
    15706850 said:
    The Power Supply failed 80 Plus Titanium specifications at 50% (93.34% vs 94%) and 100% (89.61% vs 90%)

    80 PLUS certification occurs at 23°C only.

    Tom's Hardware is testing in a hotbox at over 42°C. So how is that failing 80 Plus Titanium specifications when 80 PLUS Organization doesn't certify or even test at that temperature?

    Kitguru.net measures efficiency at 35°C and the SuperFlower Leadex Titanium 1600W has no problem meeting 80 PLUS Titanium:
    http://www.kitguru.net/components/power-supplies/zardon/superflower-leadex-titanium-1600w-review/6/
    Reply
  • alidan
    As much as these super powered PSU reviews are interesting, I wouldn't mind seeing more PSU's for the regular non 4-way Crossfire/SLI user. I think in July you guys did some 450W reviews? Wouldn't also mind a battle of the basement review for those cheap PSU's just for fun. Again, love these 1000+ Watt reviews, but maybe toss in some sub 600W stuff in there more often if possible. Love the depth you guys go to in your PSU reviews!

    i personally cant see a reason to go lower than 650 watts, the most basic computer with a gpu may only use 50-60% of it at load, but the head room is valued by me far more than the cheaper outset cost...

    i had a psu blow up on me... never again.
    Reply
  • Aris_Mp
    As much as these super powered PSU reviews are interesting, I wouldn't mind seeing more PSU's for the regular non 4-way Crossfire/SLI user. I think in July you guys did some 450W reviews? Wouldn't also mind a battle of the basement review for those cheap PSU's just for fun. Again, love these 1000+ Watt reviews, but maybe toss in some sub 600W stuff in there more often if possible. Love the depth you guys go to in your PSU reviews!
    As much as these super powered PSU reviews are interesting, I wouldn't mind seeing more PSU's for the regular non 4-way Crossfire/SLI user. I think in July you guys did some 450W reviews? Wouldn't also mind a battle of the basement review for those cheap PSU's just for fun. Again, love these 1000+ Watt reviews, but maybe toss in some sub 600W stuff in there more often if possible. Love the depth you guys go to in your PSU reviews!
    As much as these super powered PSU reviews are interesting, I wouldn't mind seeing more PSU's for the regular non 4-way Crossfire/SLI user. I think in July you guys did some 450W reviews? Wouldn't also mind a battle of the basement review for those cheap PSU's just for fun. Again, love these 1000+ Watt reviews, but maybe toss in some sub 600W stuff in there more often if possible. Love the depth you guys go to in your PSU reviews!

    The next PSUs will be more down to earth, with sub-1000 W capacities
    Reply
  • Aris_Mp
    The Power Supply failed 80 Plus Titanium specifications at 50% (93.34% vs 94%) and 100% (89.61% vs 90%)
    Page 9 graphs shows a different PSU (Corsair CS850M) though they all link to the correct full list images when clicked.

    Already informed the editors responsible to fix this. Thanks!
    Reply