Super Flower Leadex Titanium 1600W Power Supply Review

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Efficiency, Temperatures And Noise

Efficiency

Using the results from the previous page, we plotted a chart showing the SF-1600F14HT's efficiency at low loads and at loads equal to 10 percent to 110 percent of the PSU's maximum rated capacity.

Without a doubt, the Leadex Titanium unit is our new efficiency king, taking the crown from Corsair's AX1500i, which remains the overall performance leader thanks to its sophisticated digital platform. The amazing fact here is that Super Flower's engineers managed to beat a digital platform using analog circuits, and this is something definitely worth mentioning.

Efficiency at Low Loads

In the next tests, we measure the efficiency of the SF-1600F14HT at loads significantly lower than 10 percent of the device's maximum capacity (the lowest load the 80 PLUS standard measures). The loads we dialed were 20, 40, 60 and 80W. This is important for representing when a PC is idle with power-saving features turned on.

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Efficiency at Low Loads
Test 12V5V3.3V5VSBPower DC/AC (W)Efficiency (%)Fan Speed (RPM)Fan Noise (dB[A])PF/AC (V)
11.211A0.491A0.482A0.196A19.6666.04000.783
12.049V5.048V3.310V5.070V29.77115.2
22.449A0.988A0.995A0.391A39.7678.38000.883
12.048V5.045V3.309V5.065V50.73115.1
33.689A1.475A1.510A0.591A59.8683.36000.920
12.046V5.042V3.307V5.060V71.81115.0
44.918A1.983A1.995A0.791A79.8284.83000.939
12.044V5.040V3.305V5.055V94.09115.0

At low loads, efficiency is great and this unit proves that even high-capacity PSUs can be efficient under light-load situations without compromising performance under normal loads. In addition, the PSU finishes all of the low-load tests in a fanless mode, despite the high ambient temperature inside our hot box (35 °C).

5VSB Efficiency

The ATX specification states that 5VSB standby supply efficiency should be as high as possible, recommending 50 percent or higher efficiency with 100mA of load, 60 percent or higher with 250mA of load and 70 percent or higher with 1A or more of load.

We will take four measurements at 100, 250 and 1000mA, and one under the highest load the 5VSB rail can handle. 

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5VSB Efficiency
Test #5VSB Power DC/AC (W)Efficiency(%)PF/AC (V)
10.102A0.5271.230.038
5.071V0.73116.0
20.252A1.2874.850.087
5.067V1.71116.2
31.002A5.0679.690.258
5.053V6.35115.9
43.002A15.0478.250.430
5.011V19.22115.9

At 5VSB, the Leadex unit performs well, taking over third place in the corresponding chart, with significant distance from the two first PSUs.

Power Consumption in Idle And Standby

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Mode12V5V3.3V5VSBPower (AC)PF/AC Volts
Idle12.051V5.050V3.313V5.076V8.88W0.392
116.0V
StandbyRow 2 - Cell 1 0.11W0.006
116.0V

In the table above, you'll find the power consumption and voltage values of all rails (except -12V) when the PSU is idle (powered on, but without any load on its rails), along with the power consumption when the PSU is in standby mode (without any load at 5VSB).

Power consumption at standby is very low with 115VAC and 230VAC inputs.

Fan RPM, Delta Temperature And Output Noise

The following chart illustrates the cooling fan's speed (RPMs), and the delta between input and output temperature. The results were obtained at 35 °C to 49 °C ambient temperature.   

During our hot-box tests, the fan spun at full speed with over 1400W loads, outputting very loud noise levels. However, judging from the delta difference of the input and output temperatures, the fan did a great job in removing heat from the unit's internals.

The next chart shows the cooling fan's speed (RPMs) and output noise. We measured acoustics from one meter away, inside a small, custom-made anechoic chamber with internals completely covered in soundproofing material (be quiet! Noise Absorber Kit). Background noise inside the anechoic chamber was below 18 dB(A) during testing, and the results were obtained with the PSU operating at 35 to 49 °C ambient temperature. 

The following graph illustrates the fan's output noise over the entire operating range of the PSU. The same conditions of the above graph apply to our measurements, though the ambient temperature was between 28 and 30 °C.

With up to 600W load, the Leadex PSU operates in passive mode. Afterward, the fan engages for short periods at its lowest speed, where it still outputs noticeable noise before entering into passive mode three more times. We believe that Super Flower could easily use a lower-speed fan, although we agree that it is better to be on the safe side rather than risk damaging the PSU over time. The high-noise output region of this PSU begins with more than 1300W load at normal ambient temperatures. Realistically, nobody should expect a 1.6kW PSU to be quiet at such high loads.

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