Thermaltake Toughpower GF3 850W ATX v3.0 Power Supply Review

To learn more about our PSU tests and methodology, please check out How We Test Power Supply Units. 

Primary Rails And 5VSB Load Regulation

The following charts show the main rails' voltage values recorded between a range of 40W up to the PSU's maximum specified load, along with the deviation (in percent). Tight regulation is an important consideration every time we review a power supply because it facilitates constant voltage levels despite varying loads. Tight load regulation also, among other factors, improves the system’s stability, especially under overclocked conditions and, at the same time, it applies less stress to the DC-DC converters that many system components utilize.

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The 12V rail starts low and increases its voltage with more than 60W load. Since we consider the minimum and maximum voltage deviations on all rails, sudden voltage increases affect load regulation. 

Hold-Up Time

Put simply, hold-up time is the amount of time that the system can continue to run without shutting down or rebooting during a power interruption.

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The hold-up time is longer than 17 ms, but the power ok signal's hold-up time is lower than 16ms, which is the minimum that the ATX spec requires. 

Inrush Current

Inrush current, or switch-on surge, refers to the maximum, instantaneous input current drawn by an electrical device when it is first turned on. A large enough inrush current can cause circuit breakers and fuses to trip. It can also damage switches, relays, and bridge rectifiers. As a result, the lower the inrush current of a PSU right as it is turned on, the better.

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Inrush current is low with 115V and on the high side with 230V. 

Leakage Current

In layman's terms, leakage current is the unwanted transfer of energy from one circuit to another. In power supplies, it is the current flowing from the primary side to the ground or the chassis, which in the majority of cases is connected to the ground. For measuring leakage current, we use a GW Instek GPT-9904 electrical safety tester instrument.

The leakage current test is conducted at 110% of the DUT's rated voltage input (so for a 230-240V device, we should conduct the test with 253-264V input). The maximum acceptable limit of a leakage current is 3.5 mA and it is defined by the IEC-60950-1 regulation, ensuring that the current is low and will not harm any person coming in contact with the power supply's chassis.

Leakage current is low. 

10-110% Load Tests

These tests reveal the PSU's load regulation and efficiency levels under high ambient temperatures. They also show how the fan speed profile behaves under increased operating temperatures.

The PSU delivers 110% of its max-rated capacity at high operating temperatures and for prolonged periods without any problems. Noise output is high, though, exceeding 50 dBA. 

20-80W Load Tests

In the following tests, we measure the PSU's efficiency at loads significantly lower than 10% of its maximum capacity (the lowest load the 80 Plus standard measures). This is important for representing when a PC is idle with power-saving features turned on.

Efficiency is high with light loads. 

2% or 10W Load Test

From July 2020, the ATX spec requires 70% and higher efficiency with 115V input. The applied load is only 10W for PSUs with 500W and lower capacities, while for stronger units, we dial 2% of their max-rated capacity.

The PSU easily breaks the 70% mark with a 2% load. 

Efficiency & Power Factor

Next, we plotted a chart showing the PSU's efficiency at low loads and loads from 10 to 110% of its maximum rated capacity. The higher a PSU’s efficiency, the less energy goes wasted, leading to a reduced carbon footprint and lower electricity bills. The same goes for Power Factor.

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Efficiency with normal loads is low. The situation turns around with light and super-light loads. 

5VSB Efficiency

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The 5VSB rail achieves high enough efficiency. 

Power Consumption In Idle And Standby

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Vampire power is low.

Fan RPM, Delta Temperature, And Output Noise

All results are obtained between an ambient temperature of 37 to 47 degrees Celsius (98.6 to 116.6 degrees Fahrenheit).

The fan's speed increases linearly to the load, even at increased operating temperatures, but at high speeds, the fan is noisy, reaching 50 dBA. Larger heat sinks would help keep noise output lower under harsh conditions. 

The following results were obtained at 30 to 32 degrees Celsius (86 to 89.6 degrees Fahrenheit) ambient temperature.       

At normal operating temperatures, close to 30 degrees Celsius, and with the load pattern that we used, where we fully load the minor rails from the start, the semi-passive operation doesn't last long. Nevertheless, the fan's noise is minimal at up to 460W. Noise exceeds 30 dBA with more than 720W load, and the 40 dBA mark is passed with 825W. 

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