Thermaltake Toughpower DPS G 1200W PSU Review

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Performance, Performance Per Dollar, Noise And Efficiency Ratings

Performance Rating

The following graph shows the TPG-1200D-P's total performance rating, comparing it to other units we have tested in the past. To be more specific, the tested unit is shown as 100 percent and every other unit's performance is shown relative to it.

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This is a good performer. Unfortunately for Thermaltake, the competition is very tough. With better ripple suppression on the +12V and 3.3V rails, the TPG-1200D-P would earn a notably higher relative performance score, likely landing on par with the Rosewill and be quiet! units.

Performance Per Dollar

The following chart may be the most interesting to many of you because it depicts the TPG-1200D-P's performance-per-dollar score. We looked up the current 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 European Union shops, converting the listed price to USD (without VAT). Note that all of the numbers in the following graph are normalized by the rated power of each PSU.  

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A high price and merely modest performance drop Thermaltake's contender to the bottom of this chart. If it wants to rank higher, Thermaltake needs to hit a lower price point among strong competition.

Noise Rating

The graph below depicts the cooling fan's average noise over the PSU's operating range, with an ambient temperature between 28 degrees C and 30 degrees C (82 degrees F to 86 degrees F).

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Only the Dark Power P11-1200 offers noticeably quieter operation than Thermaltake's TPG-1200D-P.

Under light and moderate loads, the TPG-1200D-P is silent. However, if you push it hard, the fan gets uncomfortably loud, reaching (and then exceeding under full load) 50 dB(A).

Efficiency Rating

The following graph shows the PSU's average efficiency throughout its operating range, with an ambient temperature between 28 degrees C and 30 degrees C.

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Efficiency is on par with competing Platinum-rated PSUs. Thermaltake's TPG-1200D-P fares well here.

Aris Mpitziopoulos
Contributing Editor

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

  • Myrmidonas
    I do not see anywhere the limitation regarding the need of Flash Active X 15 and only that, in order the PSU's software DPSapp to operate. Is there anything changed? I own one of its little brothers the Toughpower 550W and on my system the DPSApp refuses to run on an Active X version higher than 15.In fact on the download page there is a note saying

    "※Note: The Adobe Flash Player ActiveX 20.0.0 version or above might NOT be compatible DPS G PC App."

    http://www.thermaltake.com/dpsappdownload.aspx?type=dpsapp

    or

    "※Note: The DPS G PC App requires Adobe Flash Player Version 2.0.0.270 or above and Microsoft .NET Version 4.5 or above."

    http://www.thermaltake.com/DPSGApp2download.aspx?type=dpsgapp2
    Reply
  • Shot__
    This is a wimpy power supply. Bring on 5 KW units!
    Reply
  • TechyInAZ
    This is a wimpy power supply. Bring on 5 KW units!

    :lol: It would be great for litecoining machines. :)
    Reply
  • Aris_Mp
    hm I am not aware of this flash/directX issue. In my system I just installed the DPSApp and it ran fine. I have all updates installed. However this App still needs work and they should abandon the flash platform IMO.
    Reply
  • Myrmidonas
    18063833 said:
    hm I am not aware of this flash/directX issue. In my system I just installed the DPSApp and it ran fine. I have all updates installed. However this App still needs work and they should abandon the flash platform IMO.

    In my case, I had no Flash on my system at all. I consider it dangerous and useless. But in order to operate DPSApp I first installed the latest version of Flash and the DPSApp crashes every time i try to open the GUI. Only on the v15 I manage to make it work. :sarcastic:
    Reply
  • TheUnhandledException
    PSUs in the >1kW range should deliver at least 3.5A-4A on 5VSB.

    Why? It is the standby power? What modern system needs more than 15W standby?
    Reply
  • Aris_Mp
    it isn't the system that needs it, but the devices that you might try to charge through 5VSB when the PSU is in standby.
    Reply
  • terroralpha
    so, there is absolutely no reason to buy this over the aging AX1200i or even the not-as-fancy HX1200i... in fact, if you buy this unit you either live in a country where corsair PSUs are hard to get or you are a moron.

    it failed the hold up requirement, regulation and ripple is mediocre at best, it's hideous and single rail designs really need to go from PSUs this powerful. 100 amperes is enough to arc weld! if the DSP malfunctions and send 100 amps down your motherboard or GPU, it'll set your house on fire. this isn't really a problem with old school analog designs. but with anything digitally controlled, bugs are always a concern.

    AX1200i is a way better performer in pretty much every metric, has a 10 year warranty these days, and individually sleeved cables are relatively cheap and readily available.
    Reply