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Bottom Line
The Toughpower PF1 ARGB 1200W is another high-end product from Thermaltake, featuring RGB lighting and good performance. It uses a robust platform, provided by Channel Well Technology, which utilizes a semi-digital design with a pair of MCUs taking over the critical functions. It is a shame, though, that there is no USB interface, which would allow for monitoring and control features, including changes to the fan speed profile.
Speaking of the fan speed profile, it is not optimally set since the power supply gets noisy even at normal operating temperatures and mid loads. Although CWT's engineers lowered the fan's speed from 2000RPM to a little higher than 1600RPM, still the fan quickly reaches its top allowed speed without staying long in the intermediate first. If the fan's speed is controlled by one of the MCUs, which most likely is the case, changing its profile is easy. Nonetheless, this is not something that the users can do, but it requires a factory tuning.
The Toughpower PF1 ARGB 1200W is a fine PSU, and it will serve users that don't care so much about its output noise well. If you want a powerful and silent operating power supply, though, you better look elsewhere since, with 38 dB(A) overall noise output, the PF1 is anything but quiet. Moreover, it is expensive, and its availability in the US market is restricted. With less money, you can get a Corsair HX1200, or you can spend a little more and get the Asus Rog Thor 1200W, which is among the quietest high-capacity PSUs that money can buy today.
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Disclaimer: Aris Mpitziopoulos is Tom's Hardware's PSU reviewer. He is also the Chief Testing Engineer of Cybenetics, and developed the Cybenetics certification methodologies apart from his role on Tom's Hardware. Neither Tom's Hardware nor its parent company, Future PLC, are financially involved with Cybenetics. Aris does not perform the actual certifications for Cybenetics.
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