Thermaltake Toughpower PF1 650W Power Supply Review

As more and more consumers become aware of the advantages of having a high-efficiency power supply for their system, we have definitely seen a recent trend among manufacturers for product releases specifically catering towards that market. While high-efficiency PSUs often (if not always) come with a notably higher price tag, this can usually be subsidised not just from the point of view that to achieve this notably better components must be used within its design, but also the fact that the better the power is being used, the less your PC requires from the wall socket. A factor which, ultimately, will help lower your electricity bill and especially so if your system is switched on for a significant portion throughout the day. With this in mind, therefore, we take a look at the recently released Thermaltake Toughpower PF1, a 650W power supply offering exceptionally high-quality features including a huge 80-Plus Platinum efficiency rating! Thermaltake Toughpower PF1 650W Available in wattage outputs from 650w, 750w, and 850w, for this review we will specifically be taking a closer look at the Thermaltake Toughpower PF1 650w variant. Although this model clearly doesn't provide the largest amount of power, this is still more than enough for the vast majority of gaming PCs which, at least in our view (and on paper) seems to make this an ideal PSU solution for both work and play. Crammed full of excellent high-quality features, the Thermaltake Toughpower PF1 is definitely a premium level product and one we hope will translate into some excellent results when it comes to our testing! - For the moment though, let's take a look at those aforementioned features and technical specifications that this PSU provides. What Does Thermaltake Have to Say? "The Toughpower PF1 Platinum Series comes in 850W/750W/650W and delivers 80 PLUS Platinum efficiency. Besides the fundamental features listed below, The PF1 Platinum Series has two other critical characteristics – compact size and our new board technology. With the small footprint of 140mm (D) x 86mm (H) x 150mm (L), the PF1 prides its ample space for cable management. The new board technology offers single sided SMD which all IC chips are set to only one side, allowing the heat to only be accumulated on one side so the entire board can be covered and cooled down by the 120mm ultra quiet Hydraulic Bearing Fan." Features 80 Plus Platinum certified with 120mm compact caseSmart Zero Fan functionLow Ripple noise100% high quality Japanese 105C/221F capacitorsHigh amperage single +12V rail designFully modular low-profile flat black cablesIndustrial grade protection design - OV/OP/UV/OC/OT/SCPNew Power Board Technology10-year warranty Specifications For more detailed specifications, please visit the official product page via the link here! Connections Coming as a fully modular design, this doesn't just give you the advantage of only needing to install the cables your PC components need, but also the added proxy that this can help you significantly reduce clutter to give you not just a cleaner and tidier presentation, but some better levels of overall airflow. - Although the Thermaltake Toughpower PF1 650W doesn't absolutely mob you with cables, what it does provide you with is more than enough for the vast majority of gaming PCs with, I should add, plenty of extras for future upgrades! Dimensions Packaging The Thermaltake PF1 carries all the product branding we have become well accustomed to over the course of this highly expansive Toughpower series of power supply products. The packaging is predominantly black with silver highlights that really pop and stand out. Overall though, the presentation is certainly more about professionalism than any kind of razzmatazz. The rear of the packaging goes into great detail surrounding all of its technical specifications as well as providing you with further information on its key performance highlights. - Overall, the packaging is excellent although certainly nothing new from Thermaltake. Not, incidentally, that they need to change it when what they do works so well. Accessories The Thermaltake Toughpower PF1 comes with a product manual, a warranty information booklet, and a nice quality branded canvas bag to store the cables you don't need today for a potential upgrade or new component installation tomorrow! A Closer Look Out of the box, the initial impressions for the Thermaltake Toughpower PF1 are certainly good with it having a nice sleek professional aesthetic. Exactly what you want to see from a high-quality PSU design. The top of the power supply has a nice large vented section with the cooling fan located directly beneath. With its nice central location, this provides a nice aesthetic and especially so with the well-sized Thermaltake logo to the center. While there is branding evident on the Thermaltake Toughpower PF1 to the top and sides, overall, it's well-spaced and sized in a manner that adds to the overall visual presentation rather than detracts. As noted above, the overall impression, as per the 'Toughpower' branding, is on professionalism rather than any kind of over the top showmanship. Although a very subtle feature, you may notice small vented sections to the side panels of the Thermaltake Toughpower PF1. This is certainly unusual as most power supplies usually only have two vented areas (to the top fan area and at the rear exhaust). More ventilation, however, is certainly not a bad thing and particularly so given that this PSU does have a hybrid 'zero fan' mode functionality to reduce its overall acoustic output. Surprisingly, when compared to prior Toughpower power supplies, the cable input bank is a little cramped meaning that if you were to start filling this up (presuming you have a fairly elaborate PC system), it could get a little tricky for those with less than nimble fingers. With each section being clearly noted for its use, however, everything looks good here! - I'm not going to lie though, I wish those ports were a little more spaced out. The exhaust section of the Thermaltake Toughpower PF1 is excellent with pretty much all the available space for ventilation being utilised. You will note, as per the picture below, the inclusion of the manual control for the 'Smart Zero Fan' functionality which, for those of you unaware of this design feature, sets the fan to only operate when absolutely necessary. An ideal addition for those of you who truly value near-silent system operation! Finally, the bottom of the power supply has a sticking denoting all of the technical power delivery specifications. While this will undoubtedly have zero interest or application to the vast majority of you, it's still helpful to see it there and, of course, get confirmation of the single +12V rail design. Cabling The cabling for the Thermaltake Toughpower PF1 is of a nice quality with a flat black plastic protective sheathing. Admittedly, this doesn't offer a huge amount of protection and certainly not when compared to braided solutions. For me though, I prefer to compromise a little on going over the top with an unnecessarily thick protective coating for the far more practical and beneficial feature of simply having better flexibility to weave them through your case to give you, all going well, some nice cable management. Internals - A Look Inside! The initial internal presentation of the Thermaltake Toughpower PF1 is definitely good with a clean and tidy design with very little untidy cabling noted. Better still, there are no alarmingly eye-catching colours on display that is usually indicative of good quality components. A closer look at the fan reveals this to be a Thermaltake own TT-1125 design. We have seen this utilised within many of their power supply products in the past and have never failed to be impressed with its performance. In fact, the only mild note of interest is that it appears Thermaltake has changed the labelling to something a bit more... flashy than what we've become accustomed to. The PSU PCB is excellent well presented with all of the major components being well spaced which should, by proxy, allow for a good level of heat control and particularly when when this is operating in its 'Smart Zero RPM' fan functionality mode. As per Thermaltake's features, we can confirm that the two main capacitors are Japanese coming from 'Rubycon', a well-known and respected manufacturer. Rated to 105C, this is exactly what you want to see inside a quality power supply model! Overall Thoughts! Admittedly, for us the Thermaltake Toughpower PF1 is a little boring as we've effectively seen this power supply (under its various alternative branding systems) many times over the last 2-3 years. This isn't, however, any kind of criticism as by and large Thermaltake has been one of the most consistently impressive manufacturers when it comes to our testing process. With this in mind, therefore, while we already know that the Thermaltake Toughpower PF1 is going to provide us with some excellent results, it would be rude of us not to try it out! Methodology & Testing At eTeknix we take the power supply testing procedure very seriously and have invested a lot of resources into acquiring the appropriate testing equipment. For all power supply reviews, we test the power supplies with dedicated power supply testing equipment. This means we are able to get the most accurate results from our testing as opposed to using software benchmarks (such as OCCT) or multi-meter readouts which are broadly inaccurate. Testing Hardware Sunmoon SM-5500ATE Active Load Tester (1200W rated)Stingray DS1M12 USB OscilloscopeVoltcraft DT-10L laser tachometer What the eTeknix Test Procedure Involves Testing each power supply at 20/40/60/80/100% load (with load balanced across all rails) and measuring PFC (power factor correction), efficiency (actual power divided by power "pulled at the wall") and voltage regulation (deviance from expected voltages of 3.3/5/12 on the main rails).Measuring ripple with an oscilloscope at 20/40/60/80/100% load.Measuring fan speed after a stabilisation period of five minutes at each load scenario using the Voltcraft DT-10L laser tachometer and a reflective strip on the fan.Testing each power supply's OPP (Over Power Protection) mechanism and seeing how many watts each power supply can deliver before shutting down Other Things to Consider We recognise that a single 12-volt cable can provide only 6 Amps before overheating (which corrupts voltage regulation and efficiency) and so we used an adequate number of cables for each power supply to ensure there is not efficiency loss from poor cables selectionOur Sunmoon SM-5500ATE power supply tester is not capable of testing more than 300W on each of the 12-volt rails so where a power supply provides more than 300W on a 12-volt rail that power is distributed over multiple 12-volt rails on the load tester. For example a power supply with one 12 volt rail supplying 750 watts would be spread equally over three 12 volt rails on the load tester, a power supply with two 450W 12v rails would be spread over four 12v rails on the load tester, two 225W 12v rails for each of the 12v rails on the unit.We use the same time scale and horizontal millivolt scale on our oscilloscope for all ripple tests, that is a 20ms T/DIV (horizontal) and a 0.02 V/DIV (vertical) meaning the scale is from -80mV to +80mV, ATX spec dictates that the 12v rail must fall within 150mv of ripple and the 3.3/5 within 50mv so that scale allows us to include both 150 and 50mV peaks. (Some older PSU reviews use different scales which were later ditched as the visual representation they give is inadequate, in these reviews written measurements are provided only).Deviance is the terminology used to represent the way voltages diverge from the expected values Voltage Regulation To test voltage regulation we load the power supply to five different load scenarios that give an equal spread of load across every single rail. So that means 20% on all rails, 40% on all rails and so on. We then calculate the average deviance of each rail from its expected voltage. Ideally, anything of +/- 2% regulation is seen as a very good result. Power Efficiency Power efficiency is measured by calculating actual supplied wattage divided by the wattage drawn at the wall/plug, multiplied by 100 to give a percentage. We then compare that to the particular 80 Plus certification the company claims to see if it meets that. You can see the 80 Plus certifications below, we always test power supplies at 230v. Power Factor Correction Power Factor Correction is the ratio of the real power flowing to the load, to the apparent power in the circuit. The aim of PFC is to make the load circuitry that is power factor corrected appear purely resistive (apparent power equal to real power). In this case, the voltage and current are in phase and the reactive power consumption is zero. The closer the number to one the better as this allows the most efficient delivery of electrical power (Source - Wikipedia). Ripple Noise and Ripple can easily be measured by an oscilloscope. These show how much voltage fluctuation there is on a particular rail. We tested the rail stability of the 3.3-volt, 5-volt and 12-volt rails using an identical time and millivolt scale for all graphs. millivolt ripple is measured by the peak to peak size of the voltage curve. The latest ATX 12 volt version 2.3 specifications state that ripple from peak to peak must be no higher than 50 millivolts for the 3.3-volt and 5-volt rails, while the 12-volt rail is allowed up to 120 millivolts peak to peak to stay within specifications. Millivolt figures are stated to the closest increment of 5 given their variability. OPP Power supplies often quote as having various protection mechanisms such and the most important of these is Over Power Protection. In our testing we crank up the power draw until the power supply either shuts down (meaning the OPP mechanism is present and working) or blows up (meaning it is either not present or not working). We then note the maximum power consumption before the power supply shut down, or before it blew up. Fan Speed When testing in a power supply laboratory it is difficult to take fan noise readings as the noise from the Sunmoon test equipment and air conditioning corrupts everything. The next best thing in our circumstances was reading off the fan speed with a tachometer to get an idea for the noise. The ambient temperature during testing held constant at 22 degrees, with 1 degree of variation. Each power supply had a consistent time period of 5 minutes to stabilise between each load scenario. In my experience, the following general relationships apply between noise levels and fan speeds, though it can vary greatly between the type of fan used. Below 800 RPM - Inaudible/Silent800 to 1000 RPM - Barely audible1000 - 1200 RPM - Audible but still quiet1200 - 1400 RPM - Moderately noisy1400 - 1800 RPM - Noisy1800 RPM or above - Intolerable Efficiency Coming as an 80-Plus Platinum rated power supply, the Thermaltake Toughpower PF1 certainly sets the bar pretty high. This is, in fact, the 2nd highest efficiency rating possible and one significant step up from the far more generic 'Gold' standard. So, with this in mind, how well does it meet that remit? Well, the short answer is fantastically! - Based on the results provided in our testing, the Thermaltake Toughpower PF1 doesn't just easily attain its Platinum efficiency rating, but in many respects, it borders on the absolutely top-spec 'Titanium' level. The efficiency performance seen in this PSU is nothing short of remarkable! PFC (Power Factor Correction) Although starting fairly low, as is both perfectly common and normal for the vast majority of power supply models, once you ask the Thermaltake Toughpower PF1 to start working a little bit harder, the results very quickly ramp up to some highly impressive levels. Admittedly, the PFC results seen here are not quite as high as we've seen on other Thermaltake PSU products, achieving a maximum score of 0.97, however, this is more than respectable! Voltage Regulation Regardless of the load output, the Thermaltake Toughpower PF1 provided excellent voltage regulation testing results. A factor clearly demonstrated in the fact that the overall average deviancy across all the rails is amazingly low. These are, without a doubt, some of the tightest results we've seen for quite some time and clearly indicates that this is a quality PSU design. Ripple Thermaltake has always prided itself as being one of the few PSU manufacturers to consistently bring models to the market that offer exceptionally low levels of ripple noise. A point that's fairly clear as they regularly highlight it within their promotional material (as they did with this PSU). With this in mind, therefore, it's no surprise to find that the Thermaltake Toughpower PF1 provided us with some exceptionally low numbers. Coming hugely below the EU maximum of 50, as you can see below, the Thermaltake Toughpower PF1 again performed exceptionally well in our testing! Load (%) 3.3V Ripple 5V Ripple 12V Ripple 203.649.8 403.8511.2 604.46.213.2 805.67.617.4 1006.48.818.2 Over Power Protection and Max Wattage Although this specific Thermaltake Toughpower PF1 model we tested was officially rated to a wattage output of 650, it's never unusual that a power supply is more than capable of exceeding that point. While clearly not recommended, however, it's important to know that if things do get pushed too far, protections are in place to ensure that the PSU is safely shut down before any risk to your system and its components (and not to mention the power supply itself) is presented. With this in mind, therefore, we can confirm not only that the OPP worked perfectly with the Thermaltake Toughpower PF1, but that it was able to achieve a maximum wattage output of 891.1 before this happened (roughly 36% above its rated amount). Fan Speed The Thermaltake Toughpower PF1 fan can operate under two different configurations. You firstly have the 'standard' mode which, as you can see in our results below, appears to operate on a three-tier speed system. The hybrid functionality effectively introduces a 4th-tier that doesn't require the fan to operate until the PSU is at, roughly speaking, around 40% load. - The truth is, however, that while the Smart Zero Fan (hybrid) function is undoubtedly useful for those who value an ultra-quiet system, the fan is barely audible even in its standard mode. - It's dealer's choice, but with the hybrid mode on or off, the Thermaltake Toughpower PF1 is a quiet power supply! It is, in fact, so quiet in its standard-setting that having the 'hybrid' mode on seems a little borderline pointless to me. How Much Does it Cost? Although typically retailing for a price in the region of £149.99, the Thermaltake Toughpower PF1 650W power supply can currently be purchased for £109.99 which, in our opinion, makes this significantly better value for money on the whole. Ok, yes, that might sound a bit obvious on the surface, but we do have a point we're trying to make here! This is an 80-Plus Platinum power supply and they always come with a premium level price tag to match it, put simply, £149.99 is a perfectly reasonable price for a 650w PSU of this level. Based on its standard price though, it's probably a bit too expensive to tempt the casual consumer into making the savvier long-term decision. - Put simply, for £109.99, this is definitely affordable as a higher-tier option to many consumers who were perhaps looking at similar models with only 'gold' efficiency specifications. Performance The Thermaltake Toughpower PF1 provided us with no surprises during our testing. It's an excellent power supply and one that again highlights the point that Thermaltake is, somewhat under the radar, becoming one of the most consistently best PSU manufacturers out there. - There is literally nothing to fault here. In fact, quite the contrary. The results, across the board, were exceptionally impressive (as they nearly always are with a Thermaltake PSU). A particular highlight, however, simply has to be its efficiency performance which not only comfortable achieved its official Platinum rating but bordered on the absolutely top-spec 'Titanium'. A level which, if this PSU had that certification, would easily see another £30-£50 thrown onto the price tag! Practicality & Functionality Coming as a fully-modular cable design, the Thermaltake Toughpower PF1 certainly hits the practical remit by allowing consumers to only have to install the cables their components require. Reducing overall system clutter when compared to older traditional non-modular designs, can also help promote better airflow within the system which, all going well, should see your CPU and GPU hopefully run a little bit cooler. For those of you who value a quiet system, the Thermaltake Toughpower PF1 also comes with a 'Zero RPM Fan' mode. This sets the cooling solution to only operate when absolutely necessary. In truth though, based on the results shown in our testing, while having this feature is nice, it is borderline pointless given how quiet the fan is in its standard operating mode. It's there if you want it though! Should I Buy One? Based upon its current sale price of £109.99, the Thermaltake Toughpower PF1 is an absolute no brainer bargain! This is a price point that sees its Platinum level of performance at a value more commonly associated with the lower-tier 'Gold'. Put simply, it's some excellent value for money and with 650 watts of power output, this particular model should be more than suitable for the vast majority of PC systems including moderate to high specification gaming designs. Admittedly, at its 'normal' price, the Thermaltake Toughpower PF1 does find itself slap bang in the middle of a very congested market. Even under those remits, however, as clearly demonstrates in our testing, this PSU offers a faultless level of performance that easily exceeds a lot of its so-called similar specced competition. - Again though, at £109.99, if you are currently in the market for a brand new power supply and the Thermaltake Toughpower PF1 isn't on your radar, then you simply aren't looking hard enough! Thermaltake Toughpower PF1 650W Power Supply Review

Load (%)	3.3V Ripple	5V Ripple	12V Ripple
20	3.6	4	9.8
40	3.8	5	11.2
60	4.4	6.2	13.2
80	5.6	7.6	17.4
100	6.4	8.8	18.2

Ripple

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