Thermaltake Toughpower Grand Series RGB 650w PSU Review

Introduction

Thermaltake Toughpower Grand Series RGB Gold Power Supply

As a brand, while Thermaltake may not necessarily be one of the first manufacturers you list, they are certainly a recognizable name. Known largely for their power supply, chassis design, and cooling options, they have in recent years spread their wings a little in terms of having a larger product range. That doesn’t, however, mean that they have slowed down any development on the base of their business.

With the release of the Thermaltake Toughpower Grand Series RGB power supplies, they are doing something a little different this time around. As the name would suggest, this 750w power supply comes with RGB lighting effects. While this is common for coolers, RAM, and other components, it is a little usual for power supplies. This, if for no other reason than usually their location precludes any point of it. I mean, it’s not as if you’re going to be staring at the base of your PC is it?

Being a gold-rated power supply though, despite the inclusion of a light show, the Thermaltake Toughpower Grand Series RGB should also pack a decent punch in terms of performance. Let us, therefore, take a closer look at this PSU to see if the RGB lighting is the icing on the cake or an unnecessary distraction potentially hiding some gremlins in the machine.

Features

This Thermaltake Toughpower Grand Series RGB 750w power supply comes with a single +12V rail which outputs the full 650w through a single rail. This is always a nice feature for a PSU as it doesn’t require any rail balancing. While the 650w doesn’t give you a lot of wiggle room in terms of overclocking that amount of power is perfect for the vast amount of gaming PCs.

In addition, the fully modular cabling, while more common is certainly a more preferable option for PC builders today. It is, after all, earlier to work with than a PSU that just has a sprout of cables, most of which you won’t need.

Another key feature is the 100% Japanese capacitors. If Japan does anything better than the rest of the world, it’s electronics and their capacitors are quite rightly recognized as the worlds ‘gold standard’ in terms of capability and, more importantly, reliability. We will not, of course, just take this at face value and will check later in this review. In terms of whats on offer though, this power supply ticks all of the right boxes.

• 80 PLUS Gold Certified up to 90% efficiency.
• High Amperage Single +12V Rail Design.
• Patented 256 colors ring 14 RGB fan with five lighting modes and built-in memory.
• 100% high quality Japanese 105c/221F capacitors.
• Fully modular low-profile flat black cables.
• 650w continuous output at 50C/122F operating environment.

Inside the packaging, you will find a power supply wrapped in a Thermaltake wrapping with foam protectors. In addition, you will also find the product manual, warranty information (which incidentally is 10 years) and a canvas bag holding all the cabling you’ll need to get started.

Specifications

For in-depth specifications, please visit the official Thermaltake Toughpower Grand Series RGB 650w product page here.

What Thermaltake Had to Say

“Thermaltake, as the pioneer who incorporates RGB lights into PSU, has launched the Thermaltake Toughpower Grand RGB Gold Series, coming with a pre-installed, patented 256 Colors Riing 14 RGB fan with 5 lighting modes to choose from and built-in memory. Featuring capacities ranging from 650W to 850W and 80 PLUS Gold certification, Toughpower Grand RGB Series adopts the highest quality components and fully modular design that always accommodate any mainstream build under any circumstances.” – Thermaltake

Cabling

• 1 x 24 pin.
• 1 x 4+4 pin (for CPU).
• 9 x SATA ports.
• 4 x 6 (+2) PCI-E.
• 4 x molex.
• 1 x floppy drive adaptor.