Certification and efficiency
Energy efficiency certification
FSP markets the HYDRO PTM PRO 1200 W series as an 80 Plus Platinum power supply. Certification is performed by an organization called 80 PLUS. But what does this mean “on paper”? It’s a program introduced in 2004 intended to promote efficient energy use in computer power supply units (PSUs). Only products that offer more than 80% efficiency at 20, 50, and 100% load, and a power factor of 0.9 or more, are eligible. The PSU will waste 20% or less electric energy as heat, reducing power consumption and bills compared with less efficient designs.
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115 V internal non-redundant |
230 V EU internal non-redundant |
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Percentage of rated load |
10% |
20% |
50% |
100% |
10% |
20% |
50% |
100% |
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80 Plus |
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80% |
80% |
80% |
|
82% |
85% |
82% |
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80 Plus Bronze |
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82% |
85% |
82% |
|
85% |
88% |
85% |
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80 Plus Silver |
|
85% |
88% |
85% |
|
87% |
90% |
87% |
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80 Plus Gold |
|
87% |
90% |
87% |
|
90% |
92% |
89% |
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|
80 Plus Platinum |
|
90% |
92% |
89% |
|
92% |
94% |
90% |
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80 Plus Titanium |
90% |
92% |
94% |
90% |
90% |
94% |
96% |
94% |
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As you can see above, there are 80 Plus, Bronze, Silver, Gold (these three are from 2008), Platinum (2009), and Titanium (2012) certificates. As power consumption has dropped, most computers with a single GPU don’t need more than a 600-650 W PSU. The PSU tested today is the most efficient at 50% load (600 W), but the differences above and below this threshold are insignificant. You don’t need to keep it precisely at half load, but it’s best to stay below the maximum wattage for better noise performance, longevity, etc. The reviewed sample is 80 PLUS Platinum certified – up to ~92% efficiency @ 115 V (at 20~100% loads) and 94% @ 230 V – and has active PFC with a power factor of up to 0.99. It consumes < 0.3 W in its off-mode, complying with the ERP standard.
The actual results were possible to find on the 80 Plus website. Also, you can find the Cybernetics results here.
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Max. DC Output |
1200 W |
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PFC |
Active PFC |
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Efficiency |
80 PLUS Platinum |
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Topology |
Primary side: APFC, Full-Bridge & LLC converter Secondary side: Synchronous Rectification & DC-DC converters |
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Modular |
Yes |
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Protections |
OCP, OVP, SCP, OPP, OTP, UVP |
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Cooling |
135mm Double Ball Bearing Fan (MGA13512XF-A25) |
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Semi-passive operation |
Yes |
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Dimensions (W x L x H) |
190 x 150 x 85 mm |
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Weight |
2.00 kg |
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Warranty |
Ten years |
As for the provided cables, you’ll find this information in the unboxing section of the review. The street price of the reviewed unit is 269.99 USD. Let’s see if it’s worth it. Next page, please.
