Final Words & Conclusion
Final Words & Conclusion
The FSP DAGGER PRO 850 W is a solid power supply unit. The size is compact and typical for this type of PSU (125 mm in length), but for the offered wattage, it's more than ok (it's the most powerful one of the series, which starts from 550 W). The FSP itself has made the platform for this SFX power supply unit. You can find the fanless mode here, which works till 20% load. There was no bearing click and no coil whine. The exterior looks nice; it's scratchproof and fingertips proof, so that's a nice feature. Still, most of the chassis nowadays have a PSU shroud, which would hide it. The unit comes with a 10-year warranty. It's an 80 Plus Gold certified PSU, and that's a typical choice for even the mid-tier or even high-end systems from the consumer's point of view (in terms of efficiency/price of the unit). The 850 W variant offers a significant enough power output that should be enough for most users, even the most elaborate gaming setups with a single graphics card in their system. In reality, even a PC like the one used in this test (i9 12900K + Geforce RTX 3080) rarely exceeds 500-550 W of power draw.
On the quality side, all is very good, and the stability tests also went well. Load regulation is very good, and there was no noticeable droop on the +5V and +12V rails. Ripple suppression is safely within tolerance. The 92 mm fan (from Power Logic PLA09215B12H) does its job rather well when it's supposed to spin, but it's applicable to about 50-60% load. After exceeding this range, it becomes very audible, so it's definitely not perfect. You get a good set of accessories, including mounting screws, a power cord, SFX to ATX adapter, and a manual (a typical set). The provided cables don't have the in-line capacitors, so it should be a bit easier to manage them in the chassis (although they are stiff). There's no 12/16-pin Gen 5 PCIe compatible cable, and so far, there are no plans to have them (for example, in the new revision).
A word about efficiency
Same as with any other power supply, 50% of the maximum load is where the device is most efficient. The sweet spot of the FSP DAGGER PRO 850 W is a bit over 92% (at 230 Volts). In the case of this particular unit, half of the maximum wattage is 425 W. The average gaming PC with a single graphics card (at least those usually spotted in Steam hardware polls) would rarely exceed this value under normal conditions. The price is about 209.99 USD for the 850 W variant, which is expensive, but on the other side, rather typical for a high-wattage SFX PSU. Don't overestimate the savings (on your electricity bill) that you can make by going from 80 Plus Bronze to even Titanium. You can assume that the build quality of more expensive PSUs will be higher, but the differences in efficiency are not that significant. So, summing it up, an 80 Plus Gold PSU like the FSP DAGGER PRO 850 W is a good enough solution.
Stability
There isn't much to say about stability. The voltages hold, and this doesn't change under higher loads. The 850 W version should be enough for dual-GPU setups with cards like an Nvidia Geforce GTX/RTX 1080/2080, or a single GPU like an RTX 3080/3090, even with such CPUs as (non-overclocked) Intel i9 12900K.
Aesthetics
This FSP PSU looks nice with its all-black cabling. The case looks nice, with the textured finishing. Still, the PSU shroud that you'll usually have or the compartment for the power supply at the back of the motherboard tray wouldn't help show it off. The FSP approach with long, modular cables lets you plug in only the leads you need, improving your build's looks. Still - they are stiff, flat cables provided. They aren't pleasant to work with and require a lot more planning than flexible braided cables
Final words
The FSP DAGGER PRO 850 W retails at 149.99 USD, a rather fair price for such wattage of an SFX power supply; the competition can cost less. Is it worth it? The unit looks good, but that's not an essential factor as it would be hidden behind the PSU shroud or at the back of the motherboard tray. As for the power delivery itself, FSP has made the platform themselves, guaranteeing high performance also thanks to the usage of Japanese Capacitors. The DAGGER PRO 850 W offers very average acoustics (as it becomes audible only above 50% load) and high build quality. According to the standards, the efficiency is like it should be for the 80 Plus Gold certificate. You also get a 10-year warranty, which is an extended period. You won't get the 16-pin PCIe 5.0 compatible cable for powering up to 600 W GPUs (it's a pity that we got a sample without that feature) here, but you will have 4 PCIe Power Connectors. The overall package is good, as the provided cables are long (the motherboard and PCIe leads). If you choose to stick to a standard ATX build, FSP has covered you with an ATX bracket. From the drawbacks – the two EPS connectors on one cable are not a perfect idea, and unfortunately, the bad fan profile. Also, the cables are stiff. We can't award the FSP DAGGER PRO 850 W even with an "Approved" badge mainly because of the fan noise. Still, If you are looking for a high-quality, well-built SFX PSU that can deliver a lot of power, then the Dagger Pro from FSP is a good option if your system won't consume more than 400-450 W – you should be happy with this product.
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