PC Power & Cooling Turbo Cool 860W: Special AnandTech Edition
by Christoph Katzer on February 4, 2008 2:00 AM EST- Posted in
- Cases/Cooling/PSUs
Conclusion
With the Turbo Cool 860W, PCP&C went with a completely different design compared to their other Turbo Cool models. We have already discussed the old Turbo Cool design, and while it may remain a topic to argue about we'll put it behind us and simply state that we really like the new design of the 860W model. The new topology allows air to reach the important parts of the unit and it comes with a shorter chassis. We were surprised by the design since it is quite different from normal topologies, but it works just as well as other approaches even if the components are arranged differently. The changes do allow better cooling for the most critical components, and areas that don't get as hot (i.e. the input filtering stage) don't get as much airflow. There is very little with the design that we can fault.
The build quality is again very good, as we have come to expect from PCP&C. The chosen components are all very high quality, such as the Hitachi capacitor. PCP&C states an MTBF of 200,000 hours, which is definitely a long time. Unfortunately, we cannot provide our readers with any confirmation of the MTBF right now, but since we will be using this power supply in future case tests we will be running it for quite some time and we'll be sure to inform our readers of any problems we encounter. Well-chosen components are also responsible for the good overall test results. The output stability of the 12V rail is very good, coming within 2% of regulation.
The three small potentiometers on the bottom of the power supply are reachable during operation and provide an interesting addition; however, we're not sure they're actually useful. The potentiometers come set at their maximum values, and can only rotate in one direction. Unfortunately, this direction will lower the voltage instead of increasing it. The second problem is that users will not be able to read the voltage as they make adjustments, which makes this function pretty much useless. We could read the results with our Chroma, but when this PSU is running in a PC case it will be difficult for the user to read the data with a scope or voltmeter. The fact that you can only lower the voltage does not really help, unless you happen to receive a unit that's overvolted (which is unlikely).
Efficiency-wise, this power supply is one of the best we have seen. It is equal to the Zippy Serene we tested last year, as well as the "be quiet!" Dark Power PRO (Ed: Worst name ever?) we will review in an upcoming roundup. At 230VAC, we measured 88%, which is an extremely impressive result. At lower input voltages of 90VAC and 120VAC, this unit still reaches up to 84% and 85% efficiency, respectively - again good results. We are surprised that the standby efficiency isn't as good as the operating efficiency, however - you may want to turn off the main switch when you aren't using your PC if you want to be properly green.
As already stated on the acoustic page, most users that buy high-end units like the Turbo Cool do not expect a silent power supply. PCP&C has always taken care to provide a healthy power supply first and this can be only done with adequate airflow. We weren't particularly bothered by the noise with this model, however, as it is quieter than the other Turbo Cool units we've tested.
As always, PCP&C provides a 7-year warranty for their power supply. We're not sure how that works with the 200,000 MTBF, as even running 24/7 for ten years wouldn't reach half that figure, but that's apparently a testament of their PSU quality.
The Turbo Cool 860 is not out yet but it's already shipping to retailers and will be available soon. On the PCP&C website, we found a price tag of $270 - a hefty price for an 860W power supply. We unfortunately couldn't find European prices right now, but at the current exchange rate it would cost 183 EUR, which is not quite as bad (assuming final prices match the current US MSRP). On the other hand, price and quality often go hand in hand, and PCP&C earned our Gold Editors' Choice award with their Silencer 750 Quad last year; the 860W Turbo Cool looks to continue that legacy in 2008. We'll be looking at plenty of contenders, but at present PCP&C has set the bar quite high.
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HOOfan 1 - Tuesday, February 5, 2008 - link
You mean like thishttp://www.anandtech.com/casecoolingpsus/showdoc.a...">http://www.anandtech.com/casecoolingpsus/showdoc.a...
or this
http://www.anandtech.com/casecoolingpsus/showdoc.a...">http://www.anandtech.com/casecoolingpsus/showdoc.a...
I see a total of 2 Silverstone revies and 2 PC Power and Cooling Reviews.
JEDIYoda - Monday, February 4, 2008 - link
if they are(which they are not) they did a very accurate review as I am sure they would also do with a silverstone PSU!!KaosDrem - Monday, February 4, 2008 - link
I'm actually running 10 internal sata drives on the 750W silencer along with a quad core, and an 8800gts 512, PCPower&Cooling definitely makes the best power supplies and their method of sticking with the single rail i hope isn't something they will change in the future.yonzie - Monday, February 4, 2008 - link
Let me guess as to the purpose of those 15 harddrives and custom-made case & PSU...It's for Anand's media server!
jtleon - Monday, February 4, 2008 - link
Your Page 9 comment:"If you're buying a PCP&C power supply, you should not plan on silent computing - there just isn't any power supply in the lineup that can qualify as silent."
may be misleading, as my 610W Silencer operates silently in my dual Xeon workstation.
You might consider qualifying your statement more thoroughly.
Regards,
jtleon
Zap - Monday, February 4, 2008 - link
"Quiet" means different things to different people. I consider most computers to be noisy, but then again I've been "tainted" by SPCR. As for PCP&C PSUs, no, they're not silent IMO. They're not even particularly quiet. However, that's just IMO, just as you thinking your unit operates silently is in your opinion. The best way to quantify "quiet/silence" may be if the PSU on its own (not being drowned out by other fans) is noisier than ambient sounds in a quiet room.nubie - Monday, February 4, 2008 - link
I have a Silencer 470 and it is indeed quieter than the ambient noise, even when all the other fans are off.I do believe that the sound depends on the heat level and the power you are drawing, the most I ever pulled was a couple hard drives, optical drives and an overclocked x2 65watt and 7900GS @ 700mhz core. My PC's usually have some 120mm fans keeping the interior cool (better some slow-moving large fans then one really fast small one.)
As far as "silencer", I think it is apt, depending on the rest of your rig, even in the dead of night the Silencer fan is better than my fairly quiet hard drive, and it has a pleasing tone quality (not whiny or windy.)
That said, I am fully satisfied with my PCPower and I am thinking that "only" a 470watt was overkill, especially since the 360 silencer is $25 cheaper for 5A less on the 12volt rail ($55 direct!!), I can't recommend another PSU for mainstream overclocking (~3-4 Ghz, 1-2 drives, no SLi, or mainstream SLi, 7600/8600).
I too read SPCR, and I wish I had the money to do my own entirely passive, "heat-tunnel" rig (all the heat passes through one or two vertical pipes, and convection moves the air). Since I can't afford that, I like the PCPower supplies. And it is a proven fact that fanless systems use more electricity, simply due to reduced conductivity as heat levels rise.
Way off topic. This is a "Turbo-Cool" model, so I would expect loud noises, but then again if my system used this PSU I would sequester it in a sound-proof room.
Come to think of it, what do you actually interact with on a PC that requires it to sit next to you? (I personally program microcontrollers and interface directly with home-made circuits, and of course overclocking requires you to make adjustments at times.) I hardly ever even load a CD/DVD anymore, and I could use an external unit on my desk. Video and input are Digital (DVI and USB), so why is the system sitting around the desk? 25' of cable should put the system well away from your sensitive ears. In fact it is only lack of space, or I would do it, we simply don't always have the space to closet the system.
I love that PC Power is getting the attention it deserves, so often people ridicule your PSU if it doesn't have a mirror finish and a glowing fan, and a silly mainstream " 'clockers 'tude ".
Tiamat - Monday, February 4, 2008 - link
I don't think it is misleading. PCP&C does not make any silent power supplies. You have a quiet power supply, but that doesn't make it silent. Even passively cooled PSUs are subject to coil whine and other related noises that make them not silent, however, they are very quiet. Silence is an absolute.jtleon - Monday, February 4, 2008 - link
Hmmmm...You make an interesting argument.
Rather than use the word "silent", the description should be "cannot be heard".
Logic would dictate that if you are using an 860W power supply, those components you are powering would also not be "silent".
However, most likely in such a system, the psu may not be audible (i.e. cannot be heard) above the components summed noise level (HDD's, CPU & VGA cooling fans, case cooling fans, etc.).
That considers that the space in which the system is operating is completely silent - which is almost impossible to have 0dB background noise.
Thus, the term "silent" is often interchangeable with "cannot be heard" over the background/component noise level. For example, in the outback of Australia during winter, the background noise level does not fall below 28-32dBA.
Most offices/dwellings have background noise levels at or above 35dBA thanks to HVAC noise / appliance noise / exterior traffic noise / etc. Therefore the pursuit of true silence is practically impossible in the REAL world. PSU manufacturers should not be held to such unrealistic targets in any event, as we the customer must pay extraordinary prices as a result.
Anandtech has a history of offering practical, realistic test results - my only objective of this posting is to help preserve that legacy.
Regards,
jtleon
DigitalFreak - Monday, February 4, 2008 - link
*yawn*