Be Quiet! Pure Power L8 700W PSU Review

Pure Power L8 700W PSU Review Conclusion

Be Quiet! power supplies are commonly known to be capable of high performance and for their high quality, therefore the results which we received from the testing of the Pure Power L8 700 W unit did not come as a surprise to us. Despite the relatively simple, basic design, HEC did a very good job on both the layout and the assembly of the Pure Power L8 power supply, with no weak joints or spots to be found. The choice of parts could have been better though, such as, for example, better capacitors, since SuScon and Teapo are considered to be mediocre suppliers, especially when their products are being used for primary roles, such as the main APFC capacitor of this power supply. However, the Pure Power L8 700 W unit also comes with a 3 year warranty, which should partially alleviate any concerns about quality.

In terms of performance, the Pure Power L8 700 W unit did better than we usually expect from a product designed with value in mind. The electrical performance of the power supply was very good, with great regulation and ripple suppression, while the electrical efficiency of the unit is quite high for an 80Plus Bronze design. It would be easy for HEC to upgrade the efficiency ratings of this design by implementing any relevant technology, such as DC to DC converters or a full-bridge configuration. Be Quiet! has optimized this unit for low-noise operation and the Silent Wings fan does a very good job at it; as a result however, the thermal performance is rather mediocre for a 700 W unit.

Aesthetics rarely are a serious factor in this segment of the market, yet Be Quiet! clearly made a serious effort to make the appearance of the Pure Power L8 unique. Admittedly, a good paint job, engraved logos and a fancy finger guard are not much, yet these were more than enough to make the Pure Power L8 stand out from the crowd. The largest aesthetic issue that users of the Pure Power L8 700 W unit will be facing is the bulk of the cables.

The value-oriented power supply range of Be Quiet! has left us with mixed feelings. Although the Pure Power L8 700 W power supply performs surprisingly well for a budget-level unit, the retail price is significantly higher than that of several competitive products, a fact which will certainly have a strong negative impact on this units sales.

Legit Bottom Line: The Be Quiet! Pure Power L8 700 W certainly is a very good product, well made and offering excellent performance. If the retail price however is not on par with other similar products at the time of its release, the newcomer into the US market will be facing impossible odds against competition.