Thermaltake’s Silent Power Supply Uncovered

Final Thoughts

Yves�?? thoughts (seems like an oxymoron to me):

You might have noticed that I have not yet talked about the fact that the power supply is fan-less yet. The reason is I was saving the best for last. The way I tested it was to run my test system with nothing running but the hard drives. I underclocked my 2500+ to 6 x 100 mhz yielding a 600mhz CPU. I did this not because it simulates a common home theater PC, but because I can passively cool my CPU at this speed. Yes, that’s right, I risked my own hardware by running it with NO CPU FAN to see how quiet I could get it. The results, it’s just as quiet as they say it is, at least I think it is. The truth is that it was so quiet that my SPL meter was only registering the hard drives at a distance of 1 meter. When the drives would access I was able to record a maximum dB of 41.6dB A waited. When I powered up the power supply alone the SPL level of the room was below the 35dB threshold of my meter; to put this into perspective that is quieter than a library. So when Thermaltake says it’s a 0dBA power supply they are telling the truth. The only sound I ever heard out of the power supply was the sound of the capacitors discharging after I unplugged it from the wall. Even that was extremely quiet, so quiet that I doubt any one would notice unless the held the power supply up to their ear and unplugged it.

So should you go out and buy the Silent PurePower Fan-less Power Supply? YES!!! DO IT NOW!!!

Ok, just kidding the real answer is, depends. This power supply is the perfect addition to that super quiet home theater PC that you have been dreaming of. It also would work well in a digital audio workstation that has to be in the same room where the recording is taking place. For situations like that I don’t know that I would recommend anything else. There are people who should look elsewhere though. If the sound of your rig is a far second to the hole in your wallet then this is not the power supply for you. The price ranges from $120-150, which while a good investment, may not be what you need. The same applies to extreme overclockers and gamers, if your going to spend $150 on a power supply you might want something with higher wattage.

The only issues that I have with this power supply are as follows: The heat sinks look cool but may interfere with installation, I did not have any problems but that does not mean you won’t. Make sure to check the size of your case and the location of your tower to verify that the power supply will indeed fit. I also take issue with the high 5v rail, it’s not a big deal as its still with in the 5% and may be further reduced by the motherboard; that said, it still remains high at almost 5.2v. My biggest issue is with cooling. While I did not notice a large increase of temperature it would have been nice if there were some heat pipes that took heat from the top of the case and moved it out. Having a fan-less power supply does no good if I have to cut a hole in the top of my case just for a fan.

Legit Bottom Line:

If you need or want silent computing then start here. This power supply has the advantage of external cooling through the heat sink. It boasts a large 350 watts, which is a lot for a passively cooled power supply. Thermaltake has made a good looking, good performing power supply that fits into a strong and growing market. The only exception is if you’re not in this market, if you don’t need quiet then take a look at the Antec that Rich reviewed last week. Finally, SATA power connectors and cable sleeves are cherries on top of a tasty pie.