Introduction

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We would like to thank Seasonic for supplying the review sample.

Lately more and more OEMs are in a constant race against time to release the best, high wattage, 80 Plus Platinum unit. Some major players, like Enermax and SuperFlower, have already included high wattage Platinum units in their arsenal. Recent reviews were also unable to verify platinum efficiency in many real life scenarios. Achieving platinum efficiency in low capacity units may be a difficult task but doing so in a high capacity unit is much more difficult because as power climbs, energy dissipation increases too and even the smaller resistance in a conductor can lead to significant energy/efficiency losses when lots of current passes through. So Seasonic, even with their huge experience, had to study the Platinum efficiency subject extensively, something that led to their late entry in this club. Of course when you already have a very successful product like the X Series, then future plans are even harder, since you have to release something significantly improved.

Seasonic’s fresh Platinum series includes two units, with 860W and 1000W capacity. Both are fully modular, use only Japanese 105°C capacitors, have a single +12V rail and utilize a hybrid fan control which offers silent operation (more on this feature in the next pages). Today we will have the chance to test the 1000W unit (or SS-1000XP) and see how it scores against the competition.

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Specifications

<table class="tputbl">
<thead>
<tr>
<th colspan="2">Seasonic SS-1000XP Features & Specs</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tr>
<th scope="row">Max. DC Output</th>
<td align="center">1000W</td>
</tr>
<tr class="alt">
<th scope="row">PFC</th>
<td align="center">Active PFC</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th scope="row">Efficiency</th>
<td align="center">80 PLUS Platinum</td>
</tr>
<tr class="alt">
<th scope="row">Operating temperature</th>
<td align="center">0°C - 50°C</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th scope="row">Protections</th>
<td align="center">Over Voltage Protection<br />
Under Voltage Protection<br />
Over Current Protection<br />
Over Power Protection<br />
Over Temperature Protection<br />
Short Circuit Protection</td>
</tr>
<tr class="alt">
<th scope="row">Cooling</th>
<td align="center">120 mm Double Ball-Bearing Fan <br/>with Hybrid Silent Fan Control </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th scope="row">Dimensions</th>
<td align="center">150 mm (W) x 86 mm (H) x 190 mm (D)</td>
</tr>
<tr class="alt">
<th scope="row">Weight</th>
<td align="center">2.1 kg</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th scope="row">Compliance</th>
<td align="center">ATX12V, EPS12V</td>
</tr>
<tr class="alt">
<th scope="row">Warranty</th>
<td align="center">7 years</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th scope="row">Price at time of review (exc. VAT)</th>
<td align="center">$259.99</td>
</tr></table>

Besides the Platinum efficiency, this unit is equipped with a full set of protections since even the rare OTP (Over Temperature Protection) is included. The cooling fan features double ball bearings for extended lifetime so along with the Japanese capacitors and the seven year warranty you will have an absolute peace of mind. Its length is not small at 190mm but most mid-full towers will accommodate it without any problems. The weight is relatively low since we weighted it without any modular cables attached. On top of that in a platinum efficiency unit the heatsinks are not large since heat dissipation is kept low. Finally, the price Seasonic asks for the SS-1000XP looks a little bit high since the direct competitor, KINGWIN LZP-1000, costs $30 less.

<table class="tputbl">
<thead>
<tr>
<th colspan="8"><strong>Seasonic SS-1000XP </strong> Power Specs</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tr>
<th scope="row">Rail</th>
<td align="center">3.3V</td>
<td align="center">5V</td>
<td align="center">12V</td>
<td align="center">5VSB</td>
<td align="center">-12V</td>
</tr>
<tr class="alt">
<th rowspan="2" scope="row">Max. Power</th>
<td align="center">25A</td>
<td align="center">25A</td>
<td align="center">83A</td>
<td align="center">3A</td>
<td align="center">0.5A</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2" align="center">125W</td>
<td align="center">996W</td>
<td align="center">15W</td>
<td align="center">6W</td>
</tr>
<tr class="alt">
<th scope="row">Total Max. Power</th>
<td colspan="5" align="center">1000W</td>
</tr></table>

There is one, powerful, +12V rail which can deliver the full power of the PSU. The minor rails are kept to only 125W max combined power but a modern system will not ask for more. On the contrary, since we are talking about a 1kW PSU here, we would like to see at least one Ampere more at 5VSB.

Cables & Connectors, Power Distribution

<table class="tputbl">
<thead>
<tr>
<th colspan="2" align="center">Modular Cables</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tr>
<th scope="row">ATX connector (600mm)</th>
<td align="center">20+4 pin</td>
</tr>
<tr class="alt">
<th scope="row">8 pin EPS12V (650mm)</th>
<td align="center">1</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th scope="row">4+4 pin EPS12V/ATX12V (650mm)</th>
<td align="center">1</td>
</tr>
<tr class="alt">
<th scope="row"> 6+2 pin PCIe (600mm) </th>
<td align="center">6</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th scope="row">4 pin Molex (550mm+150mm+150mm)</th>
<td align="center">6</td>
</tr>
<tr class="alt">
<th scope="row">4 pin Molex (350mm+150mm)</th>
<td align="center">2</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th scope="row">SATA (540mm+150mm+150mm)</th>
<td align="center">9</td>
</tr>
<tr class="alt">
<th scope="row">SATA (350mm+150mm)</th>
<td align="center">2</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th scope="row"> FDD Adapter (+150mm)</th>
<td align="center">2</td>
</tr></table>

The available connectors are enough for the unit's capacity and their lengths are adequate so you won't meet any problems even in very large tower cases. Also the distance among the connectors is the right one, according to ATX spec.
As you can see in the table above there are six PCIe connectors which in pairs start from a common connector but immediately split into two separate cables. There are also two EPS connectors which can be used at the same time with the six PCIe ones. The EPS and PCIe connectors use thicker, 16AWG, wires while all other connectors, including the 24pin ATX, use 18AWG gauges. We would highly prefer the 24pin ATX to use 16AWG gauges too for smaller impedance, something that would lead to lower voltage drops on the minor rails, especially at high loads.

Since this PSU features a single +12V rail we do not have anything to comment about its power distribution.

Packaging

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The packaging makes heavy use of the platinum color in order to emphasize on the unit's efficiency rating. Overall we found the whole concept very stylish and we think it also exudes an air of luxury. On the face of the box the series description along with an angled photo of the unit catch the observer's eye. Also in the top right corner resides the Platinum badge while in the opposite corner we find Seasonic's logo. As usual, on the rear of the box there are enough details about the PSU's highlights along with an interesting shot of the internals. Finally, you will find more info about the unit's technical and power specifications on one of the packaging's sides.

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Seasonic packed really their new flagship PSU really well, with two thick pieces of packaging foam and on top of that a luxury cloth bag further protects it. The nylon pouch that holds all modular cables along with the middle black stripe also features two platinum ones. Seasonic wanted even the inside of the package to give hints about the PSU's efficiency, as it seems. Along with the PSU you will get a rich bundle which besides the afore mentioned cloth bag and the large nylon pouch includes three Velcro ties, several zip ties, a Seasonic badge, an AC power cord and a set of fixing bolts.

Exterior

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The unit is very well made and once you hold it in your hands you will immediately realize its high quality. The grayish semi matte finish is fairly finger-print proof and it seems resistant to scratches too. On the front we meet the classic honeycomb grill and a sturdy On/Off switch right next to the AC receptacle. On one of the two sides there is a nice decal with the platinum series logo while on the other side the power specifications label is installed. On the rear of the unit there is the fully modular panel and a switch for fan control through which you can set the fan to operate either in Hybrid or Standard mode.

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Let’s elaborate more on this special fan control switch. If you select Hybrid operation then the unit will go fanless until 30% load, with 30-50% load it will be in silent mode and afterwards it will be in cooling mode with the fan's RPMs increasing according to load. Basically the only difference between Hybrid and Standard operation is that in the second mode the PSU works in silent mode from 0-30% load and doesn't go fanless. So if you usually operate your system with low utilization it might be preferable to use the Hybrid mode.

A Look Inside

Before reading this page we strongly suggest to take a look at this article, which will help you understand the internal components of a PSU much better.

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It was quite hard to fully disassemble the unit since we had to remove about 20 screws! Once we managed to remove the whole casing we looked at a design that shares many similarities, at least visually, with the X series platform. This is natural since the X Series uses cutting edge technology so it can provide many solutions/ideas for increased efficiency along with tight voltage regulation. Briefly, the SS-1000XP utilizes a full-bridge topology along with an LLC resonant converter for zero voltage switching which greatly reduces energy losses on the primary mosfets. Also another interesting feature, which Seasonic utilized in X series PSUs too, is that the VRMs are responsible for the minor rails generation are integrated into the modular PCB, so efficiency gets a noticeable boost since impedance along with current losses are minimized.

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The AC receptacle incorporates an EMI line filter which includes all necessary components (one X, two Y capacitors and two coils). On the main PCB we find more transient filtering components, two CM chokes, four Y and one X caps and an MOV.

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Right in front the Y caps, shown above, we find a thermistor wrapped in heatshrink which is responsible for inrush current protection. The orange component in front of it is an electromagnetic relay which bypasses the thermistor once the PSU completes the start up phase and the PFC caps are fully charged.

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The two bridge rectifiers are bolted on a dedicated heatsink. After them the PFC input capacitor filters the high frequency ripple.

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In the APFC two IPW60R199CP mosfets along with a C3D10060 boost diode are used to shape the current waveform. The three parallel hold up capacitors are provided by Nippon Chemi-Con (330μF each or 990μF total, 420V, 105°C, KMR series). In order to provide a better view to the resonant controller (CM6901) we removed the middle one.

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The four switching IPP60R190C6 mosfets are bolted on a dedicated heatsink.

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In the secondary side, on the top side of the PCB, there are only some small heatsinks and a great number of polymer filtering capacitors along with several electrolytic ones. All are Japan-made (Nippon Chemi-Con) and the electrolytic ones are rated at 105°C. Here you should be wondering where the components are that generate +12V. But of course, on the solder side of the PCB. The eight BSC018N04LS mosfets, which regulate +12V, are cooled passively by the casing itself and the heatsinks on the PCB's components side also help with heat removal.

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To minimize the distance the minor rails had to travel, along with the impedance, the VRMs (Voltage Regulation Modules) that handle 5V and 3.3V are incorporated into the modular PCB. Each VRM has three mosfets and one APW7159 PWM controller handles both VRMs. By taking a better look at the solder side of the modular PCB we noticed that one thick +12V wire feeds the VRMs and two smaller ones feed the peripheral sockets and the EPS/PCIe socket located on the top right corner. Finally all five bottom modular sockets are soldered directly to the main PCB through thick metal conductors, so energy losses are minimized here.

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On a vertical PCB on the side of the main PCB, the protections IC, a PS232F, along with an LM393 Dual Voltage Comparator are installed.

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The duties of the standby PWM controller handles an ICE2QR4765 IC. Near this IC we spotted the only cap used in this unit that is not provided by Nippon but by another major manufacturer, Rubycon.

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The solder side of the main PCB features a very nice, clean, design and well made solder joints. In addition we didn't find any long component leads.

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The cooling fan, a San Ace 120, is provided by Sanyo Denki and its model number is 9S1212F404. At full speed it's noisy but in this unit most of the times it will work at middle-low RPMs and if you choose Hybrid operation then it won't work at all at low loads. The same fan is used in all X series PSUs (except the two fanless models of course!)

Test Setup

All measurements are performed utilizing ten electronic loads (seven Array 3711A, 300W each, and three Array 3710A, 150W each), which are able to deliver over 2500W of load and are controlled by a custom made software. We also use a Picoscope 3424 oscilloscope, a CHY 502 thermometer, a Fluke 175 multimeter and an Instek GPM-8212 power meter. Furthermore, in our setup we have included a wooden box, which along with a heating element is used as a Hot Box. Finally, we have at our disposal four more oscilloscopes (Rigol 1052E and VS5042, Stingray DS1M12 and a second Picoscope 3424) and a CEM DT-8852 sound level meter. In this article you will find more details about our equipment and the review methodology we follow. Finally, if the manufacturer states that the maximum operating temperature of the test unit is only 40°C then we try to stay near this temperature, otherwise we crank up the heat inside the hotbox up to 45-50°C.

Voltage Regulation Charts

The following charts show the voltage values of the main rails, recorded over a range from 60W to the maximum specified load, and the deviation (in percent) for the same load range.

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5VSB Regulation Chart

The following chart shows how the 5VSB rail deals with the load we throw at it.
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Efficiency Chart

In this chart you will find the efficiency of the SS-1000XP at low loads and at loads equal to 20-100% of PSU’s maximum rated load.

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Voltage Regulation and Efficiency Measurements

The first set of tests reveals the stability of voltage rails and the efficiency of the SS-1000XP. The applied load equals to (approximately) 20%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 80% and 100%, of the maximum load that the PSU can handle. In addition, we conduct two more tests. In the first we stress the two minor rails (5V & 3.3V) with a high load, while the load at +12V is only 2A and in the second test we dial the maximum load that +12V can handle while load at minor rails is minimal.

<table border="1" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" bordercolor="#aaaaaa" style="border-collapse:collapse">
<tr>
<th colspan="9" class="th1 tac" style="font-size:15pt"> Voltage Regulation & Efficiency Testing Data <br/>
Seasonic SS-1000XP</th>
</tr>
<tr bgcolor="#dddddd">
<td width="115" align="center" bgcolor="#DEE2E7"><strong>Test</strong></td>
<td width="80" align="center" bgcolor="#DEE2E7"><strong>12 V</strong></td>
<td width="80" align="center" bgcolor="#DEE2E7"><strong>5 V</strong></td>
<td width="80" align="center" bgcolor="#DEE2E7"><strong>3.3 V</strong></td>
<td width="80" align="center" bgcolor="#DEE2E7"><strong>5VSB</strong></td>
<td width="80" align="center" bgcolor="#DEE2E7"><strong>Power<br />
(DC/AC)</strong></td>
<td width="80" align="center" bgcolor="#DEE2E7"><strong>Efficiency</strong></td>
<td width="80" align="center" bgcolor="#DEE2E7"><strong>Temp<br />
(In/Out)</strong></td>
<td width="80" align="center" bgcolor="#DEE2E7"><strong>PF/AC <br>
Volts</strong></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td rowspan="2" align="center" bgcolor="#DEE2E7"><strong>20% Load</strong></td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">14.722A</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">1.993A</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">1.977A</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">0.987A</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">200.00W</td>
<td rowspan="2" align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">90.81%</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">40.1°C</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">0.939</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">12.118V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">5.020V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">3.337V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">5.064V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">220.25W</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">42.4°C</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">231.2V</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td rowspan="2" align="center" bgcolor="#DEE2E7"><strong>40% Load</strong></td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">29.883A</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">3.998A</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">3.979A</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">1.187A</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">400.00W</td>
<td rowspan="2" align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">92.90%</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">41.6°C</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">0.973</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">12.074V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">5.002V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">3.317V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">5.051V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">430.55W</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">44.5°C</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">230.3V</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td rowspan="2" align="center" bgcolor="#DEE2E7"><strong>50% Load</strong></td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">37.361A</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">5.007A</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">4.989A</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">1.587A</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">500.00W</td>
<td rowspan="2" align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">92.79%</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">42.3°C</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">0.979</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">12.058V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">4.993V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">3.308V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">5.038V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">538.85W</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">46.7°C</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">229.1V</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td rowspan="2" align="center" bgcolor="#DEE2E7"><strong>60% Load</strong></td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">44.867A</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">6.019A</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">6.004A</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">1.999A</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">600.00W</td>
<td rowspan="2" align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">92.59%</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">43.7°C</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">0.982</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">12.040V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">4.984V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">3.298V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">5.002V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">648.00W</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">48.8°C</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">228.5V</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td rowspan="2" align="center" bgcolor="#DEE2E7"><strong>80% Load</strong></td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">60.134A</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">8.069A</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">8.056A</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">2.407A</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">800.00W</td>
<td rowspan="2" align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">92.01%</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">45.9°C</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">0.985</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">12.000V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">4.957V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">3.277V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">4.984V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">869.50W</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">52.2°C</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">227.9V</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td rowspan="2" align="center" bgcolor="#DEE2E7"><strong>100% Load</strong></td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">76.093A</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">9.094A</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">9.094A</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">3.037A</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">1000.00W</td>
<td rowspan="2" align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">91.16%</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">48.2°C</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">0.986</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">11.963V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">4.948V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">3.266V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">4.939V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">1097.00W</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">56.4°C</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">226.7V</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td rowspan="2" align="center" bgcolor="#DEE2E7"><strong>Crossload 1</strong></td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">1.996A</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">15.011A</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">15.000A</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">0.500A</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">148.65W</td>
<td rowspan="2" align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">81.72%</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">46.3°C</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">0.924</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">12.128V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">4.904V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">3.219V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">5.082V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">181.90W</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">49.9°C</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">231.4V</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td rowspan="2" align="center" bgcolor="#DEE2E7"><strong>Crossload 2</strong></td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">82.969A</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">1.000A</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">1.000A</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">1.000A</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">1005.20W</td>
<td rowspan="2" align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">91.63%</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">47.7°C</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">0.986</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">11.954V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">5.020V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">3.341V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">5.029V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">1097.00W</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">55.8°C</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">226.6V</td>
</tr></table>

Efficiency is outstanding! In seven out of the eight tests it is over 90% and it peaks at almost 93% with 40% load. This is an impressive result, without any doubt. At the same time voltage regulation is tight on all rails with +12V and 5V registering below 2% deviation and with 3.3V just a little over 2%. Also the unit proved that it can deliver its full power effortlessly at very high ambient, close to 50°C. Here we should note that the SS-1000XP, thanks to its high efficiency, has a very cool operation so it was really hard to raise the temperature inside the hot box. Even at full load we were forced to leave the heating element on for quite long, in order to keep the ambient high. Finally the fan at lower temperatures and low to middle loads is almost inaudible, but with high ambient/load and once it goes full speed it gets noisy. To give you an impression of the output noise level, we measured 48.1 dBA at 1m distance from the PSU while the fan was working with max RPMs.

Efficiency at Low Loads

In the next tests, we measure the efficiency of the SS-1000XP at loads much lower than 20% of its maximum rated load (the lowest load that the 80 Plus Standard measures). The loads that we dial are 40, 60, 80 and 100W (for PSUs with over 500W capacity). This is important for scenarios in which a typical office PC is in idle with power saving turned on.

<table border="1" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" bordercolor="#aaaaaa" style="border-collapse:collapse">
<tr>
<th colspan="8" class="th1 tac" style="font-size:15pt"> Efficiency at Low Loads <br/>
Seasonic SS-1000XP</th>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="100" align="center" bgcolor="#DEE2E7"><strong>Test #</strong></td>
<td width="80" align="center" bgcolor="#DEE2E7"><strong>12 V</strong></td>
<td width="80" align="center" bgcolor="#DEE2E7"><strong>5 V</strong></td>
<td width="80" align="center" bgcolor="#DEE2E7"><strong>3.3 V</strong></td>
<td width="80" align="center" bgcolor="#DEE2E7"><strong>5 VSB</strong></td>
<td width="80" align="center" bgcolor="#DEE2E7"><strong>Power<br />
(DC/AC)</strong></td>
<td width="80" align="center" bgcolor="#DEE2E7"><strong>Efficiency</strong></td>
<td width="80" align="center" bgcolor="#DEE2E7"><strong>PF/AC <br>
Volts</strong></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td rowspan="2" align="center" bgcolor="#DEE2E7"><strong>1</strong></td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">1.845A</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">1.992A</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">1.975A</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">0.194A</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">40.00W</td>
<td rowspan="2" align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">74.01%</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">0.762</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">12.147V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">5.020V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">3.341V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">5.109V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">54.05W</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">232.3V</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td rowspan="2" align="center" bgcolor="#DEE2E7"><strong>2</strong></td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">3.412A</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">1.992A</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">1.975A</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">0.391A</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">60.00W</td>
<td rowspan="2" align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">77.82%</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">0.816</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">12.134V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">5.020V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">3.341V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">5.109V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">77.10W</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">232.1V</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td rowspan="2" align="center" bgcolor="#DEE2E7"><strong>3</strong></td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">4.980A</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">1.992A</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">1.976A</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">0.590A</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">80.00W</td>
<td rowspan="2" align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">80.97%</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">0.850</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">12.129V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">5.020V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">3.340V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">5.082V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">98.80W</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">231.9V</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td rowspan="2" align="center" bgcolor="#DEE2E7"><strong>4</strong></td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">6.546A</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">1.992A</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">1.976A</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">0.787A</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">100.00W</td>
<td rowspan="2" align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">83.23%</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">0.877</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">12.129V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">5.020V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">3.340V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">5.082V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">120.15W</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">231.8V</td>
</tr></table>

At low loads the unit, although it has 1kW capacity, registered high efficiency and at the last two tests it managed to surpass the 80% mark. This is very good performance for such a high capacity PSU while operating with minimal loads.

5VSB Efficiency

ATX spec states that the 5VSB standby supply's efficiency should be as high as possible and recommends 50% or higher efficiency with 100mA load, 60% or higher with 250mA load and 70% or higher with 1A or more load.
We will take four measurements, three at 100 / 250 / 1000 mA and one with the full load that 5VSB rail can handle.

<table border="1" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" bordercolor="#aaaaaa" style="border-collapse:collapse">
<tr>
<th colspan="5" class="th1 tac" style="font-size:15pt"> 5VSB Efficiency<br/>
Seasonic SS-1000XP</th>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="100" align="center" bgcolor="#DEE2E7"><strong>Test #</strong></td>
<td width="100" align="center" bgcolor="#DEE2E7"><strong>5VSB</strong></td>
<td width="100" align="center" bgcolor="#DEE2E7"><strong>Power (DC/AC)</strong></td>
<td width="100" align="center" bgcolor="#DEE2E7"><strong>Efficiency</strong></td>
<td width="100" align="center" bgcolor="#DEE2E7"><strong>PF/AC Volts</strong></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td rowspan="2" align="center" bgcolor="#DEE2E7"><strong>1</strong></td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">0.100A</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">0.51W</td>
<td rowspan="2" align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">58.62%</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">0.057</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">5.109V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">0.87W</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">231.4V</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td rowspan="2" align="center" bgcolor="#DEE2E7"><strong>2</strong></td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">0.250A</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">1.28W</td>
<td rowspan="2" align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">72.32%</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">0.113</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">5.109V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">1.77W</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">231.3V</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td rowspan="2" align="center" bgcolor="#DEE2E7"><strong>3</strong></td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">1.000A</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">5.08W</td>
<td rowspan="2" align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">73.95%</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">0.319</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">5.082V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">6.87W</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">231.3V</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td rowspan="2" align="center" bgcolor="#DEE2E7"><strong>4</strong></td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">3.000A</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">15.01W</td>
<td rowspan="2" align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">83.30%</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">0.461</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">5.002V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">18.02W</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">231.4V</td>
</tr></table>

Efficiency at 5VSB follows the general trend so it's way over the respective limits that ATX spec sets. With full load it easily passes 80% while voltage regulation remains at good levels, for the specific rail of course.

Power Consumption in Idle & Standby

In the table below you will find the power consumption and the voltage values of all rails (except -12V), when the PSU is in idle mode (On but without any load at its rails) and the power consumption when the PSU is in standby (without any load at 5VSB).

<table border="1" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" bordercolor="#aaaaaa" style="border-collapse:collapse">
<tr>
<th colspan="7" class="th1 tac" style="font-size:15pt"> Idle / Standby <br/>
Seasonic SS-1000XP</th>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="100" align="center" bgcolor="#DEE2E7"><strong>Mode</strong></td>
<td width="80" align="center" bgcolor="#DEE2E7"><strong>12 V</strong></td>
<td width="80" align="center" bgcolor="#DEE2E7"><strong>5 V</strong></td>
<td width="80" align="center" bgcolor="#DEE2E7"><strong>3.3 V</strong></td>
<td width="80" align="center" bgcolor="#DEE2E7"><strong>5VSB</strong></td>
<td width="85" align="center" bgcolor="#DEE2E7"><strong>Power (AC)</strong></td>
<td width="80" align="center" bgcolor="#DEE2E7"><strong>PF/AC Volts</strong></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td rowspan="2" align="center" bgcolor="#DEE2E7"><strong>Idle</strong></td>
<td rowspan="2" align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">12.148V</td>
<td rowspan="2" align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">5.038V</td>
<td rowspan="2" align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">3.358V</td>
<td rowspan="2" align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">5.118V</td>
<td rowspan="2" align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">9.39W</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">0.366</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">231.8V</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td rowspan="2" colspan="5" align="center" bgcolor="#DEE2E7"><strong>Standby</strong></td>
<td rowspan="2" align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">0.12W</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">0.008</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">231.8V</td>
</tr></table>

Vampire power is among the lowest we have ever seen and is only about one tenth of the limit that the ErP Lot6 2010 directive sets.

Cross Load Tests

For the generation of the following charts we set our loaders in auto mode, through our custom software, and try over a thousand possible load combinations with +12V, 5V and 3.3V rails. The voltage regulation deviations in each of the below charts are calculated taking the nominal values of the rails (12V, 5V and 3.3V) as point zero. We should note here that we will run this test only with PSUs that have capacity equal or lower than 1000W since it takes way too long and as the capacity increases the completion time increases exponentially.

+12V Voltage Regulation Chart

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/S...ges/CL_12V.jpg

5V Voltage Regulation Chart

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/S...ages/CL_5V.jpg

3.3V Voltage Regulation Chart

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/S...ges/CL_33V.jpg

Efficiency Chart

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/S...efficiency.jpg

+12V Ripple Chart

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/S...ipple_12V1.jpg

5V Ripple Chart

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/S..._ripple_5V.jpg

3.3V Ripple Chart

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/S...ripple_33V.jpg

5VSB Ripple Chart

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/S...ipple_5VSB.jpg

Advanced Transient Response Tests

In these tests we monitor the response of the PSU in two different scenarios. First a transient load (11A at +12V, 5A at 5V, 6A at 3.3V and 0.5A at 5VSB) is applied for 50 ms to the PSU, while the latter is working at a 20% load state. In the second scenario the PSU, while working with 50% load, is hit by the same transient load. In both tests, we measure the voltage drops that the transient load causes, using our oscilloscope. In any case voltages should remain within the regulation limits specified by the ATX specification. We must stress here, that the above tests are crucial, since they simulate transient loads that a PSU is very likely to handle (e.g. starting of a RAID array, an instant 100% load of CPU/VGAs etc.) We call these tests “Advanced Transient Response Tests” and they are designed to be very tough to master, especially for PSUs with capacities lower than 500W.

<div style="float:left">http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/S...ansient_20.gif</div><div style="float:left"><table border="1" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" bordercolor="#aaaaaa" style="border-collapse:collapse">
<tr>
<th colspan="5" class="th1 tac" style="font-size:15pt"> Advanced Transient Response 20%</th>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#DEE2E7"><strong>Voltage</strong></td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#DEE2E7"><strong>Before</strong></td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#DEE2E7"><strong>After</strong></td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#DEE2E7"><strong>Change</strong></td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#DEE2E7"><strong>Pass/Fail</strong></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#DEE2E7"><strong>12 V</strong></td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">12.112V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">11.950V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">1.34%</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">Pass</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#DEE2E7"><strong>5 V</strong></td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">5.011V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">4.920V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">1.82%</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">Pass</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#DEE2E7"><strong>3.3 V</strong></td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">3.339V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">3.254V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">2.55%</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">Pass</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#DEE2E7"><strong>5VSB</strong></td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">5.064V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">4.998V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">1.30%</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">Pass</td>
</tr></table></div><div style="clear:both"></div>

<div style="float:left">http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/S...ansient_50.gif</div><div style="float:left"></div><table border="1" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" bordercolor="#aaaaaa" style="border-collapse:collapse">
<tr>
<th colspan="5" class="th1 tac" style="font-size:15pt"> Advanced Transient Response 50%</th>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#DEE2E7"><strong>Voltage</strong></td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#DEE2E7"><strong>Before</strong></td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#DEE2E7"><strong>After</strong></td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#DEE2E7"><strong>Change</strong></td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#DEE2E7"><strong>Pass/Fail</strong></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#DEE2E7"><strong>12 V</strong></td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">12.059V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">11.987V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">0.60%</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">Pass</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#DEE2E7"><strong>5 V</strong></td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">4.993V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">4.902V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">1.82%</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">Pass</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#DEE2E7"><strong>3.3 V</strong></td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">3.308V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">3.223V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">2.57%</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">Pass</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#DEE2E7"><strong>5VSB</strong></td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">5.011V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">4.945V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">2.37%</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">Pass</td>
</tr></table><div style="clear:both"></div>

At the first set of tests and while the PSU is working in PWM mode the response in the transient loads we applied is good, but at +12V it's not among the best we have ever seen. However the scenery changes in the second set of tests where the primary switches are working in FM mode and transient response is far better with +12V registering only 0.6% deviation.

Below you will find the oscilloscope screenshots that we took during Advanced Transient Response Testing.

Transient Response at 20% Load

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/S...n_20_small.jpg http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/S...n_20_small.jpg http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/S...n_20_small.jpg http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/S...n_20_small.jpg

Transient Response at 50% Load

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/S...n_50_small.jpg http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/S...n_50_small.jpg http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/S...n_50_small.jpg http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/S...n_50_small.jpg

Turn-On Transient Tests

In the next set of tests we measure the response of the PSU in simpler scenarios of transient loads, during the turn on phase of the PSU. In the first test we turn off the PSU, dial 2A load at 5VSB and then switch on the PSU. In the second test, while the PSU is in standby, we dial the maximum load that +12V can handle and we start the PSU. In the last test, while the PSU is completely switched off (we cut off power or switch off the PSU's On/Off switch), we dial the maximum load that +12V can handle and then we switch on the PSU from the loader and we restore power. The ATX specification states that recorded spikes on all rails should not exceed 10% of their nominal values (e.g. +10% for 12V is 13.2V and for 5V is 5.5V).

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/S...5vsb_small.jpg http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/S..._stb_small.jpg http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/S..._off_small.jpg
On the 5VSB rail the waveform is very smooth and the rise time is within specs. At +12V the rise time still is kept within the proper range but the waveforms on both tests are not smooth because of some voltage overshoots. However both registered spikes at +12V are way below the upper limit of 13.2V that ATX spec sets, so there is absolutely no reason to worry about them.

Ripple Measurements

In the following table you will find the ripple levels that we measured on the main rails of the SS-1000XP. According to ATX specification the limits are 120 mV (+12V) and 50 mV (5V, 3.3V and 5VSB).

<table border="1" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" bordercolor="#aaaaaa" style="border-collapse:collapse">
<tr>
<th colspan="6" class="th1 tac" style="font-size:15pt"> Ripple Measurements<br/>
Seasonic SS-1000XP</th>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="100" align="center" bgcolor="#DEE2E7"><strong>Test</strong></td>
<td width="80" align="center" bgcolor="#DEE2E7"><strong>12 V</strong></td>
<td width="80" align="center" bgcolor="#DEE2E7"><strong>5 V</strong></td>
<td width="80" align="center" bgcolor="#DEE2E7"><strong>3.3 V</strong></td>
<td width="80" align="center" bgcolor="#DEE2E7"><strong>5VSB</strong></td>
<td width="80" align="center" bgcolor="#DEE2E7"><strong>Pass/Fail</strong></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#DEE2E7"><strong>20% Load</strong></td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">23.6 mV</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">9.7 mV</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">8.5 mV</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">17.0 mV</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">Pass</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#DEE2E7"><strong>40% Load</strong></td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">15.5 mV</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">8.8 mV</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">9.4 mV</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">7.7 mV</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">Pass</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#DEE2E7"><strong>50% Load</strong></td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">15.8 mV</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">11.2 mV</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">9.6 mV</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">8.2 mV</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">Pass</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#DEE2E7"><strong>60% Load</strong></td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">16.6 mV</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">11.4 mV</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">10.6 mV</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">10.8 mV</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">Pass</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#DEE2E7"><strong>80% Load</strong></td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">20.1 mV</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">11.4 mV</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">11.4 mV</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">11.9 mV</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">Pass</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#DEE2E7"><strong>100% Load</strong></td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">24.0 mV</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">12.5 mV</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">14.9 mV</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">13.6 mV</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">Pass</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#DEE2E7"><strong>Crossload 1</strong></td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">37.6 mV</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">9.5 mV</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">9.7 mV</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">12.3 mV</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">Pass</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#DEE2E7"><strong>Crossload 2</strong></td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">23.8 mV</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">11.8 mV</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">12.2 mV</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">22.4 mV</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">Pass</td>
</tr></table>

As expected from Seasonic's flagship PSU, ripple/noise suppression is excellent. Even at full load ripple at +12V is at one fifth of the limit. With 20% load, ripple is higher compared to other load levels because at low loads the unit works in PWM mode and only at higher loads it uses FM mode.

Ripple at Full Load

In the following oscilloscope screenshots you can see the AC ripple and noise that the main rails registered (+12V, 5V, 3.3V and 5VSB). The bigger the fluctuations on the oscilloscope's screen the bigger the ripple/noise. For all measurements we set 0.01 V/Div (each vertical division/box equals to 0.01V) as standard.

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/S...load_small.jpg http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/S...load_small.jpg http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/S...load_small.jpg http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/S...load_small.jpg

Ripple at Crossload 1

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/S..._cl1_small.jpg http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/S..._cl1_small.jpg http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/S..._cl1_small.jpg http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/S..._cl1_small.jpg

Ripple at Crossload 2

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/S..._cl2_small.jpg http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/S..._cl2_small.jpg http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/S..._cl2_small.jpg http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/S..._cl2_small.jpg

Value and Conclusion

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<td>

The Seasonic Platinum 1000W retails for $259.99

</td><br>
</tr><tr>
<th>http://www.techpowerup.com/images/thumbup.gif</th>
<td>

Ultra high efficiency
Outstanding ripple suppression
Tight voltage regulation on all rails
Good response in dynamic loads
Hybrid fan operation mode
Fully modular design
High manufacturing quality
Japan-made capacitors exclusively used
Seven year warranty

</td>
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<td>

High price
Audible fan at very high ambient & load

</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>9.5</th>
<td>Although they arrived a little bit late to the Platinum party, Seasonic did it again. Their new Platinum units, judging of course from the sample I have in my hands, are outstanding and definitely worth every dollar (or euro) of their high prices. The SS-1000XP registered ultra high efficiency at 20-100% of its maximum rated capacity and even at loads smaller than 100W efficiency was noteworthy. Another great aspect of this unit is voltage regulation. Seasonic's claim for 2% voltage regulation at all rails looks to be true since even at the very high ambient I conducted all tests, I measured way below 2% deviation at 12V and 5V while 3.3V surpassed the 2% mark only by a small percent. Regarding ripple suppression, it is outstanding and to speak frank I didn't expect anything different here since Seasonic platforms are proved to be ripple-proof. If you combine all the above with the fully modular design, the fan that has the option to go fanless at loads smaller the 30%, the seven year warranty and the Japan-made caps then you can easily figure out that this unit aims directly at the top of its category. The only downsides I spotted are the high price, although it's worth every penny of it and the fan which at very high operating temperatures and high loads can be loud.<br /><br />
To sum up, if you want the best 1000W unit money can buy today then SS-1000XP is the right choice and is already available in the stores. For those of you that don't need 1kW of power, the Platinum 860W will be available on December 15th with an MSRP of $220. Now that Seasonic has Platinum units I am eager to see an even stronger PSU from them, or at least a 1250W Gold unit.</td></tr>
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Introduction

Specifications

Cables & Connectors, Power Distribution

Packaging

Contents

Exterior

A Look Inside

Test Setup

Voltage Regulation Charts

5VSB Regulation Chart

Efficiency Chart

Voltage Regulation and Efficiency Measurements

Efficiency at Low Loads

5VSB Efficiency

Power Consumption in Idle & Standby

Cross Load Tests

+12V Voltage Regulation Chart

5V Voltage Regulation Chart

3.3V Voltage Regulation Chart

Efficiency Chart

+12V Ripple Chart

5V Ripple Chart

3.3V Ripple Chart

5VSB Ripple Chart

Advanced Transient Response Tests

Transient Response at 20% Load

Transient Response at 50% Load

Turn-On Transient Tests

Ripple Measurements

Ripple at Full Load

Ripple at Crossload 1

Ripple at Crossload 2

Value and Conclusion