Introduction

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/T...ges/ttlogo.jpg
We would like to thank Thermaltake for supplying the review sample.

In the past we have tested one of the SMART units (SP-730P) and we weren't that impressed by its performance and quality overall. This time we have in our hands a PSU that belongs to the fresh SMART series which includes only modular units that are based on a different and more advanced platform than the non-modular SMART PSUs.

All SMART units target budget oriented users that simply want a PSU that will get the job done without carrying any unnecessary or inflated features that are of no benefit to a mainstream user. By keeping the list of available features short, cost can be reduced and this is what matters the most to many consumers out there, especially in these tough economic times.

Today we are going to fully evaluate the smallest member of the cable management SMART series which consists of four members with capacities ranging from 750W to 1200W. The SP-750M is able to deliver 750W continuously at 40°C, has a single +12V rail, is 80 PLUS Bronze certified and according to Thermaltake its APFC capacitor (or hold up cap) is Japanese, to offer increased reliability. Moreover solid state caps are also used and the minor rails are rectified by two DC-DC converters. Up so far all aforementioned characteristics clearly distinguish the new modular SMART PSUs from the non-modular ones which are based on a different and older platform. As you can see this new modular unit carries some rather interesting features which make it comparable with the Corsair TX750M 750W unit we have reviewed in the past. If Thermaltake manages to keep its price low and of course if the test results of today's review are good then the SP-750M will definitely enrich the offerings in this market segment.

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/T...lose_small.jpg

Specifications

<table class="tputbl">
<thead>
<tr>
<th colspan="2">Thermaltake SP-750M Features & Specs</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tr>
<th scope="row">Max. DC Output</th>
<td align="center">750W</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® Bronze</td>
</tr>
<tr class="alt">
<th scope="row">Operating temperature</th>
<td align="center">0°C - 40°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 />
Short Circuit Protection</td>
</tr>
<tr class="alt">
<th scope="row">Cooling</th>
<td align="center">140 mm Sleeve Bearing Fan (YL, D14BH-12, 2300 RPM ± 10% )</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th scope="row">Dimensions</th>
<td align="center">150 mm (W) x 86 mm (H) x 160 mm (D)</td>
</tr>
<tr class="alt">
<th scope="row">Weight</th>
<td align="center">2 kg</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th scope="row">Compliance</th>
<td align="center">ATX12V v2.3, EPS 2.92</td>
</tr>
<tr class="alt">
<th scope="row">Warranty</th>
<td align="center">3 years</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th scope="row">Price at time of review (exc. VAT)</th>
<td align="center">$114.99</td>
</tr></table>

Efficiency is compliant with the 80 PLUS Bronze requirements and the max operating temperature according to Thermaltake is only 40°C. During our tests we will give it a shot and go above this limit; hopefully the unit won't break since it lacks Over Temperature Protection (or OTP). The 140mm fan can operate at very high RPMs and we usually meet such strong fans in CPU coolers and not in PSUs, so we expect it to output significant noise despite Thermaltake's claims for only 16dBA noise.
The unit's footprint is normal for its capacity and finally the provided warranty is short compared to the five years that Corsair gives along with the TX750M, which costs a few bucks more than the SP-750M.

<table class="tputbl">
<thead>
<tr>
<th colspan="8">Thermaltake SP-750M 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">62A</td>
<td align="center">3A</td>
<td align="center">0.8A</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2" align="center">130W</td>
<td align="center">744W</td>
<td align="center">15W</td>
<td align="center">9.6W</td>
</tr>
<tr class="alt">
<th scope="row">Total Max. Power</th>
<td colspan="5" align="center">750W</td>
</tr></table>

This is a single +12V rail PSU which alone can deliver almost the unit's full power, a typical case for a PSU that utilizes DC-DC converters for the minor rails generation. The latter have a combined power of 130W so they are rather strong for today's standards and the PSU's category. Finally the 5VSB can deliver a little more power than the standard, for contemporary PSUs, 2.5A.

Cables & Connectors, Power Distribution

<table class="tputbl">
<thead>
<tr>
<th colspan="2" align="center">Native 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">4+4 pin EPS12V/ATX12V (600mm)</th>
<td align="center">1</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th colspan="2" align="center">Modular Cables</th>
</tr>
<tr class="alt">
<th scope="row">6+2 pin PCIe (500mm+150mm)</th>
<td align="center">4</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th scope="row">SATA (500mm+150mm+150mm)</th>
<td align="center">9</td>
</tr>
<tr class="alt">
<th scope="row">4 pin Molex (500mm+150mm+150mm)</th>
<td align="center">6</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th scope="row">FDD adaper (+150mm)</th>
<td align="center">1</td>
</tr></table>

With the only flaw being the single EPS connector the unit is equipped with a sufficient number of connectors. The native cables are only two and include the basic ATX and EPS cables. Their lengths are satisfactory and will be enough to cover even big chassis, although in very large cases additional 100mm in the EPS cable would make things easier. All PCIe cables are modular and the distance up to the first connector is kind of short. We would like to see additional 100mm here, too. Thankfully the distance among all connectors is sufficient. Finally all connectors use 18AWG wires, which is the right gauge size according to ATX spec. As we wrote many times in the past thicker 16AWG wires cause lower voltage drops but make the cables more rigid so cable management tasks get harder.

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

Packaging

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/T...ront_small.jpg http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/T...ose1_small.jpg http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/T...ose2_small.jpg http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/T...ose3_small.jpg
Right on the face of the box Thermaltake states that these units are built to work, meaning that they provide only the essentials in an effort to cut cost. However as we've already seen on the previous page the SP-750M has all features of a modern PSU including a modular cabling system and certainly its price isn't that low. On the front right side we meet the 80 PLUS Bronze badge along with the one that describes the three year warranty. Also the modular cabling design along with the ErP Lot 6 compliance are highlighted.

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/T...ide1_small.jpg http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/T...lose_small.jpg
In the side of the box a brief features description is given in many languages.

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/T...rear_small.jpg http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/T...ose1_small.jpg http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/T...ose2_small.jpg http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/T...ose3_small.jpg http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/T...ose4_small.jpg http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/T...ose5_small.jpg
On the rear side of the box the interested user can find some nice photos of the unit's internals. If you know a thing or two about PSUs it is highly interesting to have the chance to take a peek at the internals. In this side also the power specifications table along with the available connectors description are given. Moreover there are two graphs showing the efficiency curve and fan speed along with the corresponding noise level.

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/T...pen1_small.jpg http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/T...pped_small.jpg http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/T...ndle_small.jpg
The unit is protected only by a bubble wrap inside the box. A piece of packing foam would be a nice addition here, that's for sure. The bundle includes the necessary modular cables along with a storing pouch, several zip ties, a set of fixing bolts and an AC power cord.

Exterior

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.

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/T...top1_small.jpg http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/T...top2_small.jpg http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/T...top3_small.jpg http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/T...top4_small.jpg
The OEM of this platform is Channel Well Technology or CWT (easily seen by the green colored transformers) and the platform is new and named PUQ since CWT loves to give model numbers to their designs. Actually the platform is a modified version of the one used in the Corsair TX750M. The main difference with the latter is that in the secondary side instead of SBRs (passive rectification) more efficient mosfets are used (synchronous rectification). Normally such platforms are used in higher efficiency units since all modern tricks that boost efficiency are employed.

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/T...enta_small.jpg http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/T...ansb_small.jpg
The transient filter starts right at the AC receptacle with a pair of Y caps. On the main PCB we find the rest of its components, namely two X caps along with two Y ones, two CM chokes and an MOV (Metal Oxide Varistor).

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/T...ges1_small.jpg http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/T...ges2_small.jpg
The two parallel bridge rectifiers are bolted on a dedicated heatsink and their model number is GBU606.

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/T...fets_small.jpg http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/T..._cap_small.jpg http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/T...6800_small.jpg http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/T..._PCB_small.jpg
In the APFC two IPW60R190C6 fets are used. The single hold up cap (390μF, 400V, 105°C) is provided by Matsushita/Panasonic and its capacity is kind of small for a 750W PSU.
The combo PFC/PWM controller is the famous CM6800 and the latter is installed on a small vertical daughter-board.

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/T...ches_small.jpg http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/T...3N80_small.jpg http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/T...5VSB_small.jpg
As main choppers two Toshiba TK18A50D fets are used in double forward topology. To the same heatsink a HFS3N80 fet is also bolted and most likely it takes part in the 5VSB rectification along with an SBL1040CTP SBR.

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/T...ets1_small.jpg http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/T...ets2_small.jpg
In the secondary side as you can see there is no heatsink and all fets, responsible for the +12V rail rectification, are installed on a vertical PCB. In total six fets are used and three bus bars located on the solder side of this PCB help in heat dissipation. Since there is no other passive cooling for these fets, the unit's fan has to be pretty strong to keep them cool.

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/T...side_small.jpg http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/T...caps_small.jpg http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/T...aps2_small.jpg
All caps in the secondary are provided by Nippon Chemi-Con and besides electrolytic ones we spotted a single polymer. Also the supervisor IC is soldered directly to the main PCB in the secondary side area and its model number is WT7502. The latter doesn't support OCP for +12V but has all other basic protections.

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/T..._PCB_small.jpg http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/T...VRMs_small.jpg http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/T...ront_small.jpg http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/T...ose1_small.jpg http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/T...ose2_small.jpg
Three thick yellow wires transfer +12V to the modular PCB along with several thinner ones. The VRMs responsible for the minor rails generation are powered by one of these wires along with another one that provides earth. The main PWM controller for the VRMs is an APW7159 IC and in each VRM three fets are used. Soldering quality on the modular PCB is decent and on its front side we meet two coils and several filtering polymer caps provided by Enesol (the normal sized ones with pink logo) and another unknown brand (the smaller ones).

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/T..._PCB_small.jpg http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/T...ose1_small.jpg http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/T...ose2_small.jpg http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/T...ose3_small.jpg http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/T...ose4_small.jpg
The single-sided main PCB features decent soldering quality and thankfully all component leads are carefully trimmed or bent so none of them can cause any trouble. Of course we have seen much higher quality PCBs from CWT but apparently this time the reduction of production cost had a noticeable impact on quality. On the second of the above photos we can clearly see the name that CWT gave to this platform: PUQ.

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/T..._fan_small.jpg http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/T...lose_small.jpg
The cooling fan exhibits Thermaltake's logo and its model number is TT-1425B. However with a better look you can spot Yate Loon Electronics name on it and the real model number (D14BH-12). The fan is equipped with ball bearings and is powerful since it can reach 2800 RPMs and deliver 140CFM. Unfortunately this means excess noise and indeed its technical specs speak of 48.5 dBA max.

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.

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/T..._12v_graph.jpg http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/T...lation_12v.gif

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/T...n_5v_graph.jpg http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/T...ulation_5v.gif

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/T..._33v_graph.jpg http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/T...lation_33v.gif

5VSB Regulation Chart

The following chart shows how the 5VSB rail deals with the load we throw at it.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/T...5VSB_graph.jpg http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/T...ation_5vsb.gif

Efficiency Chart

In this chart you will find the efficiency of SP-750M at low loads and at loads equal to 20-100% of PSU’s maximum rated load.

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

Voltage Regulation and Efficiency Measurements

The first set of tests reveals the stability of voltage rails and the efficiency of SP-750M. 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/>
Thermaltake SP-750M</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">10.508A</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">1.984A</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">1.985A</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">0.996A</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">150.00W</td>
<td rowspan="2" align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">86.56%</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">41.2°C</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">0.936</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">12.220V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">5.038V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">3.324V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">5.020V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">173.30W</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">45.9°C</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">231.1V</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td rowspan="2" align="center" bgcolor="#DEE2E7"><strong>40% Load</strong></td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">21.440A</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">4.005A</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">4.015A</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">1.200A</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">300.00W</td>
<td rowspan="2" align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">88.68%</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">42.6°C</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">0.957</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">12.165V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">4.993V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">3.287V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">4.993V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">338.30W</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">47.9°C</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">231.6V</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td rowspan="2" align="center" bgcolor="#DEE2E7"><strong>50% Load</strong></td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">26.832A</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">5.016A</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">5.047A</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">1.611A</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">375.00W</td>
<td rowspan="2" align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">88.67%</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">44.9°C</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">0.964</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">12.131V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">4.984V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">3.269V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">4.966V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">422.90W</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">51.9°C</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">231.6V</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td rowspan="2" align="center" bgcolor="#DEE2E7"><strong>60% Load</strong></td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">32.254A</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">6.041A</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">6.090A</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">2.024A</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">450.00W</td>
<td rowspan="2" align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">88.22%</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">46.7°C</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">0.972</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">12.098V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">4.966V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">3.251V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">4.939V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">510.10W</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">54.6°C</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">230.7V</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td rowspan="2" align="center" bgcolor="#DEE2E7"><strong>80% Load</strong></td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">43.380A</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">8.113A</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">8.217A</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">2.440A</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">600.00W</td>
<td rowspan="2" align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">87.34%</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">48.6°C</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">0.979</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">12.024V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">4.930V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">3.213V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">4.917V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">687.00W</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">57.8°C</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">230.1V</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td rowspan="2" align="center" bgcolor="#DEE2E7"><strong>100% Load</strong></td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">55.237A</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">9.176A</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">9.322A</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">3.075A</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">749.90W</td>
<td rowspan="2" align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">85.95%</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">50.8°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">4.904V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">3.186V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">4.877V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">872.50W</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">62.2°C</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">229.9V</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td rowspan="2" align="center" bgcolor="#DEE2E7"><strong>Crossload 1</strong></td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">2.002A</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">14.000A</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">14.000A</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">0.500A</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">140.05W</td>
<td rowspan="2" align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">79.04%</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">47.7°C</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">0.937</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">12.218V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">4.895V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">3.183V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">5.002V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">177.20W</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">55.8°C</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">231.7V</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td rowspan="2" align="center" bgcolor="#DEE2E7"><strong>Crossload 2</strong></td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">61.975A</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">753.70W</td>
<td rowspan="2" align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">86.78%</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">50.5°C</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">0.984</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">11.948V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">4.993V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">3.284V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">4.948V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">868.50W</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">61.8°C</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">230.3V</td>
</tr></table>

Despite the 40°C limit that Thermaltake states in its specs the PSU managed to deliver its full power even at over 50°C ambient, something very good of course. Also the efficiency readings we got were pretty high for a merely Bronze PSU since with medium loads they reached 89%. Voltage regulation at +12V ideally should be lower than 2% and at 3.3V close to 3%. On the 5V rail the deviation was low enough since it didn't exceed 3%.
Regarding output noise, even with 20% load the fan made its presence felt. With 40% load it was significantly louder and with 50% load and above it was annoyingly loud and could be easily heard across the room, while all fans of the electronic loads were operating at full speed. So the final verdict is that this unit is equipped with a really noisy fan which however is highly effective and probably essential for the cooling of the fets that rectify +12V.

Efficiency at Low Loads

In the next tests, we measure the efficiency of SP-750M 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/>
Thermaltake SP-750M</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">1.830A</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">1.981A</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">1.979A</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">0.199A</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">40.00W</td>
<td rowspan="2" align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">68.03%</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">0.785</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">12.240V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">5.047V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">3.333V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">5.051V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">58.80W</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">3.387A</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">1.981A</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">1.980A</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">0.396A</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">60.00W</td>
<td rowspan="2" align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">74.63%</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">0.847</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">12.227V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">5.047V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">3.332V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">5.038V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">80.40W</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">4.943A</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">1.981A</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">1.982A</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">0.594A</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">80.00W</td>
<td rowspan="2" align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">78.97%</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">0.887</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">12.222V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">5.047V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">3.330V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">5.038V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">101.30W</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">231.2V</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td rowspan="2" align="center" bgcolor="#DEE2E7"><strong>4</strong></td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">6.500A</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">1.981A</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">1.983A</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">0.793A</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">100.00W</td>
<td rowspan="2" align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">81.37%</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">0.911</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">12.217V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">5.047V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">3.328V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">5.038V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">122.90W</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">231.6V</td>
</tr></table>

Efficiency at low loads is at the levels we expected from a Bronze 750W unit; however with 40W load we would like to see an over 70% reading. The SP-750M needs at least 100W load to surpass the 80% mark, so surely it is not the best choice for a system that consumes less than 60-80W at idle but considering its official efficiency rating we cannot be very demanding in these tests.

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/>
Thermaltake SP-750M</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">73.91%</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">0.020</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">5.064V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">0.69W</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">230.8V</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">1.27W</td>
<td rowspan="2" align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">75.60%</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">0.050</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">5.060V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">1.68W</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">231.2V</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">5.04W</td>
<td rowspan="2" align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">78.26%</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">0.179</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">5.038V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">6.44W</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">230.8V</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">14.95W</td>
<td rowspan="2" align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">77.46%</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">0.396</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">4.984V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">19.30W</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">230.8V</td>
</tr></table>

At the first two tests efficiency is amazing while on the last two it is quite good and easily surpasses the 70% mark. All in all the 5VSB rail performs excellent since it registers tight enough voltage regulation and good efficiency.

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/>
Thermaltake SP-750M</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">12.273V</td>
<td rowspan="2" align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">5.073V</td>
<td rowspan="2" align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">3.361V</td>
<td rowspan="2" align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">5.073V</td>
<td rowspan="2" align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">14.18W</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">0.365</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">231.1V</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td rowspan="2" colspan="5" align="center" bgcolor="#DEE2E7"><strong>Standby</strong></td>
<td rowspan="2" align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">0.003W</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0">0.005</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">230.5V</td>
</tr></table>

Vampire power is really low in this PSU and doesn't even exceed 0.1W! This is why efficiency with low loads at 5VSB is so high. Excellent results here even surpasses that of units that are rated for higher efficieny.

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/T...ges/CL_12V.jpg

5V Voltage Regulation Chart

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

3.3V Voltage Regulation Chart

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

Efficiency Chart

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

+12V Ripple Chart

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

5V Ripple Chart

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

3.3V Ripple Chart

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

5VSB Ripple Chart

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/T...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/T...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">12.207V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">12.050V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">1.29%</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">5.029V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">4.916V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">2.25%</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">3.324V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">3.205V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">3.58%</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">4.921V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">1.80%</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/T...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">12.126V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">11.977V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">1.23%</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">4.975V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">4.866V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">2.19%</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">3.268V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">3.152V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">3.55%</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">Pass</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#DEE2E7"><strong>5VSB</strong></td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">4.966V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">4.885V</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">1.63%</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">Pass</td>
</tr></table><div style="clear:both"></div>

Voltage drops during these tests were always within the limit (5%) that the ATX spec specifies and the +12V rail, despite the over 1% deviation, managed to keep its voltage close to the nominal reading due to its high initial voltage. In general the PSU performed satisfactory here however it would be nice to see a lower than 1% deviation at +12V.

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

Transient Response at 50% Load

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/T...n_50_small.jpg http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/T...n_50_small.jpg http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/T...n_50_small.jpg http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/T...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/T...5vsb_small.jpg http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/T..._stb_small.jpg http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/T..._off_small.jpg
All slopes are very smooth and the rise time at all three tests is within the ATX spec range (0.2-20ms). Overall the SP-750M performed exceptional here and we couldn't ask for anything more.

Ripple Measurements

In the following table you will find the ripple levels that we measured on the main rails of SP-750M. 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/>
Thermaltake SP-750M</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">9.8 mV</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">16.2 mV</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">14.2 mV</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">7.1 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">14.3 mV</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">19.3 mV</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">17.6 mV</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">8.7 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">17.4 mV</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">20.1 mV</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">17.9 mV</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">9.6 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">20.1 mV</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">21.1 mV</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">18.7 mV</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">10.2 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">26.0 mV</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">22.8 mV</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">20.0 mV</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">13.0 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">33.1 mV</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">23.8 mV</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">20.5 mV</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">15.5 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">16.8 mV</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">20.0 mV</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">17.5 mV</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">6.9 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">30.7 mV</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">21.7 mV</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">19.3 mV</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">14.3 mV</td>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f9f9f9">Pass</td>
</tr></table>

Ripple suppression is quite good, especially on the +12V rail which is the most important of all. Apparently this platform is ripple proof and delivers very clean DC outputs so it won't stress sensitive electronic components (e.g. capacitors). After all CWT proved many times in the past that they posses the essential know-how to fight ripple.

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

Ripple at Crossload 1

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

Ripple at Crossload 2

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

Performance Rating

The following graph shows the total performance rating of the PSU in comparison with other units we have tested before. To be more specific the tested unit is shown as 100% and all other units’ performance are relative to it. If you want take a look at the exact method we use to calculate the performance rating of each PSU then read this article.

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/T...mages/perf.gif

Performance per Dollar

For most of you probably the following graph will be the most interesting, since it shows how much it will set you back the performance of the PSU you want to buy. We looked up the current USD price of each PSU on the popular online shop Newegg and used it along with the relative performance numbers to calculate the Performance per Dollar Index. In case Newegg doesn’t stock a specific unit then we search for it at other popular online shops (Tigerdirect, Amazon) and finally if the unit is not sold in the U.S. we search in popular EU shops (e.g. Caseking) and we convert its price to dollars. Note in the following graph all numbers are normalized by the rated power of each PSU.

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/T...perfdollar.gif

Value and Conclusion

<table width="100%" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" id="result">
<tr><th>http://www.techpowerup.com/images/dollar.gif</th>
<td>

The Thermaltake Smart M series 750W retails for $114.99

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

Delivered full power at 50°C
Efficient (for a Bronze unit)
Good ripple suppression
Only two fixed cables
Very low consumption in standby mode
Ribboned (flat) modular cables

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

Noisy fan
Only one EPS connector
Three years warranty (while the competition provides five)

</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>8.8</th>
<td>I admit that this new modular SMART unit was a pleasant surprise to me since its non-modular brother that I have tested in the past, the SP-730P, had failed to impress me and this initially made me assume that and the new SMARTs would register similar performance. Thermaltake was wise enough to choose a different OEM for their new modular SMART series and apparently this saved the day. Today's review sample, the SP-750M, proved to be a solid performer since it handled full load flawlessly even at 50°C ambient, although Thermaltake states that 40°C is the max. operating temperature for this unit. Moreover it registered high efficiency along with decent voltage regulation and very good ripple suppression. Its only major downfall is the very noisy fan that keeps it cool. Unfortunately the fan controller is set to an aggressive profile which makes the fan operate at near full RPMs when the operating temperature exceeds 42-43°C. Of course in a chassis with good airflow such operating temperatures are very hard to get, in the PSU compartment/area, but it would be good if the fan profile was more relaxed. Finally another thing I didn't like so much is the three year warranty considering the fact that its direct competitor, the Corsair TX750M, comes with five years. In my humble opinion Thermaltake should follow Corsair's tactic and provide five years warranty for the SP-750M since it uses an updated platform compared to the TX750M one so its reliability is on par with it, at least.<br/><br/>To sum up, as it seems the modular SMART units play in a much higher league than to their non-modular siblings. The unit I tested today performed well at all tests I conducted and it is priced well. So if you need a good performing modular PSU with decent efficiency overall that won't empty your wallet and you can stand its noisy fan, the SP-750M is a good choice; however the competition in this category is tough and you have other interesting options, too.</td></tr>
<tr><th></th><td>http://www.techpowerup.com/images/recommended.gif</td></tr>
</table>

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

Performance Rating

Performance per Dollar

Value and Conclusion