Seasonic Prime AirTouch to Finally Launch Mid-January

[btarunr]

Seasonic is finally getting around to launch its Prime AirTouch power-supply series sometime mid-January 2019. Just to give you an idea of how far along this product has been delayed, Seasonic developed it way back in 2016, and first exhibited it in CES 2017. The series will debut with an 850W model (SSR-850GD-AT), priced at $160. This SKU has already been showing up on American retailers such as Newegg and Amazon since late-October, but has been out of stock. A variation of the Prime Gold series, the AirTouch offers a small degree of fan-control to users. Its 135 mm fluid-dynamic bearing fan comes with five fan-curves, which you can select from by pushing a round button near the AC receptacle.

The fan-control button is embedded with an RGB LED that indicates the active curve. The first curve, called "Silent" (white), kills the fan when the load is below 40%, runs the fan whisper-quiet between 40-80% load, and spools up above 80%. The second curve, called "Low" (blue), runs the fan whisper-quiet up to 60% load, and spools it up from there. The "Medium" (green) curve runs the fan at moderate speeds and caps its speed to 65% beyond 80% load. The "High" (amber) curve maintains moderate speeds up to 80% load, beyond which the maximum fan-speed is capped at 80%. The "Turbo" (red) mode ignores all parameters and simply runs the fan at 100% speed. Seasonic is backing this PSU with its legendary 12-year warranty.



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[delshay]

I sooner prefer to see a digital readout of how much power my system is drawing from the wall than this new feature.

 

[dj-electric]

This PSU seems very unappealing.

I think that Seasonic is reading the market wrong in the past 2-3 years, and instead of another PRIME series they should start treating their entry-mid tier.

We need solid replacements for the old S12\M12 series, even for the SSET series that has been around for over 10 years now.

 

[kastriot]

Nice looking PSU.

 

[ZeDestructor]

This PSU seems very unappealing.

I think that Seasonic is reading the market wrong in the past 2-3 years, and instead of another PRIME series they should start treating their entry-mid tier.

We need solid replacements for the old S12\M12 series, even for the SSET series that has been around for over 10 years now.

And that's why Corsair is the largest vendor by volume: their CX and CS lines handle that entry to mid-tier very well while others have significantly worse competition

 

[Mescalamba]

I sooner prefer to see a digital readout of how much power my system is drawing from the wall than this new feature.

Thats very good idea! Preferably with individual components (lines) showing what eats how much?

 

[delshay]

Thats very good idea! Preferably with individual components (lines) showing what eats how much?

It can be done. Just replace the seasonic lable with a colour OLED screen. Let's see if any manufacture reading this can be the first to integrate a small OLED display on the back of their PSU.

 

[IamEzio]

I sooner prefer to see a digital readout of how much power my system is drawing from the wall than this new feature.

Thats very good idea! Preferably with individual components (lines) showing what eats how much?

So, Buy a Corsair RMxxxi PSU ?
NZXT has some PSU's with similar feature to corsair's i series, but at higher price.(made by seasonic from what I found)


I have an RM750i, for my system - it never has to turn the fan on even on stress testing, the digital readouts are nice feature but after you use it for a few times you forget its there , great PSU (actually from the reviews its a really good unit and decently priced) replaced an S12II-520 Seasonic unit that after 4.5 Years started clicking (PC worked fine tough) so it was sent for RMA (5Year warranty, replaced some caps and returned the unit to me, still works on another machine)

 

[Mescalamba]

So, Buy a Corsair RMxxxi PSU ?
NZXT has some PSU's with similar feature to corsair's i series, but at higher price.(made by seasonic from what I found)

I have an RM750i, for my system - it never has to turn the fan on even on stress testing, the digital readouts are nice feature but after you use it for a few times you forget its there , great PSU (actually from the reviews its a really good unit and decently priced) replaced an S12II-520 Seasonic unit that after 4.5 Years started clicking (PC worked fine tough) so it was sent for RMA (5Year warranty, replaced some caps and returned the unit to me, still works on another machine)

Unless Corsair moved to some better OEM to source PSU from, nope. Its still CWT?

 

[IamEzio]

From the Jonnyguru review , at least the RM750i he reviewed was made by CWT as he commented, but that shouldn't be the only factor buying a PSU, we should look on this per product and not only based on the OEM behind the product. at the end there might be even a different revision made by different oem by now.

The bad reputation probably comes with the old CX series which weren't any good (the new cx series is supposed to be 'ok' - still not great)

 

[CheapMeat]

I like the idea of the RGB fan button...I know I know. But I like when LEDs are used as indicators or for activity (Corsair AX & a few others have an indicator). But other than that there is nothing appealing about this. I know it's minor but all the black and red yet still has a very visible green PCB... makes it feel like half-hearted attempt at aesthetics.

 

[Tomorrow]

I think that Seasonic is reading the market wrong in the past 2-3 years, and instead of another PRIME series they should start treating their entry-mid tier.

We need solid replacements for the old S12\M12 series, even for the SSET series that has been around for over 10 years now.

PRIME is their high end series. Focus Plus is their mainstream/budget offering.

 

[Supercrit]

PRIME is their high end series. Focus Plus is their mainstream/budget offering.

Their real budget line of M12II/S12II is very old and obsolete, and Focus Plus series is rather pricey for people on a budget.

 

[rtwjunkie]

PRIME is their high end series. Focus Plus is their mainstream/budget offering.

Their real budget line of M12II/S12II is very old and obsolete, and Focus Plus series is rather pricey for people on a budget.

FocusbPlus are indeed a little pricey. They are also high quality. I would label Prine high end and Focus Plus just below at upper mid-level. Definitely not budget category.

 

[EatingDirt]

Their real budget line of M12II/S12II is very old and obsolete, and Focus Plus series is rather pricey for people on a budget.

The S12II/M12II Gold 80+ were never "budget" PSU's, and they don't have to come out with new 80 Plus white/Bronze model S12II's because they won't be any different than the current designs, which are continue to be good designs for Bronze 80+.

The G series & Focus series have taken the market space where the Gold S12II/M12II's used to be. For example, the 750w M12II BRONZE was $100 MSRP when it came out. The current price of a 750w Focus Gold is $90.

 

[dj-electric]

The S12II/M12II Gold 80+ were never "budget" PSU's, and they don't have to come out with new 80 Plus white/Bronze model S12II's because they won't be any different than the current designs, which are continue to be good designs for Bronze 80+.

The G series & Focus series have taken the market space where the Gold S12II/M12II's used to be. For example, the 750w M12II BRONZE was $100 MSRP when it came out. The current price of a 750w Focus Gold is $90.

Where are those "gold" units you're talking about? S12II\M12II's internal design is old and outdated. It should be replaced.

 

[EatingDirt]

Where are those "gold" units you're talking about? S12II\M12II's internal design is old and outdated. It should be replaced.

I may have mis-typed the first half of my reply. It doesn't change the fact that the M12II Bronze was $100 when it was released. The S12II/M12II were never "budget" PSU's, they were mid-range PSU's.

Needless to say, if you're looking for the market space where the S12II/M12II were placed, the G series & Focus series now occupy that space.

As for the design being outdated, sure, every Bronze rated design is going to be outdated, because the Bronze rating is outdated. It's pointless to redesign a product like the S12II/M12II, when the G & Focus line occupy the market space they once held when released.

 

[shilka]

The S12II and the old semi modular M12II (not the fully modular M12II Evo) are outdated and obsolete because they are group regulated not because of their rated efficiency
Anything that uses group regulation in this day and age is outdated and obsolete which means most of the cheap units from EVGA as well as the Seasonic S12II and the old semi modular M12II

 

[steen]

The S12II and the old semi modular M12II (not the fully modular M12II Evo) are outdated and obsolete because they are group regulated not because of their rated efficiency
Anything that uses group regulation in this day and age is outdated and obsolete which means most of the cheap units from EVGA as well as the Seasonic S12II and the old semi modular M12II

So you're saying that the original S12 is not obsolete? Cos that had indy regulation.

 

[shilka]

Those are 13 years old and you cant buy them new anywhere as far as i am aware

 

[geon2k2]

This looks amazing.
I like that it can go for up to 340W completely silent.
The only minus that I see is price, but i guess it is justified: 12 year warranty, 850W, completely modular, fanless up to 40% load.

 

[steen]

Those are 13 years old and you cant buy them new anywhere as far as i am aware

Just messing with ya, but buying one new is not the point anyway. We need to be specific, any PSU without active PFC primary (ACLAMP/LLC) & DC-DC secondary is outdated not only due to poor efficiency & poor group behaviour, but DC output characteristics into modern loads. That's why I like Aris' reviews where he details topologies. SBR/Schottky secondaries are fortunately done for now that Corsair CX, Bitfenix Formula, BeQuiet PurePower are so cheap.

 

[R-T-B]

Anything that uses group regulation in this day and age is outdated and obsolete

The issue I see immediately though is group regulated units are cheap. You want a budget PSU? It's probably by pricepoint alone going to be group regulated.

 

[ZeDestructor]

The issue I see immediately though is group regulated units are cheap. You want a budget PSU? It's probably by pricepoint alone going to be group regulated.

And there lies the crux of the problem: nobody seems to be having the balls to kill off their group-regulated lines and ship indy across the stack. Corsair comes closest, with their VS being their only group-reg design left.