Introduction

We would like to thank Be Quiet for supplying the review sample.

A while ago we reviewed a low capacity PSU from Be Quiet, the Straight Power E8 400W and we were left quite satisfied by its performance and especially by the excellent price/performance ratio it exhibited. Now Be Quiet decided to send us one of their mid-range units, the Pure Power CM L8 730W (or L8-730W). This PSU belongs to the Pure Power family which lists four members with capacities ranging from 430W to 730W. All are 80 PLUS Bronze certified, feature a semi-modular cabling design, are equipped with all available protections that contemporary PSU platforms support and the most interesting part on them is their fan. It utilizes Be Quiet’s SilentWings technology so even at full speed it produces low noise output thanks to its specially designed fan blades.

Unfortunately Be Quiet does not currently have a retail presence in the U.S. so you will find their products mainly in EU stores. That’s a shame because the L8-730W is available at a fair price (at least for EU standards) and if it manages to boast good performance during our extremely tough tests, then it could be an ideal choice for tight budget users that want a modular and quiet PSU to power a mid-range system.

Specifications

The maximum operating temperature is only 40°C but thankfully the unit is equipped with OTP (Over Temperature Protection), which will prevent a failure if the PSU overheats. The warranty is only two years, the minimum required in the EU. We would like it to be backed at least by three years of warranty. The cooling fan utilizes Be Quiet's SilentWings technology so it promises low noise operation. Finally the price is decent for a modular over 700W unit so if the PSU scores high in our tests then the price/performance ratio will be high enough to recommend it.


There are two +12V rails which can deliver up to 30A each and 55A max combined power. The minor rails are strong enough with 150W max combined power and the 5VSB rail has sufficient power with 3A max.

Cables & Connectors, Power Distribution

The distance between the connectors is the recommended one (150 mm) but the distance up to the first connector on the SATA and peripheral cables is quite short. The same applies to the overall length of the 24 pin ATX, EPS and PCIe cables so there could be incompatibilities with large cases. Also we would like to see two or three more SATA connectors and a second EPS one, even if the latter would take the place of the second modular PCIe cable when needed. Finally all connectors use 18 AWG wires, the recommended by ATX gauge.


Power distribution is not optimal since the PCIe3-4 connectors are powered from the same rail that feeds the EPS connector. Ideally the EPS connector should be on a different rail from the PCIe ones however with only two rails some compromises had to be made, as it seems. So if you need only two PCIe connectors then you should use the green modular socket and avoid the red one.

Packaging

The L8-730W comes in a rather dark package. On the front we find a photo of the unit with the distinctive SilentWings fan dominating the field and right below there is the model description along with the most notable characteristics in two languages, English and German. As usual, on the rear side of the package one can find many interesting details about the PSU, like a description for cable & connectors, power specifications, dimensions etc.