Introduction

be quiet! renewed its affordable System Power series, and the new models have increased capacities and a different OEM for the models up to 750 W. The 450 W up to 750 W units are Bronze rated, while the flagship System Power 10 model with 850 W max power is rated as Gold since it uses a different platform from the rest. Its price is also notably higher. The System Power 10 750 W, which I evaluate in this review, has a retail price of $75, while the 850 W model goes for $110.

All System Power 10 units use a non-modular cable design to reduce production costs. The OEM for the 450 - 750 W units is HEC, and the platform is an older design using some newer elements, including DC-DC converters for the generation of the minor rails. All line members operate with 200 - 240 VAC input, so they are destined for the 230 V markets only, and not for the US. Compared to the previous models, the new ones (from 450 to 750 W) have 50 W more for every model tier, are compatible with alternative sleep modes, use flat (ribbon cables) instead of sleeved ones, have a single rail instead of two, and the warranty has been increased to five years from three. A warranty increase always looks nice to users since it is evidence of increased reliability. The similarities between the 450 W to 750 W models and the older generation System Power 9 units are the PSU's housing and the fan, which remain the same. It would be great if be quiet! replaced the fan with a higher quality one.

The System Power 10 750 is 80 Plus and Cybenetics Bronze rated, and in noise, it gets a Cybenetics Standard++ which is decent for a bronze unit of this capacity. Still, given the brand's name, I expected better in the noise output section. This is an affordable PSU, and its main competitors are the XPG Pylon 750, the Thermaltake Smart BM2 750, and the Corsair CX750M. In the EU market, there is also the Chieftronic SteelPower 750. All three PSUs mentioned above use Channel Well Technology's (CWT) platforms.

Specifications

Photos

The box is large enough; on its face, you will find a photo of the PSU, with part of the native cables in view. You have to look at the backside for more details on its specifications.


The package's protection is restricted to bubble wrap. I would like to see some packing foam. How much would this increase the price?


The fan grille's design is not restrictive. The unit's exhaust utilizes the omnipresent honeycomb style.


The brand's name is stamped onto one of the sides.


The power specifications label.


Only the ATX cable is sleeved. The rest are flat, which is better for airflow.


With 140 mm depth, this is a compact footprint PSU.


Here are some more photos of the PSU from various angles.

Cables and Connectors

The cables are not so long, and the single 4-pin Molex troubles me. These connectors are no longer popular, but including only a single one can create headaches for some users.


The distance between the peripheral connectors should be longer, ideally close to 150 mm.

Component Analysis

Before reading this page, look at this article, which will help you better understand the insides of a PSU.



The manufacturer is HEC, and the design is old with some new elements, including the VRMs for the generation of the minor rails and the alternative low power modes support. Despite the small PCB, HEC didn't use large parts, so there is enough space between them for good airflow. Even on the secondary side with the native cables, the caps are in clear sight, so the fan will effectively cool them down. The heatsinks are small for a Bronze unit, and the bridge rectifier doesn't use one. Since this is a 230 V only PSU, it won't have to deal with high amperage.


The input filter has all the necessary parts and a discharge IC to provide a slight efficiency boost.


There is an MOV for protection against power surges. An NTC thermistor handles inrush currents. There is no bypass relay for the latter, which usually is the case for low-cost PSUs.


The bridge rectifier can handle up to 8 Amperes at 100 °C. It doesn't use a heatsink since it won't have to handle more than 5 Amps in the worst-case scenario, because the PSU's input voltage is 200-240 V.


The APFC converter uses two Great Power FETs and a single boost diode by STMicroelectronics. The bulk cap is by Teapo, and it is rated at 85 °C, while most PSUs use 105 °C bulk caps.


The main FETs are installed in a double forward topology, and the combo PFC/PWM controller is a Champion CM6800TX.


The main transformer has be quiet!'s name on it.


Several SBRs regulate the +12 V rail.


A pair of VRMs handle the minor rails.


Most electrolytic caps belong to the low-end Teapo SC line, which is not among my favorites. The last time I talked with be quiet's PSU PM, he assured me that he never had these caps fail, even in hot climates, and I don't have a reason not to believe him. Still, I want higher quality caps used at this stage.


The standby PWM controller is a Power Integrations TNY289PG.


The primary supervisor IC is a Weltrend WT7527RT.


Soldering quality is average.


The cooling fan is by Yate Loon, and uses a sleeve bearing.

Test Setup