Introduction

With 80 Plus Gold power supplies slowly but steadily becoming the new mainstream, 80 Plus Platinum is the next logical efficiency level that vendors strive to achieve. Because, let's face it, having your PSU certified at a higher efficiency is one of the more universal comparison metrics that vendors tend to use. While this does not tell the full story about the PSU's abilities, the 80 Plus testing standard is not just about efficiency, but also keeping within the ATX spec for at least a few of the key parameters. The problem is, increasing efficiency by a couple percent, often requires a significantly more complex PSU design, which in turn can greatly increase the cost, making consumers think twice before choosing a high-end unit.



Although more vendors are introducing high-end units, NZXT joined the trend last summer with the release of their most efficient and highest output model to date—the Platinum certified 1.5 kW C1500. It is a unit that aims at the most demanding users, building serious workstations or multi-GPU setups. With ATX 3.1 support and a 10-year warranty it does seem like a future-proof product. Let's start with the specification overview.

Specifications

Packaging and Accessories

The C1500 comes in a simple box with all the necessary information including the main PSU features and list of modular power cables on the sides, as well as more technical specifications, including the power output on the back of the box. There's also an efficiency graph, which according to NZXT, outperforms the 80 Plus Platinum standard. Apparently the PSU should even match the 80 Plus Titanium standard up to a load level of 50%.


Opening up the box reveals the PSU packaged in foam and a nice violet pouch with the power cables.


As you can see from the images, the list of included cables is quite extensive, so let's look at them a little bit closer.