Introduction

We would like to thank Seasonic for supplying the review sample.



A high-end PSU with a large capacity isn't for everyone because of the stiff price, and you definitely don't need a strong but expensive unit for a download station or an office PC. With that in mind, Seasonic struck the decision to be more competitive in the entry level segment by releasing the new S12G series addressing users on a tight budget. The aforementioned series consists of four PSUs with capacities ranging from 450 W to 750 W, and we will evaluate the smallest S12G unit in this review. It and all other units of the series are based on the same platform as the more expensive Seasonic G units, although the S12G series lacks the modular cables. In an effort to lower production cost and, with it, the final price, most OEMs exclude modular cables first to avoid compromising on other components that contribute to performance or reliability.

The S12G-450 may be a budget unit, but it features Gold-certified efficiency and is Haswell ready because of the DC-DC converters it uses to generate the minor rails. It also uses polymer and 105°C-rated electrolytic caps and promises to operate silently. Its fan comes with ball-bearings and the unit is equipped with all available protection features. Seasonic even backs the S12G-450 with a five year warranty. While the unit looks very good on paper, it will still have to prove itself against our loaders. That said, we are pretty sure that it will perform well in all areas because it is based on a design we have come across before.

Specifications

Efficiency is 80 Plus Gold certified, and while the PSU might not have any modular cables, it is Haswell ready because of DC-DC converters that generate the minor rails. It is also equipped with a full set of protection features and a ball-bearings fan. Its dimensions are compact and the warranty is five years long. While it is affordable, the unit is not cheap as the Seasonic G-450, the same unit with modular cables, only costs five bucks more. The price difference should, in our opinion, at least be ten bucks.


Its single +12V rail can nearly deliver the unit's full power alone, which is typical for PSUs that utilize DC-DC converters in their secondary side. The unit's minor rails are also strong enough for the PCs it will feed, and the 5VSB rail has the capacity generally allotted to a modern PSU.

Cables & Connectors, Power Distribution

This PSU has two 6+2 pin PCIe connectors, which is enough for its capacity, and a great number of SATA connectors. Cable length is fine since it will most likely be installed into a small case, but we would like the distance between 4-pin Molex connectors to be larger since the devices fed by these (fans, water cooling pumps, lights, etc.) are usually further apart from one another. Every connector uses the standard 18AWG wires recommended by the ATX spec.

We have nothing to comment on when it comes to the PSU's power distribution because it features a single +12V rail.

Packaging

The package is small and features a pale blue and black color scheme. The front is occupied by a photo of the PSU and the series description in large, colored font, while the 80 Plus Gold badge resides in the bottom-left corner. We also find the ErP Lot 6 compliance and Haswell compatibility badges and an icon for the PSU's 6+2 PCIe connectors in the bottom-right corner.


This side holds a list of the PSU's most crucial features, including its protection features, and five photos of its connectors and flat black cables.


The technical specifications and power specifications tables can be found on this side. The 80 Plus Gold and Energy Star standards this PSU meets are also mentioned.


We again find the 80 Plus Gold badge, a QR code, the capacity description, and the corresponding certification badges that exist at the face of the box on this side.


The back of the box mentions interesting PSU features in a list with nice badges and corresponding descriptions in text. There are also four small photographs that depict the unit's ball-bearings fan, the quality bulk cap, the DC-DC converters, and the classic honeycomb-styled exhaust grill.

Contents

Removing the outer sleeve of the box reveals a sturdy cardboard box that offers adequate protection to its contents. Two sheets of packing foam also fully envelope the PSU which wasn't inside a bag like Seasonic's high-end units. Seasonic apparently meant to cut on cost here, and they did so well since there is no room for such luxuries in this price segment.


The bundle includes the AC power cord, several zip ties, including a long, thick and reusable tie, a set of Velcro straps with Seasonic's logo on them, four fixing bolts, and Seasonic's case badge—a pretty rich bundle for a bugdet unit.