Introduction

We would like to thank Super Flower for supplying the review sample.

Super Flower was a low-profile company a few years ago, but they were the first to release a Platinum efficiency PSU once we entered the Platinum era and are now promising even better performance with their new Leadex units based on a cutting-edge platform. SF, as it seems, decided to hit top manufacturers (Seasonic and Delta) hard, meeting them eye to eye, and their new PSUs are fully modular, equipped with stealth cables and performance levels promising to aim directly for the very top. The probably best thing about SF is that they manage to deliver excellent products for very good prices. The EVGA SuperNOVA G2 1000 W we reviewed a while ago and its 1300 W sibling are, for example, on sale for really good prices right now, which is indicative of SF selling them to EVGA at affordable prices. We also see a positive trend towards SF’s products since even Antec, a huge supporter of Delta and Seasonic products, decided to use the Leadex platform for their high-end models, which will hopefully help SF increase production to then offer their products at even more affordable prices.

Today’s review sample is the Platinum Leadex unit with a capacity of 1000 W, or Leadex-1000. Not only does it promise topnotch performance and extra high efficiency, but it is also painted white, and its fully modular panel is lighted by white LEDs. The clear cube connectors of its modular cables are surely another interesting feature users looking for a nice interior will appreciate.

Specifications

This unit can deliver 1kW of power and meets the requirements of the 80 Plus efficiency rating. SF actually states that efficiency meets the demands of the still unreleased Titanium level with 230 VAC, which we will proceed to figure out for ourselves in this review. As already mentioned, the unit is fully modular and it is, since it utilizes DC-DC converters for the generation of the minor rails, also Haswell ready.

With an upper limit of 50°C, the operating temperature range is pretty wide, but its available protections unfortunately don't include OTP (Over Temperature Protection). Considering this unit has a semi-fanless option, we would feel safer if OTP was included. High-end PSUs like this one should really be equipped with all available protections. Cooling is handled by a 140 mm fan with double ball-bearings, so it will last for quite a long time. That said, this type produces more noise than the inferior quality sleeved-bearing one, making a, in our opinion, FDB (Fluid Dynamic Bearing) fan a better choice, but the latter doesn't come cheap.

The unit's dimensions are pretty large because of its increased length, and the warranty is long enough at five years. The price looks good compared to that of equivalent models by the competition.

The single +12V rail is very strong since it can deliver over 83 A of current, but the 5VSB rail is kind of weak for a unit of this capacity. The minor rails also have a relatively low combined capacity, but it will suffice for a modern system.

Cables & Connectors, Power Distribution

The PSU has enough cables for its capacity, although the recent trend dictates 1 kW PSUs to have eight PCIe connectors. That said, four high-end VGAs need at least 1.2 kW, especially if they are overclocked.

The length off all cables is adequate and the distance amongst connectors is sufficient. Some wires of the main ATX cable and almost all of the PCIe and EPS connectors are 16AWG for lower voltage drops at higher loads, but all the other connectors use standard 18AWG gauges.

Since this PSU features a single +12V rail, we do not have anything to comment on about its power distribution.

Packaging

The package has a white background. At the front is a butterfly, SF's logo, and the series name is at the front-bottom. The unit's capacity is mentioned in the bottom-left corner, and the 80 Plus Platinum badge can be found in the top-right corner.


This side has a list with the unit's most interesting features, including the fully modular cable design and its clear cube connectors.


This side includes an interesting image of the unit's internals. Unfortunately, it is small, so you won't figure out much by looking at it, but we include detailed pictures of the unit's internals later on in the review.


The most important characteristics of the PSU are highlighted on the rear of the box, including the Japanese caps used, the thermal fan control system that allows for semi-passive operation, the fully modular panel, and the specially designed main transformer. You will also find the specifications table and a graph depicting the fan's operation in semi-passive mode on this side.