Introduction

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

In the past we have tested one of the SMART units (SP-730P) and we weren't that impressed by its performance and quality overall. This time we have in our hands a PSU that belongs to the fresh SMART series which includes only modular units that are based on a different and more advanced platform than the non-modular SMART PSUs.

All SMART units target budget oriented users that simply want a PSU that will get the job done without carrying any unnecessary or inflated features that are of no benefit to a mainstream user. By keeping the list of available features short, cost can be reduced and this is what matters the most to many consumers out there, especially in these tough economic times.

Today we are going to fully evaluate the smallest member of the cable management SMART series which consists of four members with capacities ranging from 750W to 1200W. The SP-750M is able to deliver 750W continuously at 40°C, has a single +12V rail, is 80 PLUS Bronze certified and according to Thermaltake its APFC capacitor (or hold up cap) is Japanese, to offer increased reliability. Moreover solid state caps are also used and the minor rails are rectified by two DC-DC converters. Up so far all aforementioned characteristics clearly distinguish the new modular SMART PSUs from the non-modular ones which are based on a different and older platform. As you can see this new modular unit carries some rather interesting features which make it comparable with the Corsair TX750M 750W unit we have reviewed in the past. If Thermaltake manages to keep its price low and of course if the test results of today's review are good then the SP-750M will definitely enrich the offerings in this market segment.

Specifications

Efficiency is compliant with the 80 PLUS Bronze requirements and the max operating temperature according to Thermaltake is only 40°C. During our tests we will give it a shot and go above this limit; hopefully the unit won't break since it lacks Over Temperature Protection (or OTP). The 140mm fan can operate at very high RPMs and we usually meet such strong fans in CPU coolers and not in PSUs, so we expect it to output significant noise despite Thermaltake's claims for only 16dBA noise.
The unit's footprint is normal for its capacity and finally the provided warranty is short compared to the five years that Corsair gives along with the TX750M, which costs a few bucks more than the SP-750M.


This is a single +12V rail PSU which alone can deliver almost the unit's full power, a typical case for a PSU that utilizes DC-DC converters for the minor rails generation. The latter have a combined power of 130W so they are rather strong for today's standards and the PSU's category. Finally the 5VSB can deliver a little more power than the standard, for contemporary PSUs, 2.5A.

Cables & Connectors, Power Distribution

With the only flaw being the single EPS connector the unit is equipped with a sufficient number of connectors. The native cables are only two and include the basic ATX and EPS cables. Their lengths are satisfactory and will be enough to cover even big chassis, although in very large cases additional 100mm in the EPS cable would make things easier. All PCIe cables are modular and the distance up to the first connector is kind of short. We would like to see additional 100mm here, too. Thankfully the distance among all connectors is sufficient. Finally all connectors use 18AWG wires, which is the right gauge size according to ATX spec. As we wrote many times in the past thicker 16AWG wires cause lower voltage drops but make the cables more rigid so cable management tasks get harder.

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

Packaging

Right on the face of the box Thermaltake states that these units are built to work, meaning that they provide only the essentials in an effort to cut cost. However as we've already seen on the previous page the SP-750M has all features of a modern PSU including a modular cabling system and certainly its price isn't that low. On the front right side we meet the 80 PLUS Bronze badge along with the one that describes the three year warranty. Also the modular cabling design along with the ErP Lot 6 compliance are highlighted.


In the side of the box a brief features description is given in many languages.


On the rear side of the box the interested user can find some nice photos of the unit's internals. If you know a thing or two about PSUs it is highly interesting to have the chance to take a peek at the internals. In this side also the power specifications table along with the available connectors description are given. Moreover there are two graphs showing the efficiency curve and fan speed along with the corresponding noise level.