Introduction

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

Although Thermaltake states that the Toughpower Grand series is their flagship, strangely enough they decided to add three new members to the Toughpower XT series with such high-end characteristics, that easily place them on top of all Thermaltakes PSUs. The most powerful addition is the TPX-1475M which has gold efficiency and as its model number implies can deliver 1475W of power. The second model has 1375W capacity and Gold efficiency again while the last, which will be the test subject of today's review, has 1275W capacity with even higher, Platinum, efficiency. So far only Enermax managed to release a PSU with over 1200W capacity and Platinum efficiency (Platimax 1500W), as it is very difficult to retain low energy losses as the load increases.
It will be quite interesting to see if Thermaltake's unit, despite is high capacity, will manage to reach Platinum levels even inside the hotbox. However regardless of Platinum, Gold etc. we should not forget that in a PSU efficiency alone isn't the ultimate goal, since other factors like voltage regulation, ripple suppression and response to dynamic loads are even more important, so through our tests we will see how the TPX-1275M stands against the fierce competition which day by day increases, since more companies join the newly created Platinum club.

The TPX-1275M has two +12V rails with unequal power distribution (12V1: 45A, 12V2: 65A), it is equipped with eight PCIe and 16 (!) SATA connectors. It is cooled by a 14cm fan and its length is quite large at 200mm. Finally in its internals it uses cutting edge technology to achieve Platinum efficiency even at high loads, namely a full bridge topology along with an LLC resonant converter are utilized and before them an interleaved PFC shapes the current waveform. All that sounds very interesting so let's cut to the chase.

Specifications

The capacity of the unit has a rather strange value at 1275W. Definitely the most eye catching feature is the Platinum efficiency, which is something not to be taken lightly in a such a high wattage unit. All protection circuits are available, except OTP (Over Temperature Protection), but thankfully the unit can deliver its full power continuously even at 50°C and Platinum units have much lower internal temperatures anyway, thanks to the highly decreased power dissipation. The fan is equipped with ball bearings so its lifespan will be long and the dimensions of the unit, along with weight, classify it in the mega PSUs category. Finally the warranty is long, ensuring your piece of mind, but unfortunately the high price will lighten your wallet. As it seems the technology needed to meet the Platinum specs doesn't come cheap and the TPX-1275W uses all modern tricks to provide the highest efficiency possible (interleaved PFC, full bridge topology and an LLC resonant converter).

There are two +12V rails with mismatched power distribution. The minor rails are rated at 150W combined, a more than sufficient level of power for any contemporary system and the 5VSB have 17.5W capacity. We would prefer to see over 20W at 5VSB, from such a strong PSU, but 17.5W will easily cover most of the needs of a demanding user.

Cables & Connectors, Power Distribution

This unit has enough connectors (and power) to easily feed two high-end systems and not only one. It's the first time, as far as we can remember, that we encounter a unit with 16 SATA connectors! Also with eight PCIe connectors at your disposal four way SLI/Crossfire won't be a problem, if your budget can handle it of course. However you also have to figure out how you will utilize four VGAs!

What doesn't look so good here is the somehow short length of the EPS cables. In large cases, where this beast most likely will be installed, only 550mm of length might be a problem. Also we would like to see the 24pin ATX connector and the PCIe ones to have at least 600mm length. Finally the 24pin ATX connector uses a mix of 16, 18 and 20AWG gauges, the EPS/PCIe connectors use 16AWG wires since high current goes through them while all others connectors use the typical 18AWG wires.

Power distribution is fine since the two EPS connectors draw power from a different rail than the PCIe ones. Also the 12V2 rail which feeds all PCIe can deliver more juice than the 12V1 rail, which powers less power hungry connectors in total.