Specifications

The unit is based on a Gold-certified CWT platform with the ability to deliver its full power at up to 50°C ambient. The platform also features a full set of protections, and Thermaltake used a double-ball-bearing fan to cool this PSU down. We would have prefer an FDB fan instead since it will last longer and is quieter, but it would have cost more. The PSU's footprint is normal for its capacity, and at seven years, its warranty is pretty long. It is also decently priced for its features and capabilities. If you want a PSU of high capacity with Gold-certified efficiency, Japanese caps, and digital functionality, you should expect to pay a little more since all the above isn't cheap.

There is only one powerful +12V rail with support for up to three high-end VGAs. The minor rails are strong enough and will easily handle any system configuration, and the 5VSB rail is a little stronger than the average. In our opinion, the rail's maximum output should at least be 4 A in units with a capacity over 1 kW, but PSU OEMs tend to pay less attention to the 5VSB rail's output total since most users won't put a significant load on it. In the past, we have seen strong PSUs with even 6 A on this rail (e.g. the Silverstone ST1500), while modern units of similar capacity provide far less amperes on their 5VSB rail (e.g. the EVGA SuperNOVA G2 1600 W can deliver only 3 A).

Cables & Connectors, Power Distribution

Thermaltake, oddly enough, chose to only provide six PCIe and a single EPS connector, while most units of the same category feature at least eight PCIe and two EPS connectors. This won't be a big letdown for most, but the enthusiast can afford four VGAs and a server-class mainboard, so we advise Thermaltake to rethink the matter by increasing the number of PCIe connectors to eight and providing an additional EPS connector with their next revision. The unit comes with a for its capacity typical number of SATA connectors, and there are significantly more 4-pin Molex connectors than usual. Most users will probably never utilize all eight of these, but having more rather than less is without a doubt beneficial. Cables are also long enough for up to medium-sized cases, so you will probably need cable extensions—avoid these if your system consumes a lot of power—for very large cases, since the EPS cable could afford to be 5-10 cm longer. The distance between all connectors is satisfactory, and all connectors use 18AWG gauges.

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