Page 2 - Physical Look - Outside
I have already reviewed another power supply from the company's latest lineup, the be quiet! Pure Power 11 FM 750W, in June 2021. The recent launch adds two higher-wattage models, specifically 850W and 1000W, to the Pure Power 11 FM series. The 1000W variant I am reviewing today has a depth of 16.0cm, which remains unchanged compared to the other variants and is reasonably short for a modular unit. Most modular power supplies are longer than non-modular units by a centimeter or two, as the extra length is needed to accommodate its connector board at the back. We will take a look inside the PSU on the next page. For most ATX or eATX chassis, length should not be much of a problem, if at all. However, if you have an mATX or mITX case that takes standard power supplies, the shorter length will definitely serve as an advantage, especially considering the fact the Pure Power 11 FM is fully modular.
From our view above, you can see the specifications label, which we will examine in just a moment. The other side is be quiet!'s logo prominently embossed, which is the reverse order of the 750W model I previously reviewed. The orientation is the same on both sides, so whatever side facing the user after installation will only be correct with the fan facing down. This is also dissimilar to the 750W model. Its classical SECC construction is conservative and pragmatic, and a detachable fan grille guards the primary and only cooling fan installed. The fan grille has seventeen horizontal bars spaced approximately 1/4" apart, making it very low air resistance. The 120mm fan generates airflow by drawing air from the bottom of the power supply over its internal components to keep the temperatures in check. Exhaust heat is allowed to leave at the back of the power supply through the secondary honeycomb mesh opening. Meanwhile, four screws secure the power supply case together. A warranty seal extends over one of the screws on the power supply, so you cannot open the Pure Power 11 FM 1000W without voiding its 5-year warranty.
Starting from the back part of the power supply, we have the same familiar honeycomb mesh design as most PSUs with a bottom mounted fan. What you will find here is a horizontally aligned male connector for power input on the western edge along with an on/off switch next to it. You will also find a sticker with be quiet!'s logo here. The low resistance honeycomb mesh design is implemented to maximize airflow and minimize air resistance. This is done as heat needs to leave the power supply as easily and efficiently as possible, because the Pure Power 11 FM 100W incorporates only one 120mm fan at the bottom. The connector could be implemented in a more efficient manner in my opinion, as the power input connector and switch took up a bit more room than average at the back. As with all active PFC power supplies, the be quiet! Pure Power 11 FM 1000W has automatic full range 100V to 240V AC line voltage selection, so the user does not have to worry about manually selecting input voltage.
Like many power supplies we cover here at APH Networks, the Pure Power 11 FM 1000W is a fully modular power supply. This means all cables are completely detachable from the main unit. While it is somewhat questionable with regards to why this is necessary, since cables such as the ATX 24-pin and ATX 4-pin/EPS 8-pin have practically an 100% chance of being always connected, it may prove to be beneficial to an extent when building your computer initially.
The rear cable connection panel is done nicely. be quiet! has also made the labels right side up in standard orientation. Similar connectors are grouped together and are laid out in a very logical manner. To ensure you know what is going on, they are all grouped and clearly labeled for minimal ambiguity. The +12V rail the connectors draw from is also stated. Starting from the top and left side of our photo, we have three PCI Express connectors, two ATX/EPS 4+4 pin outputs, three peripheral headers for Molex and SATA, and a motherboard 24-pin split into two blocks next to each other. Incompatible outputs will not physically fit into each other, so be quiet! has done a great job in this regard. This is a reasonable array of outputs in correspondence number of connectors on each modular cable, which should be sufficient for casual users and power enthusiasts alike.
The external build quality of be quiet!'s Pure Power 11 FM 1000W power supply is excellent; a good indication the company is serious about the product they are selling. We will take it apart in just a moment. Fit is done well with minimal panel gaps, and all edges are nicely finished off. The level of refinement with regards to the external build quality is right up there with all the other high-quality PSUs I have used in the past. As aforementioned, we will crack open the power supply to see what components are inside in the following section.
The voltage specification label is located on the inner panel of the be quiet! Pure Power 11 FM 1000W. There are two main virtual rails. Up to 22A can be delivered via the +3.3V rail for a total of 72.6W, while the 22A on the +5V rail brings the output to 110W in this area. The total combined output for the +3.3V and +5V rail is 120W. In other words, your power allocation combination must fall within the limits of the listed specifications. Meanwhile, two +12V rails, one 46A and the other 42A, delivers up to 83.3A combined for a total of 999.6W. I have not seen a power supply with more than one +12V rail in probably a decade save for the Pure Power 11 FM 750W, which I find very strange. Having a single +12V rail is important to maximize power delivery flexibility compared to multiple rails. Overall, the combined power output for the whole be quiet! Pure Power 11 FM 1000W is 1000W, as its name suggests. It does sound a bit confusing to understand how this works at first, but generally speaking, this configuration is reasonable and should be sufficient to accommodate most users, although those who demand very flexible power demands may be concerned about the +12V configuration. Furthermore, I have seen higher power outputs in the +3.3V and 5V rails for similar rated units like the Thermaltake Toughpower GF1 1000W and Antec Signature Platinum 1000W, but the overall distribution is still reasonable for a 1000W power supply.
The be quiet! Pure Power 11 FM 1000W is 80 Plus Gold certified, which means that it is certified to be at least 87%, 90%, 87% efficient at 20%, 50%, and 100% load, respectively. Higher certifications available for power supplies of this type include 80 Plus Platinum and 80 Plus Titanium at press time.
A total of nine modular power cables are included out of the box. All modular cables other than the ATX 20+4-pin cable are flat and easy to bend, making them extremely easy to work with. The ATX 20+4-pin cable is sleeved rather than flat. 16 AWG wires are found on the ATX 24-pin and PCIe 6+2 pin bundles. Everything else is 18 AWG, which is standard and to be expected.
The following modular cables are included out of the box:
- 1x ATX 20+4 pin, 55.0cm
- 1x ATX 4+4 pin, 60.0cm
- 1x EPS 8 pin, 60.0cm
- 2x PCIe 6+2 pin, 2 connectors each, 50.0cm to first connector, 15.0cm spacing thereafter
- 1x PCIe 6+2 pin, 2 connectors, 50.0cm to both connectors
- 1x SATA/Molex/Floppy, 5 connectors, 50.0cm to first connector, 15.0cm spacing thereafter
- 2x SATA, 4 connectors, 50.0cm to first connector, 15.0cm spacing thereafter
These are specified measurements from the manufacturer. Most users should have no problems with be quiet!'s Pure Power 11 FM 1000W in modern cases. 50cm to the first connector is the general standard, and this power supply met or exceeded this recommendation in all counts.
Page Index
1. Introduction, Packaging, Specifications
2. Physical Look - Outside
3. Physical Look - Inside
4. Minor Tests and Conclusion
