Page 2 - Physical Look - Outside
This is the first power supply we have ever received from be quiet!, and we are excited to take a look at what they have to offer given we have covered tons of power supplies here at APH Networks. The company has a good portfolio of other power supply models too. The latest PSU in the be quiet! lineup has a depth of 16.0cm, which 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 full branding is implemented on one side, where you can spot be quiet!'s logo prominently embossed. The other side is the specifications label, which we will examine in just a moment. To make sure you will always see the text right side up, the orientation of it is different on both sides, so whatever side facing the user after installation will always be correct. Its classical SECC construction is conservative and pragmatic, and a detachable fan grille guards the primary and only cooling fan installed. The fan grille is has 17 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 edge of the power supply, so you cannot open the Pure Power 11 FM 750W 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 vertically 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 750W 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 750W 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 750W 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. Starting from the left of our photo, we have a motherboard 24-pin split into two blocks next to each other. Next, there are two ATX/EPS 4+4 pin outputs. Two PCI Express connectors come next. Lastly, there are three peripheral headers for Molex and SATA. 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 750W 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 outer panel of the be quiet! Pure Power 11 FM 750W. There are two main virtual rails. Up to 20A can be delivered via the +3.3V rail for a total of 66W, while the 20A on the +5V rail brings the output to 100W 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 36A and the other 32A, delivers up to 62.5A combined for a total of 750W. I have not seen a power supply with more than one +12V rail in probably a decade, which I find very strange especially for a 750W model. Having a single +12V rail is important to reduce operating overhead compared to multiple +12V rails. Overall, the combined power output for the whole be quiet! Pure Power 11 FM 750W is... well, 750W haha. It may seem 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 lower output rated units, but the overall distribution is still reasonable for a 750W power supply.
The be quiet! Pure Power 11 FM 750W 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 eight 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, ATX/EPS 4+4-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 SATA/Molex/Floppy, 5 connectors, 50.0cm to first connector, 15.0cm spacing thereafter
- 1x SATA, 4 connectors, 50.0cm to first connector, 15.0cm spacing thereafter
- 1x SATA, 3 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 750W 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
