Page 2 - Physical Look - Outside
Upon the introduction of yet another power supply by Yours Truly, this set of photos are produced by a different high performance lens that we have recently acquired, again, with a four figure price tag (I used to use a Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L for my reviews, but the Canon 24-105mm f/4L IS sure beats carrying around telephotos). Like the Cooler Master Silent Pro Hybrid 1050W, I think the Seasonic Platinum 1000W also has a level of subtle beauty we can all grow to appreciate -- their appearance is similar, yet different, all at the same time. The Seasonic Platinum line features an interesting combination of black and grey panels for a sleek yet subtle appearance, with its family branding on the left hand side (Based on the assertion that the correct orientation is the power supply fan facing downwards), while a specifications table can be found on the opposite side; more on this in just a moment. To make sure you will see the branding or specifications table right side up at all times, the orientation of it is different on both sides, so whatever side facing the user after installation will always be correct. Residing behind the honeycomb mesh array fan grille -- designed for minimal air resistance while providing adequate protection -- is the primary and only cooling fan installed. I am quite surprised to find a 120mm fan, considering how 140mm fans are so popular with manufacturers nowadays. The 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 large secondary mesh opening.
Measuring in at 19.0cm in length, the Seasonic Platinum 1000W is the longest power supply I have ever used, if my memory is correct. In fact, it is a full centimeter longer than the Silent Pro Hybrid. The extra length is needed to accommodate its modular connector board at the back, as well as a plethora of internal components to obtain maximum performance. We will take a look inside the PSU on the next page. For most ATX or eATX chassis, the additional centimeters over a 'short' 14cm power supply like the FSP AURUM CM Gold 650W should not be much of a problem. However, if you have a mATX case that takes standard power supplies, be sure to measure out everything accordingly so there will be no surprises during installation. Meanwhile, four screws on each side of the Seasonic Platinum secure the power supply case together; where one side has a warranty seal on -- so you can't open the power supply without voiding the warranty. For any other reasons, you can still remove four separate screws that attach the fan grille to the power supply casing to clean the fan without putting your seven year coverage in jeopardy.
Starting from the back part of the power supply, we have the same familiar honeycomb mesh design like most PSUs with bottom mounted fans; and the standard on/off switch located below the male connector for power input on the western edge. 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 Seasonic Platinum 1000W incorporates only one 120mm fan at the bottom, with no auxiliary fans. The design is acceptably efficient with regards to the ratio of total surface area to open mesh coverage, except something makes me wonder why anyone would need a switch that large, haha. As with most new power supplies, the Seasonic Platinum 1000W has an automatic full range (100V-240V) AC line voltage selection, so the user does not have to worry about manually selecting input voltage.
Like the Cooler Master Silent Pro Hybrid 1050W and OCZ ZX Series 850W, the Seasonic Platinum 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 connected at all times, it may prove to be beneficial to an extent when building your computer initially. The downside to this is higher electrical contact loss at the connectors compared to permanently fixed cables. In the end, this comes down to personal preference, and we have no problems with this design.
The rear cable connection panel is done nicely, albeit with upside-down labels in standard orientation. As you can see in our photo above, a fan control switch is found at the upper left corner, which is somewhat of a deviation from Cooler Master's implementation of having a full on 5.25" bay fan controller. Generally speaking, I don't see a reason why you won't leave it on '0'. '0' is Hybrid Mode, which keeps the fan off until it exceeds the 30% +/- 5% load threshold. '1' ensures the fan stays on at all times, but the Seasonic Platinum is intelligently designed to keep it from overheating regardless of what mode it is in.
Moving on, similar connectors are grouped together, but in order to make this happen, the 24-pin motherboard connector is split into two different blocks, which is kind of weird. Other than that, to ensure you know what is going on, a diagram is situated in the upper left corner for minimal ambiguity. From left to right and top to bottom, we have a PCIe 8-pin/EPS 8-pin, ATX 24-pin part one as aforementioned, six Molex/SATA headers (Output dependent on what modular cables you attach), ATX 24-pin part two, ATX 4+4-pin, and finally, three PCIe 8-pin. Incompatible outputs will not physically fit into each other, so I think Seasonic has done a great job in this regard. This generous array of available connectors should be more than sufficient for casual users and power enthusiasts alike.
The external build quality of Seasonic's Platinum 1000W power supply is also 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 other high quality PSUs I have used in the past. We will crack open this power supply to see what's inside in the following section.
The voltage specification label at the top of the Seasonic Platinum 1000W. There are two main virtual rails. Up to 25A can be delivered via the +3.3V rail for a total of 82.5W; while 25A on the +5V rail brings the output to 125W in this area. The total combined output for the +3.3V and +5V rail is 125W. In other words, your power allocation combination must fall within the limits of the listed specifications. Meanwhile, a single powerful +12V rail delivers up to 83A (996W) to reduce operating overhead compared to multiple +12V rails. Overall, the combined power output for the whole Platinum is... well, 1000W haha. Again, your power distribution in your system must fall within the limits provided -- it must not exceed 82.5W on the +3.3V rail, 125W on the +5V rail and 125W combined for both, 995W on the +12V rail, and 1000W combined between the +12V and +3.3/+5V rails. It does sound a bit confusing to understand how this works at first, but generally speaking, this configuration allows very flexible power demands and should be sufficient to accommodate most users. On the other hand, I have seen lower wattage PSUs with more combined power on the +3.3V/+5V rail, so I would actually expect a little more in this area for a 1000W power supply unit.
The Seasonic Platinum 1000W is 80 Plus Platinum certified, as its name suggests. This means that it is certified to be at least 90%, 92%, 89% efficient at 20%, 50%, and 100% load, respectively. There is no higher certification for 115V internal non-redundant power supplies at press time.
A total of 13 modular cables are included out of the box. All cables are sleeved and easy to bend, making them extremely easy to work with. That said, I'd rather have flat cables, but this is not a big deal. The ATX 4-pin/EPS 8-pin and PCIe 8-pin cables are all 16 AWG, while the rest -- including the ATX 24-pin cable -- are 18 AWG. The following cables are included out of the box:
- 1x ATX 24-pin, ~50cm
- 1x ATX 4+4-pin, ~70cm
- 1x EPS 8-pin, ~70cm
- 3x PCIe 6+2 pin, 2 connector each, ~60cm, Y-split
- 3x SATA, 3 connectors each, ~55cm to first connector, ~15cm spacing thereafter
- 1x SATA, 2 connectors, ~55cm to first connector, ~15cm spacing thereafter
- 2x Molex, 3 connectors each, ~55cm to first connector, ~15cm spacing thereafter
- 1x Molex, 2 connectors, ~55cm to first connector, ~15cm spacing thereafter
- 1x Molex to Floppy 4-pin, 2 connectors, ~15cm, Y-split
These are just quick rough measurements, but should be reasonably accurate measured from end to end. Most users should have no problems with Seasonic's Platinum 1000W, even if your case has a bottom power supply mount. Considering how 50cm is considered the standard, the Platinum actually has pretty long cables. The only thing that does not make sense to me is the 60cm Y-split PCIe cables. Essentially, they have stuck two cables with one connector; why not just make two separate cables instead?
Page Index
1. Introduction, Packaging, Specifications
2. Physical Look - Outside
3. Physical Look - Inside
4. Minor Tests and Conclusion
