Page 2 - Physical Look - Outside
SilverStone's power supplies are typically quite subtle and understated in appearance, and the Strider Titanium ST1300-TI 1300W is no exception. The latest 1300W model in the Strider Titanium lineup has a depth of 18.0cm. Although 18.0cm is not short, and it is 3cm longer than the ST80F-TI 800W, this is a very reasonable specification for a power supply of this efficiency certification grade and rated output. With a power density of 560W per liter, this is great for a fully modular PSU. Most modular power supplies are also 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, the extra length should not be much of a problem, if at all. However, if you have a mATX or mITX case that takes standard power supplies, the longer length may cause fitment issues, so be sure to measure everything out in your chassis first.
From our view above, SilverStone's logo is located dead center on the six-ring fan grille, which itself is a little offset to the side. The full branding is embossed onto the metal casing in a forty five degree angle on the other side. Its classical SECC construction comes finished off with something unique to the Strider Titanium lineup; a volcano rock style, textured black finish for a more interesting look. On the side is series of stickers that contains the unit's serial number, internal quality test certifications, and revision number. Residing behind the six-ring fan grille -- where a bit of its center opening is lost to the company's logo -- is the primary and only cooling fan installed. The 135mm 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 honeycomb mesh opening. Meanwhile, four screws secure the power supply case together; where one screw has a warranty seal over it, so you cannot open the Strider Titanium ST1300-TI without voiding the five-year warranty.
Starting from the back part of the power supply, we have the same familiar honeycomb mesh design as most PSUs with bottom mounted fans; the only thing you will find here is a horizontally aligned male C20 connector for power input on the western edge. The C20 plug is used to ensure a high current certified power cable is used. The included AC power cable is a fat 14 AWG unit, but unless you have a stack of these kicking around, be sure not to lose it.
Meanwhile, the SilverStone Strider Titanium comes with no on/off switch at all. 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 Strider Titanium ST1300-TI 1300W incorporates only one 135mm fan at the bottom with no auxiliary fans. It is also implemented in a very efficient manner, as the power input connector took up a minimal amount of room at the back. As with most new power supplies, the SilverStone Strider Titanium 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 many SilverStone Strider power supplies, the Strider Titanium ST1300-TI 1300W 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 for other manufacturers, 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, SilverStone actually has a case to argue for this design choice. If you have a tight-fitting case, you can opt for the optional PP05-E short cable kit for better airflow and better cabling jobs. Additionally, with fully detachable cables, it may prove to be beneficial to an extent when building your computer initially.
The rear cable connection panel is done nicely. Similar connectors are grouped together; and are laid out in a very logical manner. To ensure you know what is going on, a diagram is situated above for minimal ambiguity. On the very left, we have a section of six black colored sockets for sixteen SATA/six Molex/one floppy. The blue colored sockets for eight PCI Express 6+2 pin connectors. Next to the second row of PCI Express connectors are two ATX/EPS 4+4 pin outputs. At the bottom, there is one ATX 24-pin connector block as well as one 6-pin Vsense socket. All of them except for the ATX 24-pin socket has plastic caps over them from the factory for a better look. Incompatible outputs will not physically fit into each other, so I think SilverStone has done a great job in this regard. This very generous array of available connectors should be more than sufficient for casual users and power enthusiasts alike.
The external build quality of SilverStone's Strider Titanium power supply is excellent as always -- 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 comparable 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 on the right panel of the SilverStone Strider Titanium ST1300-TI 1300W. There are two main virtual rails. Up to 25A can be delivered via the +3.3V rail for a total of 82.5W; 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, a single powerful +12V rail delivers up to 108A (1296W) to reduce operating overhead compared to multiple +12V rails. Overall, the combined power output for the whole ST1300-TI is... well, 1300W 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, 110W on the +5V rail and 120W combined for both, 1296W on the +12V rail, and 1300W 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 fairly flexible power demands and should be sufficient to accommodate most users. Other than a slight increase on the +3.3V output, the +5V and combined +3.3V/+5V output is exactly the same as the 800W model we looked at a couple of years ago. A bit of increase would be nice in this area, considering this is a 1300W power supply.
The SilverStone Strider Titanium ST1300-TI is 80 PLUS Titanium certified, which means that it is certified to be at least 90%, 92%, 94%, 90% efficient at 10%, 20%, 50%, and 100% load, respectively. There is no higher certification for 115V internal non-redundant power supplies at press time.
A total of seventeen modular cables are included out of the box. All modular cables are flat and easy to bend, making them extremely easy to work with. 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/EPS 4+4 pin, 75.0cm
- 1x ATX/EPS 4+4 pin, 55.0cm
- 8x PCIe 6+2 pin, 55.0cm
- 4x SATA, 4 connectors each, 60.0cm to first connector, 15.0cm spacing thereafter
- 2x Molex, 3 connectors each, 60.0cm to first connector, 15.0cm spacing thereafter
A 10cm long Molex to Floppy adapter is included for those who find it useful. These are specified measurements from the manufacturer. Most users should have no problems with SilverStone's Strider Titanium ST1300-TI, even if your case has a bottom power supply mount. 50cm 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
