By: Jonathan Kwan
June 30, 2023
I have a friend who likes to give me "the face" half the time I open my mouth. I am not sure how I would personally describe "the face", but it is one of those things that can be classified under the "if you know, you know" category. Now, what I have learned recently is there are actually variants of "the face". Some of these variants are "what is wrong with you", "that is so unnecessary", and possibly a few others I could not remember off the top of my head. I did not know there could be variants of what is basically the same thing, but I reasonably differentiate them once they are described with an example given. Over the last couple of years, we have reviewed a bunch of PSUs from Thermaltake's Toughpower GF-series lineup, including the GF1 1000W, GF1 Snow 750W, and GF3 1000W. At first glance, they all appear to be basically the same thing, but just like "the face", there are more than just differences in the name. The regular GF1 has a black enclosure, whereas the Snow version comes in white. The GF3 adds ATX 3.0 and PCIe 5.0 support, and as we have found out in the review of the 1000W model, the electronics selection and layout are a bit different than the GF1 equivalent. Today, we have yet another variant from the lineup in our labs, the Thermaltake Toughpower GF3 850W. Is there anything that makes this one different than the ones we have reviewed in the past other than the obvious? Read on to find out!
Our review unit of the Thermaltake Toughpower GF3 850W arrived in a medium-sized brown corrugated cardboard box from the company's American headquarters in City of Industry, California, USA. It came alongside the Thermaltake TOUGHRAM XG RGB D5 DDR5-5600 2x16GB, which I reviewed back in May. Using UPS Standard, the shipping box arrived in great condition as did its contents to us here in Calgary, Alberta, Canada for our review today.
Inside the shipping box is the Thermaltake Toughpower GF3 850W's retail box. It is basically identical to the Toughpower GF3 1000W and features a black background with white text along with various shades of gray for a clean and reserved look. A photo of the power supply itself is shown prominently in three-quarters view. Thermaltake's logo is printed at the top left corner, while the Toughpower GF3 branding, 850W rating, and 80 Plus Gold badge is seen on the center band. An array of badges shows off its features such as its PCIe Gen 5 readiness, ATX 3.0 compatibility, Smart Zero Fan, 100% Japanese capacitors, and 10-year warranty. The remaining sides have a little more detail in presentation, which you will find more photos, feature highlights, performance graphs, and specifications.
Before we move on, let us take a look at the specifications of the Thermaltake Toughpower GF3 850W, as obtained from the manufacturer's website:
P/N: PS-TPD-0850FNFAGx-4
Watts: 850W
Model: TPD-0850AH3FCG
Max. Output Capacity: 850W
Color: Black
Dimension ( W / H / D ): 150mm(W) x 86mm(H) x 160mm(D)
Weight: 1.69 KG
PFC (Power Factor Correction): Active PFC
Power Good Signal: 100-150 msec
Hold Up Time: > 17msec at 100% of full load
Input Current: 10.0A / 5.0A
Input Frequency Range: 50/60 Hz
Input Voltage: 100V – 240V~
Operating Temperature: 0°C to + 40°C
Operating Humidity: 20% to 90%,non-condensing
Storage Temperature: -20°C to + 70°C
Storage Humidity: 5% to 95%, non-condensing
Cooling System: 13.5cm fluid bearing fan
Efficiency: Meet 80 PLUS®Gold at 115Vac input.
MTBF: 100,000 hrs minimum
Safety Approval: CE/UKCA/cTUVus/TÜV/FCC/IC/BSMI/EAC/CB/CCC
Connector: PCIe 6+2Pin X 4, PCIe 12+4Pin X 1
Protection: OCP, OVP, UVP, OPP, SCP, OTP
The Thermaltake Toughpower GF3 850W's retail packaging can be opened by a flap attached at the bottom. Upon opening the box, you will find everything neatly organized. The power supply is securely clipped between two foam brackets inside an open-ended black nylon bag. Everything else is located inside another black Velcro nylon bag. Out of the box, you will receive the Toughpower GF3 8500W power supply itself, modular cables, AC power cable, four screws, four zip ties, and some product literature. The bundle is very minimalist but sufficient.
Page Index
1. Introduction, Packaging, Specifications
2. Physical Look - Outside
3. Physical Look - Inside
4. Minor Tests and Conclusion
