1. Introduction
Thermaltake, a well known case and PSU manufacturer, recently updated its line of power supplies with the addition of the Purepower RX series. The most noticeable difference is the adoption of a 14cm fan, rotating at 1900rpm, with very low noise levels according to Thermaltake. There are several other interesting features, like modular cables which also caught our attention, and after carefully looking through the specifications, we decided to put the RW600W to the test and see if can meet the demands of gamers with dual graphics card setups.
- Thermaltake Purepower RX600W
Thermaltake Technology launched its new line of Purepower RX Series back in January 2007, with the most noticeable difference being the ultra-silent, 140mm fan that removes thermal build-up within the enclosure efficiently and silently.
The 140mm fan helps reduce the high noise levels that are typically associated with high-wattage power supplies. Greater wing span of the fan blades, results in greater surface area, allowing the fan to spin much slower while still pushing through large volumes of cool air to dissipate heat.
The Purepower RX Series with its 140mm fan will be available with Cable Management options in 450W, 500W, 550W, 600W as well as with standard cable output in 400W, 450W and 500W.
To support all of today’s PC requirements, the Purepower RX Series power supply complies with the latest Intel ATX12V V2.2 specification along with Active P.F.C. (Power Factor Correction) technology to ensure system’s stability and reliability. Over Voltage Protection (OVP), Over Current Protection (OCP), Short Circuit Protection (SCP) and No Load Operation Protection are all the standard safety protection features found on each and every one of Thermaltake power supplies.
Purepower RX Series power supply comes standard with 4 SATA connectors to power latest hard drives, maximum of 7 Molex connectors for optical drives or fans and maximum of 2 PCI-E connectors for powering multiple GFX cards setup from ATI or Nvidia. Multiple dedicated 12V rails found on Purepower RX Series power supply not only allows for higher wattage but also guarantees the CPU and GFX card(s) can operate at their optimal setting for ultimate gaming performance.
- Features
- Complies with ATX 12V 2.2 version
- Compatible with latest dual PCI-Express and Dual Core CPU configurations
- Four +12V output circuitry provides stable voltage for system: 12V1/12V2 for processor and
two PCI-E, 12V3/12V4 for Motherboard, peripherals, and another PCI-E
- Modularized cable management improves internal airflow
- Universal AC input 115~230V automatically scans and detects the correct voltage for
different country
- Quiet and reliable 140mm ball bearing fan
- Built-in industrial grade protections: Over current, No load operating, Short-Circuit,
and Over voltage
- Safety / EMI Approvals: CE, FCC, UL, CUL, TUV, and BSMI certification
- Specifications
P/N |
W0144 |
Maximum Power |
600 Watts |
Color |
Hi-Tech Black
|
Switches |
ATX Logic on-off additional power rocker switch |
PFC (Power Factor Correction) |
Active PFC |
Cooling System |
14 cm Fan
SPEED : 1900RPM ±10%
DIMENSION: 140 X 140 X 25 mm
AIR FLOW: 86.5 CFM
BEARING TYPE : Two Ball Bearing
TEMP. AUTO CONTROL
|
Noise |
16dB at 1300 RPM |
P. G. Signal |
100-500 ms |
Over Voltage Protection Recycle AC to Reset |
+5V trip point < +7.0V
+3.3V trip point < +4.5V
+12V trip point < +15.6V |
DIMENSIONS |
Unit Size |
15cm(L)x16cm(W)x8.6cm(H) |
Net Weight |
2.32 kg
|
INPUT |
Input Voltage |
115 VAC ~ 230 VAC |
Input Frequency Range |
47 ~ 63 Hz
|
Input Current |
8A / 4A |
Hold-up Time |
16ms |
Efficiency |
Typical 75% (min.) |
- Output specifications
OUTPUT |
AC INPUT |
115V/ 230V 8/4A 47~63Hz |
DC OUTPUT |
+3.3V |
+5V |
+12V1 |
+12V2 |
+12V3 |
+12V4 |
-12V |
+5VSB |
Max Output Current |
30A |
28A |
18A |
18A |
18A |
18A |
0.8A |
3A |
Min Current |
0.5A |
2.0A |
1.0A |
1.0A |
1.0A |
1.0A |
0.0A |
0.0A |
Peak Current |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
3.5A |
Max Combined Wattage |
99W |
140W |
576W |
9.6W |
15W |
The combined power of +5V & +3.3V is 180W max.
Total combined +12V output load cannot exceed 48A. |
2. The Retail Package
Thermaltake's Purepower RX600W can be found at a price range of €80~90. The retail package is simple, and all contents are well packaged.
The PSU itself has typical PSU dimensions (150 x 160 x 86mm) and is certified for ATX v2.2 standard.
The PSU has a 140mm cooling fan, that rotates at 1900rpm, producing low noise levels (16dB at 1300 RPM ).
The external glossy finish looks good, but nothing fancy as with other PSUs we've tested in the past. The PSU edges are rounded so you can handle it without worries. The rear has the honeycomb perforations that help air flow.
On the top of the case is a label with all the PSU specs and ratings:
On the front, are the connections for the modular cabling system.
Thermaltake has a sticker identifying each connector, very handy for the not so experienced.
The retail package includes two more boxes that contain screws and all cables.
Below is a listed of what is included in the retail package:
The easy, modular cable system, offers greater flexibility, so that you use only the cables needed and hence allow more free space in your PC case. Another positive is that each cable is labeled, so you cannot make any mistakes as to which connector goes where :-)
The PSU has two cables permanently installed, the 24pin motherboard connector and 1x PCI-E cable. This was rather strange to us since most other PSUs include the 4/8pin +12V power connector instead of a PCI-E cable.
3. Tests
To test the PSU, we put our system under heavy CPU and 3D graphics load, using 3D Mark 06 v1.0.2. We then monitored the PSU voltage levels. Our test PC was as follows:
- ASUS M2N32Pro WS + AMD Athlon 64 X2 4600+ AM2
- Gainward 8800GTX
- 2x1GB Crucial PC2-8000
- 1xWD 80JB SATA I
- 1xSeagate 80GB SATAII
All PSU levels were monitored with Everest Ultimate Edition v3.0. The following table lists the industry wide specifications for DC Output Voltage Regulation.
After running 3D Mark 06, the monitored levels shows us how much deviation each power rail suffers when put under load. The summary of the test results can be found in the following table:
|
Minimum |
Maximum |
Average |
CPU1 |
% |
0 |
100 |
54,9 |
CPU2 |
% |
0 |
100 |
39,2 |
CPU Core |
V |
1,34 |
1,35 |
1,34 |
+3.3 V |
V |
3,25 |
3,27 |
3,26 |
+5 V |
V |
4,89 |
4,94 |
4,93 |
+12 V |
V |
12,22 |
12,31 |
12,29 |
The results are good. All ratings are within specifications, while even at full load, the voltage deviates by only 0.01~0.09V. Compared with other, similar rated PSUs, the Thermaltake RX600W had slightly greater deviations in the voltage rails, but nothing to worry about.
4. Conclusion
Personally, I have bought many Thermaltake PSUs in the past and didn't have any problems at all. And usually, Thermaltake products are well priced, especially for entry level users, compared with other manufacturers.
The new Purepower RX series comes with a major improvement in the form of a 14cm rotating fan that works at 1900rpm, producing low noise levels. No-one needs or likes a noisy PSU, so Thermaltake has done well in this area. The modular cabling system is good, with plenty of connectors included, all of which are labeled so that you know exactly where each one goes.
Moving on to the product's performance, we didn't have any problems when we put it under heavy load. Compared with other 600W rated products, we saw slightly greater deviation in voltages, but nothing to worry about since all rails remained well within specs. What's is disappointing is that the product comes with "only" a one year warranty. Other manufacturers offer between 3 to 5 years.
Overall, the product has a very good price for users who want a good and stable PSU for their entry level system. The one year warranty is something you should keep in mind, but this is balanced by the reduced price. We feel that the product is good and earns our "Best Buy Award".
- The Good
- 600Watt output
- 14cm fan produces low noise
- Good modular cable management
- All cables are labeled
- Active PFC design
- ATX v2.2 certified, Nvidia SLI ready
- Plenty of connectors
- The Bad