Silverstone Strider 600w ST60F Modular PSU
Testing
Published: 4th September 2006 | Source: Silverstone | Price: |
Load Testing
In order for the results from all current and future PSU reviews to remain fair and comparable, Overclock3D uses a custom built Power Supply load stress tester.
The tester will be placing the following loads on each of the ST60F's rails:
+3.3v - 20a Load
+5.0v - 20a Load
+12v1 - 10a Load
+12v2 - 10a Load
+12v3 - 10a Load
+12v4 - 10a Load
The results are collected from a Mastech MAS-345 Multimeter which logs its readings via RS232 to a PC.
In order for the results from all current and future PSU reviews to remain fair and comparable, Overclock3D uses a custom built Power Supply load stress tester.
The tester will be placing the following loads on each of the ST60F's rails:
+3.3v - 20a Load
+5.0v - 20a Load
+12v1 - 10a Load
+12v2 - 10a Load
+12v3 - 10a Load
+12v4 - 10a Load
The results are collected from a Mastech MAS-345 Multimeter which logs its readings via RS232 to a PC.
Fluctuation on the +3.3v rail of the ST60F was minimal considering how much load was placed on the rail, however the +5v rail wasn't quite as impressive and suffered almost 6% fluctuation bringing the voltage down to a disappointing 4.88v. Although this is low by the standards of some other Silverstone PSU's we've tested in the past, the rail still managed to stay within ATX specifications and is very unlikely to cause any problems.
All of the +12v rails managed to stay within 3% fluctuation, which again is not the best scores we've seen from Silverstone PSU's, but certainly still very respectable. The important thing is that all 4 of the +12v rails managed to either stay bang on 12.00v or very close to it when under heavy load.
Efficiency Testing
Efficiency tests are performed by measuring the wattage consumed by the power supply at the mains against the power (in watts) consumed by the OC3D power supply stress tester.
The results may not be as accurate as those produced by professional testing equipment, but will certainly come in handy when comparing several power supplies against each other.
Efficiency Testing
Efficiency tests are performed by measuring the wattage consumed by the power supply at the mains against the power (in watts) consumed by the OC3D power supply stress tester.
The results may not be as accurate as those produced by professional testing equipment, but will certainly come in handy when comparing several power supplies against each other.
The Silverstone Strider ST60F was placed under a load of 646 watts. This counts for a total of 107% of the power supplies rated output and 90% of its peak output. At this load, the power supply required 838 watts from the mains to produce the 646 watts required by our custom made power supply tester. Therefore the efficiency of this power supply can be found by a simple equation: (646 / 838) * 100 that works out to be an efficiency rating of 77.08%.
Noise Testing
At present Overclock3D doesn't have the professional equipment required to reliably measure the noise output of devices. However, as a new part of our testing procedure we will be recording the PSU at idle and load so that you can make your own judgments. All recordings are taken at 30cm distance from the unit outside of a PC case.
Idle Recording - Download
Load Recording - Download
At idle the unit was very silent. All that could be heard at around 30cm away was the gentle whooshing of air from the 120mm fan. If the unit was installed inside a PC enclosure I am confident that the noise would be totally dampened.
Under load conditions the ST60F did start to get a bit noisy. Yet again, with the power supply installed in a case and the door shut, the noise would have been reduced to more acceptable levels - but maybe slightly more than HTPC/Silent PC users would like.
Noise Testing
At present Overclock3D doesn't have the professional equipment required to reliably measure the noise output of devices. However, as a new part of our testing procedure we will be recording the PSU at idle and load so that you can make your own judgments. All recordings are taken at 30cm distance from the unit outside of a PC case.
Idle Recording - Download
Load Recording - Download
At idle the unit was very silent. All that could be heard at around 30cm away was the gentle whooshing of air from the 120mm fan. If the unit was installed inside a PC enclosure I am confident that the noise would be totally dampened.
Under load conditions the ST60F did start to get a bit noisy. Yet again, with the power supply installed in a case and the door shut, the noise would have been reduced to more acceptable levels - but maybe slightly more than HTPC/Silent PC users would like.
Most Recent Comments
Awesome review Jim. I've been ogling over mine since I got it 
I must admit though I was a little surprised at the rail stability results. Pricepoint here was impressive too though...I got mine for AUS$189 or around 75GBP. Well done, and thanks for the recommendation 
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I must admit though I was a little surprised at the rail stability results. Pricepoint here was impressive too though...I got mine for AUS$189 or around 75GBP. Well done, and thanks for the recommendation Quotestill not as good as the zeus series then..i wish i could review like this lolQuote
Definately a pretty slick PSU for the price, but looks as if there might be a few places to look before finally settling with this. It might be the king for this class of modulars though, and Silverstone definately does modular right.Quote
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Originally Posted by name='PV5150'
Awesome review Jim. I've been ogling over mine since I got it
I must admit though I was a little surprised at the rail stability results. Pricepoint here was impressive too though...I got mine for AUS$189 or around 75GBP. Well done, and thanks for the recommendation |
Despite the fluctuation, the +12v rails stayed almost bang on 12.00v, so you cant really complain. It's just not as solid as the Zeus series tis all.Quote
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Originally Posted by name='XMS'
Despite the fluctuation, the +12v rails stayed almost bang on 12.00v, so you cant really complain. It's just not as solid as the Zeus series tis all.
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