ASUS ROG LOKI 850W Platinum SFX-L PSU Review
Meet the ROG Loki, ASUS’ ultra-quiet SFX-L PSU for compact gaming PCs
If you are building an ultra-compact gaming PC, you will likely be investing in an SFX power supply, a PSU that will meet the sizing requirements of smaller ITX PC cases while meeting the power needs of your system. This is where the ASUS ROG Loki 850W Platinum steps in, promising users ATX 3.0 support, 12VHPWR support, and some of the lowest noise levels that we have seen from a modern high wattage PSU.Â
If you require a system with a lot of flash, ASUS’ ROG LOKI power supply supports ARGB illumination though Aura Sync, with this PSU supporting RGB on its fan and on the sides and rear of the unit itself. These lights can be synchronised with the rest of your system, enabling some unique lighting effects.Â
SFX-L
One of the first things that should be noted about the ROG LOKI 850W Platinum is that it is not a true SFX power supply. This PSU sits within the SFX-L (Longer) form factor, which enables the creation of compact PSUs with larger heatsinks, cooling fans, and wattages. Some ITX PC cases will only support SFX power supplies, though most are designed to accommodate SFX-L PSUs, especially when it comes to gaming-oriented SFX designs.
If you are building a compact gaming PC and plan to use ASUS’ ROG Loki PSU, please make sure that your case support SFX-L PSUs, not just SFX PSUs.
The Quietest SFX-L PSU – Lambda A Certification Explained
ASUS’ ROG Loki series of PSUs are designed to be quiet and power efficient, achieving an 80+ Platinum efficiency rating and a Cybenetics Lambda A noise certification. Haven’t heard of Cybenetics? Cybenetics is a certification group that specialise in efficiency ratings and noise level ratings, hoping to supplant the older testing methods that the 80+ rating system uses while also giving PSU purchasers additional useful information in the form of a Lambda noise rating.Â
For ASUS’ ROG Loki 850W Platinum power supply, Cybenetics has given their PSUs a Lambda A certification, which means that the PSU did not output over 25 dB of noise during their testing. That’s whisper quiet, and we can confirm that we did not hear any noise from the ROG Loki while we were reviewing the PSU.Â
ASUS’ low Loki noise levels are thanks to several factors, including ASUS’ famed ROG PSU heatsinks, which help to lower PSU thermals, and ASUS’ use of a new Axial-Tech fan design, which offers higher levels of air pressure at low RPMs to enable strong cooling and minimal noise levels.Â
If you want a PSU that supports all of the latest standards, ASUS’ ROG Loki will suit your needs with its ATX 3.0 certification, PCIe 5.0 (12VHWR) compatibility, and a long 10-year warranty. This PSU should be able to outlast any of the other components on your PC, which is great news if you don’t plan on changing your PSU anytime soon.
