Not much seems to have changed with the actual PS design forever.
PS + UPS in one(just a few minutes to shutdown safely and real surge protection and incoming voltage regulation).
PS combined with a CPU water cooler. They are usually in a key airflow spot in a lot of cases. Reduce noise and make it easier to keep cold air cold by combining two exhausts into one.
"PS + UPS in one(just a few minutes to shutdown safely and real surge protection and incoming voltage regulation)."
Indeed, I've never understood why we can't have a PSU/UPS combo in a full size PC, especially given the energy density of modern Lithium based rechargeable batteries. Maybe it's a safety issue? But then we've had Lithium batteries in laptops for about 20 years, that's a long time to perfect a design.
I think you would both be interested in checking out some of the 5.25" battery backup units on the market. They are a bit niche and hard to find, but basically they are like what you are describing. The battery pack fits in a 5.25" drive bay and the PSU is connected through it.
I think the main reason internal UPS aren't popular (outside the server market) is that desktop users have many other external devices connected that may also need to be powered down safely.
Exactly. Why invest in a PSU/UPS combo if your monitor dies anyways and you can't save what you were working on? The money is almost always better spent on a discrete UPS, unless somebody makes a unit with a power output for a monitor.
How are you going to save your work and shutdown when your monitor is off? There's also often more to a PSU than just a battery. Adding all that to a PSU would make it quite expensive and extremely niche.
a battery is pricey and useless to most people. What most people could use is a PSU able to survive a brown-out. But even then, it's probably more worth it to replace the PSU if something happens. I've had 1 PSU die on me in my whole life.
"The number of connectors per cable is a bit unusual though. For example, one cable has four SATA connectors, another has two SATA and two Molex connectors, and two of them have two SATA, one Molex and one floppy connector each. There is no cable with just Molex connectors on it. "
It might be unconventional, but in principle I kinda like it; much better than every cable being identical. I was wiring up a new box a few days ago, and ended up using a cable with 4 or 5 sata connectors to power a single SSD and via a sata to molex adapter the case's built in fan controller; while having to stuff the rest out of sight in the very cramped space behind the mobo. I'd probably only have put molexes on 2 of the cables though because they're getting somewhat rare. Wiring a floppy connector in at all is rather surprising; virtually nothing has used them for years.
Also, that description adds up to 10 sata connections 4+2+2+2, not 12 as in the summary table.
Other manufacturers have somewhat better mixes for their modular ones. My Seasonic X400 has shorter cables with only 2 sata connectors on it, and also one with 2 molex connectors. Either would have worked for you. The mixed ones of FPS are bad because in a high-power build, you plan to use a lot of sata connectors tipically, or a lot of molexes. Not both.
Just a suggestion, could you chart the claimed 80 Plus standard on the "Energy Conversion Efficiency" charts? I know we can look it up and compare that way, but it would be much easier to have a unit's performance and 80 Plus (Gold in this case) standard on the chart for comparison. Thanks.
"Their designs are usually found in advanced mid-range units, such as the Be Quiet! Dark Power Pro 10 series"
The Dark Power Pro 10 series had high-end units made by Seasonic in it, not just FSP models. They came with advanced features like a Lunpen filter and a premium fluid bearing fan. The series topped out at 1200 watts.
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22 Comments
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blahsaysblah - Thursday, March 3, 2016 - link
Not much seems to have changed with the actual PS design forever.PS + UPS in one(just a few minutes to shutdown safely and real surge protection and incoming voltage regulation).
PS combined with a CPU water cooler. They are usually in a key airflow spot in a lot of cases. Reduce noise and make it easier to keep cold air cold by combining two exhausts into one.
kaidenshi - Thursday, March 3, 2016 - link
"PS + UPS in one(just a few minutes to shutdown safely and real surge protection and incoming voltage regulation)."Indeed, I've never understood why we can't have a PSU/UPS combo in a full size PC, especially given the energy density of modern Lithium based rechargeable batteries. Maybe it's a safety issue? But then we've had Lithium batteries in laptops for about 20 years, that's a long time to perfect a design.
nathanddrews - Thursday, March 3, 2016 - link
I think you would both be interested in checking out some of the 5.25" battery backup units on the market. They are a bit niche and hard to find, but basically they are like what you are describing. The battery pack fits in a 5.25" drive bay and the PSU is connected through it.I think the main reason internal UPS aren't popular (outside the server market) is that desktop users have many other external devices connected that may also need to be powered down safely.
FuzionKore - Tuesday, March 8, 2016 - link
Exactly. Why invest in a PSU/UPS combo if your monitor dies anyways and you can't save what you were working on? The money is almost always better spent on a discrete UPS, unless somebody makes a unit with a power output for a monitor.5th element - Thursday, March 3, 2016 - link
Lithium ion batteries need to be kept cool otherwise their performance suffers quite badly. Inside a PSU is about the worst place you could put one.Wardrop - Friday, March 4, 2016 - link
How are you going to save your work and shutdown when your monitor is off? There's also often more to a PSU than just a battery. Adding all that to a PSU would make it quite expensive and extremely niche.Wardrop - Friday, March 4, 2016 - link
Replace the first "PSU" with "UPS".Murloc - Thursday, March 3, 2016 - link
a battery is pricey and useless to most people. What most people could use is a PSU able to survive a brown-out.But even then, it's probably more worth it to replace the PSU if something happens. I've had 1 PSU die on me in my whole life.
xenol - Monday, March 7, 2016 - link
If you're going to have a UPS anywhere, it should be at the mains. As another mentioned, what's the point if you can't see what you're doing?Also wouldn't want water anywhere near a PSU.
asmian - Thursday, March 3, 2016 - link
So it's called 'Hydro', but it's not water-cooled. Apart from generating click-bait product names, what on earth is their marketing team smoking?MrSpadge - Thursday, March 3, 2016 - link
Because the PSU likes water spilled on it, I guess.Shadowmaster625 - Thursday, March 3, 2016 - link
Why have "Hydro" in the name if it doesnt have any liquid coolant in it?Murloc - Thursday, March 3, 2016 - link
because it sounds cool (pun intended)LiviuTM - Thursday, March 3, 2016 - link
more likely from the "Hydro Dynamic bearing", I guess.geniekid - Friday, March 4, 2016 - link
They should get into aftermarket cooling. "FSP Hydro Extreme - the ultimate air cooling solution."DanNeely - Thursday, March 3, 2016 - link
"The number of connectors per cable is a bit unusual though. For example, one cable has four SATA connectors, another has two SATA and two Molex connectors, and two of them have two SATA, one Molex and one floppy connector each. There is no cable with just Molex connectors on it. "It might be unconventional, but in principle I kinda like it; much better than every cable being identical. I was wiring up a new box a few days ago, and ended up using a cable with 4 or 5 sata connectors to power a single SSD and via a sata to molex adapter the case's built in fan controller; while having to stuff the rest out of sight in the very cramped space behind the mobo. I'd probably only have put molexes on 2 of the cables though because they're getting somewhat rare. Wiring a floppy connector in at all is rather surprising; virtually nothing has used them for years.
Also, that description adds up to 10 sata connections 4+2+2+2, not 12 as in the summary table.
nagi603 - Monday, March 7, 2016 - link
Other manufacturers have somewhat better mixes for their modular ones. My Seasonic X400 has shorter cables with only 2 sata connectors on it, and also one with 2 molex connectors. Either would have worked for you. The mixed ones of FPS are bad because in a high-power build, you plan to use a lot of sata connectors tipically, or a lot of molexes. Not both.rhysiam - Thursday, March 3, 2016 - link
Thanks for the review!Just a suggestion, could you chart the claimed 80 Plus standard on the "Energy Conversion Efficiency" charts? I know we can look it up and compare that way, but it would be much easier to have a unit's performance and 80 Plus (Gold in this case) standard on the chart for comparison. Thanks.
mauler1973 - Saturday, March 5, 2016 - link
When I click on the newegg link for the product it goes to toms hardware site address before going to newegg. What's the deal?Oxford Guy - Friday, March 11, 2016 - link
"Their designs are usually found in advanced mid-range units, such as the Be Quiet! Dark Power Pro 10 series"The Dark Power Pro 10 series had high-end units made by Seasonic in it, not just FSP models. They came with advanced features like a Lunpen filter and a premium fluid bearing fan. The series topped out at 1200 watts.
jacksonjacksona - Thursday, March 17, 2016 - link
welcome toW_W_W_._a_j_k_o_b_e_s_h_o_e_s._C_O_M
n i k e $38
3DVagabond - Friday, March 25, 2016 - link
@ $80 it's fantastic value.