Thermaltake Xaser III Silent Power 480W PSU

The rear fan as we mentioned earlier is variable speed.  This can be controlled automatically with the fan speed increasing as the internal temperature of the unit rises.  Below is a graph we ripped from the Tt site showing the speed/temperature ratio of the rear high speed fan and the bottom low speed fan.

Now the red line in the graph represents the rear fan.  In automatic mode it peaks at just over 5100 RPM.  With the fans in manual trim they are limited to a range of 1125 to 3125 RPM.  What is especially nice about the manual adjustments is that you are given two ways or rather, tools to do it with.

  

A front mounted 5.25" bay cover Rheostat and a rear slot cover Rheostat.  The Rheostat only controls the rear exhaust fan.  The sound level at the low end of the speed range is next to silent as the name says.  This is documented at 17 dBA @ 1300 RPM up thru the high end at 45 dBA @ 4800 RPM.  Now having a PSU that makes as much noise as a Delta 60mm fan at full honk is beyond me.  Not having any sound equipment here to accurately test the sound levels I can't tell you the exact level of noise the unit makes at 3100 RPM.  This is of course the high end of the manual range.  I can tell you that it was loud.  Louder than I would personally tolerate in a PSU.  Keep in mind that the PSU temps REALLY need to be getting up there before the fans spin this hot.

The front (side opposite the PSU's on / off switch) lacks a fan but has some vents cut into the metal that allows for a minimum amount of air flow.  While the front lacks a fan the bottom sports a 80 x 80 x 15mm fan.

  

Finally the last side of the unit has its DC output listed.

Insofar as power connectors, there is no shortage here.  We have three strands, each with three standard 4-pin Molex connectors and a FDD connector, your standard board power cables for AMD and P4.  What was surprising to see was the Serial ATA plug.  Serial ATA is coming on strong boys and girls.  With the lower voltage requirements and pin count it only makes sence to include one. 

  

 

BACK                    NEXT