Reviewed: November 20, 2004
Reviewed by: Mark Smith

Manufacturer
Thermaltake

Type: Power Supply
System: PC

Rating: 10.0

MSRP: $110.00
When you’re creating the Ultimate Gaming Rig there are a few things you might be inclined to overlook, but with the growing power demands of today’s PC’s the power supply shouldn’t be one of them. With multiple drives, arrays of cooling fans, custom internal lighting, and video cards with their own strict power requirements, you need a virtual power plant inside your PC and Thermaltake has delivered just that with their Silent PurePower 560W PSU.

Specifications:

  • Size: ATX 560 watts
  • Weight: 2.3kg
  • Construction: Steel
  • Color: Black
  • Fans: 80x80x25mm exhaust / 90x90x25mm bottom mounted intake
  • Active PFC: PF > 0.95
  • 115/230V Automatic Switch
  • Dual Serial ATA power connectors
  • All cables sleeved
While appearance isn’t normally a feature you would associate with a power supply, today’s gamer is a bit more self-conscious about how good their systems look, especially in the ever-growing mod community. The Purepower is simple but elegant with a thick black finish that just so happened to match the Dream Tower I was installing it in. For those with a clear side panel (like our test system) you will appreciate the attractive silver Thermaltake logo on the left side.

Even more stylish is the colorful braided cable wraps that not only brighten up the insides of your system, but they are actually color-coded based on their function. The standard Molex power cables are blue and then you have all sorts of other neon colors that I felt guilty for not having any use for. I simply tucked them up in the top of the case out of the way, but they will look really cool if I ever have to use them. Of particular note is the green cable with a pair of SATA connectors at the end. This is the only PSU I have seen that was SATA-ready out of the box.

The Purepower moves a serious amount of air thanks to a powerful 90mm fan that sucks the hot air from your CPU and motherboard and vents it out the back with a second 80mm case fan. The Purepower manages the speed of both fans based on the internal temperature ranging from 1400 RPM at 20dBA to 3500RPM at 43dBA. Even the 115/230 voltage selector is auto-detected so you don’t have to flip that recessed red switch.

The Purepower delivers a steady stream of power under a variety of load conditions, and the internal copper heatplate and aluminum fins keep this PSU at comfortable temperatures.

The Purepower 560W is the perfect PSU for gamers who requires a lot of power without a lot of heat. The thermo-adjusted fans keep the power supply running only as fast as necessary and even when the thing starts humming at max speed it’s still likely to be the quietest thing in the room.

Excellent performance, fantastic specs, and a truly colorful and attractive design make this the must-have power supply when it comes times to upgrade or build your new gaming rig.