The SeaSonic Focus GX-850 ATX 3.0 PSU Assessment: Cool, Quiet, and Strong

Within the realm of energy provide models (PSUs), the core underpinning of any high-performance computing system, seasoned market gamers have regularly raised the bar in delivering environment friendly, dependable, and technologically superior merchandise. One such stalwart within the PSU area is SeaSonic, whose meticulous engineering and innovation have repeatedly set trade benchmarks.

In at present’s evaluate, we’re taking a look on the ATX 3.0 improve of SeaSonic’s revered Focus sequence, which epitomizes a positive stability between price and efficiency aimed toward catering to a broad spectrum of PC lovers and builders. It’s the successor of the Focus Plus sequence, which was SeaSonic’s hottest sequence over the previous a number of years.

The brand new Focus GX sequence consists of 5 models with an influence output starting from 550 Watts to 1.000 Watts. It’s the second strongest unit of the sequence that we’ll be placing to the check, the Focus GX-850. SeaSonic is putting its advertising and marketing efforts totally on the exceedingly lengthy 10-year producer’s guarantee, its compact dimension, the 80Plus Gold effectivity certification, and the modular design.

Packaging and Bundle

SeaSonic provides the Focus GX-850 in a sturdy cardboard field with black-gold art work primarily based on easy geometric shapes. The PSU is sandwiched between two packaging foam items and is positioned inside a nylon pouch, guaranteeing protected transport.

The bundle accompanying the GX-850 is comparatively wealthy for what is meant to be a mainstream PSU. Other than the usual AC energy cable and 4 mounting screws, SeaSonic additionally supplies quite a lot of cable ties, cable straps, a full handbook, and a 24-pin connector jumper that can be utilized to energy the PSU with out connecting it to a motherboard.

The modular cables of the Focus GX-850 are all an identical, with individually sleeved black wires and black connectors. This consists of even the 12VHPWR cable, making this the primary time we noticed a producer altering that exact cable to match the remainder of the unit’s cables.

The SeaSonic Focus GX-850 Gold PSU

Exterior Look

Regardless of its ample energy provision, SeaSonic has efficiently housed the brand new Focus GX-850 throughout the standard ATX dimensions of 150 × 140 × 86 mm (W×D×H), guaranteeing its compatibility throughout a broad vary of ATX-compliant enclosures, together with Desktop HTPC and different compact configurations. {The electrical} specs and certifications sticker is situated on the highest floor of the unit.

SeaSonic usually maintains a minimalist method in direction of aesthetics, however the Focus GX-850 stands as a deviation. The design has been elevated past mere paintwork, showcasing a particular fan grill on the backside of the chassis. It’s adorned with a gray badge at its heart and black accents encircling the fan, changing the earlier gold and gray scheme. The embossed geometric motifs on the lateral sides of the PSU have been retained, with the corporate and sequence logos subtly highlighted on all faces of the unit.

Along with the usual small on/off swap and AC cable receptacle, SeaSonic has integrated a sq. locking swap on the PSU’s rear aspect. This swap facilitates the administration of the cooling fan’s hybrid management mode. This mode is activated by default, permitting the fan to have interaction solely when the load escalates to a stage necessitating lively cooling. When deactivated, the fan’s velocity continues to be thermally regulated, albeit with out ever coming to a whole halt. The entrance of the chassis homes the connectors for the modular cables. Though the connectors will not be color-coded, a primary legend is printed on the chassis to information the cable connections. The PCI Specific and CPU 12V cables make the most of an identical connectors, negating the potential of faulty cable insertion owing to the distinct connector designs and keyed configurations.

Inside Design

SeaSonic as soon as once more entrusted the cooling of their Focus sequence to Hong Hua and their HA13525H12F-Z 120 mm fan. It’s a visually easy black fan however encompasses a high-quality Fluid Dynamic Bearing (FDB), with SeaSonic promising excessive life expectancy and comparatively low noise figures. It has a most rotational velocity of 2000 RPM, a median determine for a 120 mm fan.

SeaSonic is each the designer and producer of their models, negating the necessity for us to determine an underlying OEM with their merchandise. At first look, it permits us to appreciate that, not like many different producers, SeaSonic’s engineers took main steps in redesigning the platform that the earlier Focus sequence was primarily based upon to completely adjust to the ATX 3.0 specification. The unit’s inside is extraordinarily tidy, and not using a single free cable, because the PCBs are linked through stable copper bridges.

The filtering stage begins on the small PCB on the rear of the AC receptacle and continues onto the primary PCB, with a complete of 4 Y capacitors, two X capacitors, and two filtering inductors. Two bridge rectifiers share the identical heatsink with half the inversion transistors of the first stage.

Nippon Chemi-Con provides the large 680μF capacitor of the APFC stage, which is positioned subsequent to an equally giant filtering inductor. The lively PCF parts, two 6R190P6 energy transistors and a diode could be discovered on the lengthy heatsink throughout the sting of the PCB.  SeaSonic carried out a full-bridge LLC inversion stage, a uncommon sight inside a mainstream unit. Two of the ability transistors (GPT13N50DG) are on their separate heatsink, and two share the heatsink with the enter rectifiers.

On the opposite aspect of the transformer and the underside of the primary PCB, 4 IC840L MOSFETs generate the one 12V line. The DC-to-DC converters for the 5V and three.3V voltage traces could be seen on the vertical daughterboard that additionally hosts the fan’s controller. The secondary aspect capacitors are a mixture of Rubycon, Nippon Chemi-Con, and Nichicon merchandise, all of that are from Japanese producers.