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Seasonic S12-430 430 Watt Power Supply Review
Seasonic S12-430 430 Watt Power Supply Review - PCSTATS
The massive power demands of modern processors and video cards require considerably more than 300W to remain fully stable at peak operation.
 86% Rating:   
Filed under: Power Supply Published:  Author: 
External Mfg. Website: Seasonic Apr 18 2005   M. Dowler  
Home > Reviews > Power Supply > Seasonic S12-430

Power Load Tests

Seasonic Load Tests Source: Seasonic

When looking at the Seasonic Power Supply test results we see two values, wattage and volt-amps. Since it might not be clear what they measure, here's a brief overview.

The volt-amp (VA) value is how much real power is being consumed by the power supply being tested to provide the wattage (W) value. The higher the VA value is, the more electricity is being used by the power supply. Because no electrical device is 100% efficient, there will always be some loss when converting AC to DC. The closer the volt-amps and wattage figures are to each other, the more efficient a power supply is. This is called the Power Factor: wattage / volt-amps = PF.

Since we're testing with a 120W dummy load, the load on the power supply (wattage) should be as close to this figure as possible. Anything above this load in apparent power describes the overhead and wasted energy (given off as heat) for the particular power supply being tested.

For the unloaded tests, the wattage and volt-amp figures should be as close as possible to one another. The lower the figures are, the less power is being used.

Seasonic Load Tests

Power Supply Wattage Test Load Unloaded
Seasonic SuperTornado 400 W Active Power 177 W 6 W
Apparent Power 182 VA 7 VA
Vantec iON2

350 W

Active Power

192 W

10 W
Apparent Power 277 VA 21 VA
Ultra X-Connect Green UV 500W 500 W Active Power 193W 22 W
Apparent Power 307 VA 40 VA
AOpen Silent Power AO400-12AHN 400W Active Power 179W 9 W
Apparent Power 275 VA 18 VA
Seasonic S12-430 430W Active Power 179W 6W
Apparent Power 180VA 9VA

The Seasonic S12-430 showed excellent performance on these power efficiency tests, as we've come to expect from supplies that feature Active Power Factor Correction. This model was actually the best we've yet tested under load. Looks like another excellent power supply from Seasonic.

A truly efficient power supply

Seasonic has long touted the efficiency of their Active PFC-enabled power supplies, and we've found that the products have lived up to their claims in the past. The S12-430 430W power supply also proves to be no exception. In fact it is one of the most efficient and quiet power supplies we've yet tested.

The Seasonic S12-430 has no additional knobs, lights, colours or gimmicks to speak of. It's a plain black power supply with an adequate number of connectors and some thoughtful extras to reduce the mess that cables cause in the interior of your PC.

Electrically, the Seasonic S12-430 has excellent performance. It delivers ample power across each of its rails and overall, is the most efficient power supply we have yet tested. When compared to a generic 400 watt power supply, it should more than pay for itself in energy savings over the course of a few years, especially if you leave your PC On 24/7.

With a retail price of approximately US$99 (CAN$122) the Seasonic S12-430 is an excellent buy for any system you are putting together which will need sustained and reliable power at high wattages.

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Related Articles

Here are a few other articles that you might enjoy as well...

1. Antec TruePower 330W Power Supply Review
2. PC Power & Cooling Turbo-Cool 510-PFC Power Supply
3. Seasonic Super Tornado 400W Power Supply Review
4. Vantec iON2 350W Power Supply Review
5. Ultra X-Connect Green UV 500W Power Supply

< Previous Page © 2023 PCSTATS.com Power Supply Reviews...»

 

Contents of Article: Seasonic S12-430
 Pg 1.  Seasonic S12-430 430 Watt Power Supply Review
 Pg 2.  Appearance and physical specifications
 Pg 3.  Twisted Power Cables
 Pg 4.  — Power Load Tests

 
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