Date: January 4th, 2005
Article by: Joe Anderson (Hardware Reviewer)
Edited by: Nathan Glentworth (Owner, Head Editor & Hardware Reviewer)
Product Submitted by: Thermaltake
<--SHOP FOR A THERMALTAKE PUREPOWER 680 WATT POWER SUPPLY

PRODUCT FEATURES & SPECIFICATIONS

In the above charts (from the Thermaltake website) we can see some of the many outstanding features that the 680W brings to the marketplace. The specifications meet or exceed what you'd expect from a high-end power supply from a reputable manufacturer. I'll just touch on a few of the most important ones here.

Active PFC - Power Factor Correction technology allows the PSU to consume only enough power to supply the demands of the devices connected to it. A power supply with no PFC will generally operate at around 50%, essentially wasting half of the power it consumes. Active PFC allows the power supply to approach 100% efficiency (Thermaltake claims 95-99%). This results in lower electric bills, less heat and cleaner power to downstream devices.

Input Voltage - The 680W is self-adjusting and will operate normally with any input voltage from 100-240 VAC and frequency range between 47-63 Hz. What this means is basically no more little red switch or line conditioner to worry about.

Rails - This power supply has THREE separate +12V rails, with a combined total of 38A, a 50A +5V rail and a 28A +3.3V rail. 'Nuff said.

The 680W PurePower also provides thermal protection, short circuit protection, over voltage, over current and overload protection and meets EMI regulations. It is compliant with both SSI EPS 12V (server applications) and ATX 12V (version 2.0) computer systems.

Each PSU is fully load tested before leaving the Thermaltake factory.

PRODUCT COMPOSITION & PICTORIAL

Inside the shrink-wrapped box, you'll find the power supply, power cord, a 24 pin to 20 pin ATX adapter, a 4 pin to 6 pin 12v adapter, 4 screws and a surprisingly comprehensive installation manual complete with detailed specifications.

Thermaltake calls the finish on the 680W "electroplate black nickel". Not quite black, it has a deep gun-metal gray look that, accentuated by gold fanguards front and rear, is very appealing to the eye.