Thortech Thunderbolt 1200 Watt PSU Preview

Cases & PSU/Power Supplies by petervandamned @ 2012-08-02

Thortech ??? Like most of the Memory companies, GeIL is also making Power Supplies under the brand name Thortech.

The Thunderbolt 1200 is a high end powerfull 80+ gold, semi modular PSU. Only 160mm in length. So it's sounds like a real contender for all the well known high end powerful PSU's. Let's bring on the [M] testbench set-up and compare what the thunder god has to offer.

 

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Packaging

The Thortech 1200 Watt PSU comes in a black sealed box, sporting a nice image of the included PSU. Weight is 3500 grams, lighter then the Seasonic 1000 watt PSU.

80+gold at the right lower corner. Strangely we can only find the 115 volt version on the 80plus website? And on the left the mandatory SLI certification label. But what is more important: Thortech gives you 5 years of warranty!

 

Turning the box we see more info about this Thunderbolt 1200W Specifications, connectors and cables. And most important the amps on the in & output rails:

 


 

Inside, we can see from left to right a little black poly protecting the PSU. On the right, a little bag with the modular (aka removable) cables. Furthermore some screws and cable management ties.

 

 

 

And what do we have here?

 

Is the thunder god showing his powers ? Or is this just some bluff?

So lets dig in deeper...

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Comment from Teemto @ 2012/08/02
Tsss child labor has been banned!
Comment from Lesaonar @ 2012/08/02
Quote:
Originally Posted by Stefan Mileschin View Post
Thortech ??? Like most of the Memory companies, GeIL is also making Power Supplies under the brand name Thortech.

The Thunderbolt 1200 is a high end powerfull 80+ gold, semi modular PSU. Only 160mm in length. So it's sounds like a real contender for all the well known high end powerful PSU's. Let's bring on the [M] testbench set-up and compare what the thunder god has to offer.
The actual testing methodology is laughable. Have you considered actually investing in a load testing unit? OC3D certainly has (just search for the Thortech Thunderbolt 1200 on youtube) and this PSU is one of the worst PSU's they've ever tested. It actually shuts itself down before it gets anywhere close to it's rated wattage. You do your readers no favours by using such shoddy testing methodology, especially when you end up recommending a PSU that can cause damage, due to the ripple issues, to the system it's used in.
Comment from Teemto @ 2012/08/02
Although a big shrimpy fan myself, having watched the video, I have to agree with Lesaonar.
I'm in the energy branch myself and like stated in the video, you don't test a PSU with a multimeter. You don't need a fancy adjustable load bench either. A couple of fixed loads - at the output rating you want to test - is enough. Most important will be the scope, even an old analog one will suffice (provided it's been properly calibrated).
Comment from Stefan Mileschin @ 2012/08/02
As far as I know, Peter will also test the PSUs at a separate location where they have professional testing tools.
Comment from Lesaonar @ 2012/08/02
Quote:
Originally Posted by Stefan Mileschin View Post
As far as I know, Peter will also test the PSUs at a separate location where they have professional testing tools.
Which obviously should be done before a review is posted, let alone one that recommends a product that can damage someone's system. This was sloppy testing/reviewing and something I'd expect from someone with limited technical knowledge.
Comment from Stefan Mileschin @ 2012/08/03
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lesaonar View Post
Which obviously should be done before a review is posted, let alone one that recommends a product that can damage someone's system. This was sloppy testing/reviewing and something I'd expect from someone with limited technical knowledge.
The product award has been currently removed and will be reinstated if the tests from the lab will be good.
Comment from Lesaonar @ 2012/08/03
The entire review should be taken down until the unit's been tested properly. The review should never have been posted until the unit was tested properly. It's common knowledge that you cannot properly test a PSU for reliability without knowing how it performs under load, putting a supposed 1200w PSU under 426w load is not putting it under any serious load, as well as knowing what the ripple is on the various rails.

I reiterate, this was sloppy testing/reviewing and is completely misleading in it's findings.
Comment from petervandamned @ 2012/08/03
As we don't have a many K euro test unit here, we have to take them to a test lab. But we called this a Preview not a Review.

In the home situation what has been set up like a normal PC, I had no problems at all. Not sure why yours did.

Later the PSU will be tested at full max and then we add the articel from a pre to a re view.
Comment from jmke @ 2012/08/06
we know Lesaonar, reason why you don't see a lot of PSU reviews from the last few years, http://www.madshrimps.be/articles/category/15 we don't have the required load testing gear in-house
Comment from Lesaonar @ 2012/12/03
"Maybe we will get some other results here but for now it's a fine PSU and I am sure it will not make you unhappy."

Yes the ripple on this PSU will make your hardware incredibly happy. So much so it might even die from sheer happiness. Months later and no further testing has occurred, as suggested by Stefan. To staffers that attempted to make this not seem like a review. When your reviewer, and I use that term loosely, calls this a "fine" unit that "will not make you unhappy", that is a recommendation, which is exactly what people look for in a review (is it good or is it bad). You've outright failed as a hardware review site and if this is indicative of your testing regimen, then every other review you've done can be questioned.

It's obvious that you're more interested in evaluation sponsorship than actually testing of the product and providing a true picture of what an end user can expect. You've done nothing with this article than stroke the ego of an undeserving manufacturer.

 

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