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Recently Thermaltake released their new Toughpower Grand power supply series and today we are testing the entire range. This new family has units rated at 650watt and 750watt, and by using a combination of the latest and most demanding gaming hardware, we have put these Thermaltake power supplies to the test to determine which one is right for you...
The Grand is the latest member of the Toughpower series and features extravagant looks with a classy black finish. Designed for power users that enjoy showing their hardware off, the Grand power supplies will look right at home in virtually any setup. The proprietary 14cm dual-ball-bearing flower-shaped fan is designed to provide optimal ventilation for the internal components.
While the Grand power supplies are designed to be the most prestigious members of the Toughpower family and as such boast some very impressive specifications, they are surprisingly affordable. The 650 watt version retails for roughly $160 US, while the 750 watt unit costs $180 US. Although they are more expensive than many other Thermaltake units, the Grand series does proudly wear the 80 PLUS Gold certificate. In fact, the Toughpower Grand is the first Thermaltake power supply series to be awarded the 80 PLUS Gold certification, so that in itself is quite a big deal. Furthermore, there are few 80 PLUS Gold certified power supplies available, so this helps to make this new series even more unique. There are cheaper 80 PLUS Gold certified products however, such as those from SeaSonic, for example their X750 Gold 750w costs just $150 US, and the Cooler Master Silent Pro Gold 800w is priced at $170 US. However the Toughpower Grand looks far more impressive than either of these products. Still, the Toughpower Grand is far from the most expensive 80 PLUS Gold certified power supply series, as Enermax charge $190 US for the EMG700AWT 700w and Corsair are asking $195 US for their Z Series Gold OCZZ850M 850w unit. The last Thermaltake range that we looked at was the EVO_Blue series, which was only “80 PLUS Certified”. This efficiency level certification means that under certain loads the EVO_Blue will meet specified efficiency ratings. For example the 80 PLUS certification means that the power supply will offer an efficiency level of at least 80% when under 100% load. The 80 PLUS ratings also include Bronze (81% max load), Silver (85% max load), Gold (88% max load) and Platinum (91% max load) when using a 230v connection. This rating is important as it dictates the units operating efficiency. To measure the efficiency the output power is divided by the input power and the remaining power is converted into heat, we will speak more about this shortly. |
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Busta |
Posted on: 08/04/2010 12:11 PM
Those are some slick looking PSUs right there. I would really like to own one of these. Also thanks for taking the time to take them apart and give us a good look inside. |
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Rusty |
Posted on: 08/04/2010 12:27 PM
I agree this looks smart. The round edges do it for me  I have seen another power supply like this somewhere ... I think it was a Cooler Master. I will have to check it out. |
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Sandman |
Posted on: 08/04/2010 10:57 PM
I dont want to sound lame but I also really like the round edges as well as the power button. |
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Delta |
Posted on: 08/05/2010 02:33 AM
These are tweaked CWT DSG power supplies so they are awesome quality. |
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Horribleron Posts: 13 Joined: 2010-03-26 |
Posted on: 08/07/2010 03:59 AM
I have had an original Toughpower 750W for over two years now and it's been a real stud of a PSU. |
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ajax |
Posted on: 08/07/2010 09:46 AM
I just bought one of these and I am very please with it. So powerful yet so quiet  |
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Lee |
Posted on: 09/14/2010 10:13 AM
These power supplies look pretty grand sorry ... nice review though! I just found this site today and I am loving it. |
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elThomaso |
Posted on: 11/15/2010 08:15 PM
Good power supply, great quality, overwhelming design, but nothing you would buy for a silent PC. Just selling mine in exchange for semipassive seasonic... |