Early Verdict
The FSP Aurum PT-1000FM is a fine PSU that offers very good load regulation, low ripple and high efficiency levels, as well as nice looks and a fully modular cabling design. Most important, the PT-1000FM's price is fair, given the high-end performance and its features.
Pros
- +
Full power at 48°C
- +
Tight load regulation
- +
Excellent ripple suppression
- +
Japanese capacitors
- +
HDB fan
- +
Fully modular
- +
Silent
- +
Build quality and finish
- +
Nice design
- +
Seven-year warranty
Cons
- -
Holdup time
- -
Not optimal fan profile
- -
5VSB efficiency
- -
Weird mix of cables
Why you can trust Tom's Hardware Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.
Introduction
FSP is one of the largest PSU manufacturers today. In addition to its retail business, the company is also active as an OEM (original equipment manufacturer), collaborating with several companies, including Antec, be quiet!, EVGA, NZXT and SilverStone. FSP's main advantage as an OEM is its flexibility, which allows for the customization of products according to the needs of its partners. This is unique, as most of the other major OEMs avoid modifications to their platforms and products in order to keep costs down. As a result, they end up selling very similar power supplies as the companies working with them.
FSP's high-end Platinum series, code-named Aurum PT, currently includes three units with capacities ranging from 850 to 1200W. They all share an interesting external design along with a high-quality finish and fully modular cabling.
Today, we are evaluating the Aurum PT PSU, which has 1kW capacity, enough to power a potent gaming system with more than two graphics cards installed, so long as they're GeForce boards. AMD's high-end cards use a lot more power than the competition, so if you want to build a three- or four-way CrossFire system, then you need a beefier PSU and a capable air conditioning system.
Specifications
The FSP PT-100FM PSU is rated for 80 PLUS Platinum efficiency, though the company doesn't provide information about the PSU's max operating temperature for continuous full-power delivery. As far as protection features go, they're all available, which we expect from a high-end product like this. In addition, FSP used a quality hydro-dynamic bearing (HDB) fan. It's not backed by a semi-passive mode, but the fan still spins slowly most of the time, even under high ambient temperatures and increased loads.
The dimensions of the PT-1000FM are quite large since its depth exceeds 19 centimeters; however, most normal-sized cases will accommodate this PSU without any problems. Finally, the seven-year warranty is impressively long, while FSP's price tag lands right around where we'd expect given a Platinum-rated 1kW PSU.
Power Specifications
| Rail | Header Cell - Column 1 | 3.3V | 5V | 12V | 5VSB | -12V |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Max. Power | Amps | 25 | 25 | 83 | 3 | 0.8 |
| Watts | 160 | 996 | 15 | 9.6 | ||
| Total Max. Power (W) | Row 2 - Cell 1 | Row 2 - Cell 2 | 1000 | Row 2 - Cell 4 | Row 2 - Cell 5 |
The single +12V rail can deliver a high level of amperes, easily covering the needs of a gaming system with multiple graphics cards. On top of that, the minor rails are very capable, given the needs of contemporary systems. But while the 5VSB rail has enough power, we would prefer if it could deliver up to 4A.
Cables And Connectors
| Modular Cables | |
|---|---|
| 24-pin ATX connector (600mm) | 20+4 pin |
| 4+4-pin EPS12V (700mm) | 2 |
| 6+2-pin PCIe (500mm+100mm) | 8 |
| SATA (550mm+60mm+60mm+60mm) | 4 |
| SATA (550mm+155mm+155mm) | 9 |
| Four-pin Molex (550mm+155mm+155mm) | 6 |
| FDD (+100mm) | 1 |
The PSU has enough connectors to fully utilize its capacity, including two EPS and eight PCIe connectors, all of which are available concurrently. In addition, a large number of SATA and peripheral connectors are provided, covering every possible configuration. The ATX and EPS cables are pretty long; however, this isn't the case for the PCIe cables, which are rather short at only 50cm in length. There is also a single SATA cable featuring four connectors with short distances between them (since hard drives are usually installed in close proximity). The remaining three SATA cables have their connectors installed at an adequate distance from each other. Finally, the 24-pin ATX connector uses 16-gauge wires for lower voltage drops, while the rest of the connectors use standard 18AWG wires.
Power Distribution
Since this PSU features a single +12V rail we do not have anything to comment on about its power distribution.
MORE: How We Test Power Supplies MORE:
Who's Who In Power Supplies, 2014: Brands Vs. Manufacturers MORE:
All Power Supply Articles MORE:
Power Supplies in the Forums
