Seasonic has been making great switching power supplies about 1975. Their ISO 9001 certified rating and three year warranty ensures that their products are safe, reliable, and efficient. We recently received one of their products, the Super Tornado 400w.

This is a very good size as it implies that the unit is well built and has heavy-duty heatsinks cooling the inside. So what is special about this power supply? First of all it offers 400w of power (450w peak). Even on with case lighting and many case fans. Next this unit is nearly silent. This is possible because it is cooled by only one fan- a 120mm. By having a heavily perforated side wall and a massive 120mm fan this PSU is able to remain very cool while only operating at ~22db. In

Conclusion

For a retail price of over $100 (USD) and a street price of over $90 this is not an inexpensive power supply, its actually a considerable investment. Yes, it has the features, and, yes, it does a great job- but other companies like Enermax and Antec also offer great PSU's at about the same price. So why go with this Seasonic? Well we have found that the cooling power of the single, 120mm fan design, as well as the near silent operation makes this one of the best PSU's on the market.
Even if you have a working power supply you may be looking to upgrade. This is not normally a thought that runs through most users heads but it is a good one. Over time PSU's lose power and efficiency. One of my favorite aspects of this unit is its emphasis on efficiency. With its active, 99% PFC, and 80% efficiency rating this power supply should save you a good deal of money every year on your electricity bill (compared to an older or generic PSU). Seasonic estimated this difference at well over $150 a year versus a PSU with passive, 75% PFC and over $450 a year versus non-PFC power supply (figured stated for 300w Super Tornado). So this power supply may not be that expensive after all.

This is not a flawless unit though. I would have liked to see one or two built in SATA power cables and one or two extra lengths of the sleeving included. In addition for $90+ I think Seasonic should consider painting the PSU's enclosure. It does not have to be wild but a coat of glossy black paint would really make this unit more attractive- most other manufacturers have begun to do this. On that note, I am glad Seasonic opted not to put in any lighting- I positively hate lighting in the PSU, or for that matter any lighting that cannot be turned off. Also, if you check prices other PSU's at this price level, from companies like Enermax, Thermaltake, and Antec, are generally a good deal cheaper than this unit. This does not hold true with silent PSU's as they are usually more expensive then standard dual 80mm fan ones

[Cited form xyzcomputing.com, review by Salcan 2004/5]

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