Certification & Efficiency
Energy efficiency certification
Be Quiet! offers this PSU now as a Gold rated power supply as certified by the 80 PLUS organization (the people that certify and test efficiency). We already explained a little what that literally means. But what does such a certification entail? Well, 80 Plus (trademarked 80 PLUS) is a voluntary certification program intended to promote efficient energy use in computer power supply units (PSUs). Launched in 2004 by Ecos Consulting, it certifies products that have more than 80% energy efficiency at 20%, 50% and 100% of rated load, and a power factor of 0.9 or greater at 100% load. That is, such PSUs will waste 20% or less electric energy as heat at the specified load levels, thus reducing electricity use and bills compared to less efficient PSUs. Sometimes, rebates are given for manufacturers who use 80 Plus-certified PSUs.
Well, there is plenty to choose from, we have Standard, Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum and even Titanium certifications. A PSU that is certified 80 PLUS Gold or 80 PLUS Platinum is far more efficient than your regular unit. The Straight Power 11 power supplies are certified by the 80 PLUS organization to deliver an 92% energy efficiency at 50% load and 88% efficiency when your PC idles (at 230 Volts). Additionally, the Straight Power 11 units have active PFC with a power factor up to 0.99 and obviously are ErP compliant with a standby power drain below 0.12 watts.
These days with a mainstream to high-end PC we suggest you get a 600 Watt PSU with a single high-end graphics card. We mention this because your PC / PSU is the most efficient and energy friendly at half its load, sometimes it might even be wise to get a higher rated power supply. The 700 Watt model tested is most efficient at 350 Watts, which is pretty much what a reasonably powerful PC with a high-end graphics card uses during a game of hefty fragging.
Highlights
- Virtually inaudible operation thanks to a SilentWings 3 135mm fan
- Big funnel-shaped fan opening of the PSU case for high airflow intake
- Wire-free on the DC side for enhanced cooling and longevity of components
- Full cable management for maximum build flexibility
- 80PLUS Gold certification with an efficiency of up to 93%
- Advanced stability and voltage regulation thanks to LLC, SR and DC-to-DC
- Four high-performance 12V-rails ▪ Powerful GPU support with up to six PCI-Express connectors
- Japanese 105°C-rated capacitors ensure stability and reliability
- Power signal stability unmatched in its class
- ErP and Energy Star 6.1 ready
- 5-year manufacturer’s warranty
With its completely redesigned PCB, wire-free design on the DC side, an expanded power range with models up to 1,000 watts, and a modern topology using high-quality components, Straight Power 11 is a worthy successor to be quiet!’s premium power supply series.
Lower audible noise
The Straight Power 11 series uses be quiet!’s renowned Silent Wings 3 135mm fan with a funnel-shaped vent that simultaneously provides excellent airflow and reduces unwanted turbulence. A 6-pole motor and fluid-dynamic bearings create both an extremely low noise level and the lowest startup rotational speed in the market - under 200 revolutions per minute. This fan is extremely silent, making semi-passive solutions unnecessary and ensuring constant cooling at a low noise level. Since fans are not the only source of noise in a power supply, high-quality capacitors are used to prevent high-frequency electronic noise emission and noise induced by extreme load changes (like, for example, from modern graphics cards) is also minimized.
Wire-free design
As an absolute innovation, Straight Power 11 has no cables inside the power supply’s body on the DC side, with all connections running directly through the PCB. As a result, there are no cables to obstruct airflow, increasing cooling performance. Other effects of its wire-free design include better signal quality and less signal disturbance due to lack of magnetic interference attributed to powered cables. These factors ultimately extend component lifetimes.
State-of-the-art technology
All Straight Power 11 power supplies are 80 PLUS Gold certified with an efficiency of up to 93 percent at 230 volts, and comply with ErP thanks to a standby power drain of under 0.12 Watts. When compared to previous models, improvements in voltage stability, voltage regulation and ripple were made. These high standards are achieved by combining superior key technologies like “LLC”, “Synchronous Rectifying”, “DC-to-DC” and exclusively using high-quality Japanese capacitors with a rating of up to 105°C. To accommodate enthusiasts, Straight Power 11 includes fully modular cables to reduce clutter and improve chassis airflow. Completely removable cables also allow users to install the power supply and cables independently, increasing ease of use. Safety plays a very important role for be quiet! in the design process of all power supplies. Straight Power 11 implements all available safeguarding circuits, including over current protection (OCP), over voltage protection (OVP), under voltage protection (UVP), short circuit protection (SCP), over power protection (OPP) and the often overlooked, but no less important, over temperature protection (OTP).
Straight Power 11 is available for purchase now at an MSRP of €105 (450W), €115 (550W), €125 (650W), €139 (750W), €169 (850W) and €209 (1,000W). All customers receive a 5-year warranty.
