Introduction
Lian Li SP850 power supply
We’re putting the new Lian Li SP850 power supply on our test bench today. The company is mainly known for making chassis, like the O11 series (with ones like the Dynamic, Mini, or the recently checked Evo), the AIO coolers named Gallahad, RGB PSU extension cables (Strimer, which already has the 2nd version), and fans from the Unifan series. They even made a gamer’s desk DK05-F. It is another/higher-wattage version of the SP power supply series. We already checked the SP750, which we checked almost a year ago, and it earned an “Approved” award. What are the things in common for both of them? The 80 Plus standard is the same; it’s the 80 PLUS® Gold certificate, which means that it’s 92% efficient at 50% load @ 115 V and 90% @ 230 V. This is important because the energy consumed does not go to waste (at least not in a significant amount), and that affects your energy bill. Again you get the Zero RPM mode, which means that till 40% of load, the PSU should work in a passive mode (so this time it’s not ~300W, but ~360W), and the fan is not spinning (and when it does it’s in the range between 1000 and 2800 rpm). As for the changes, these are the following:
- Added Inrush current limiter for protection,
- Higher efficiency compared to SP750,
- Adjusted Start/Stop limit to 60 Degree Celcius ( was 45 Degree Celcius)
And last but not least is the first SFX PSU to include a 12-pin PCIe 5.0 power connector for up to 350-400W power delivery. Even for SFF case builds, users can now future-proof their systems for future power-hungry graphics cards. Lian Li SP850 is a fully modular PSU with a braided cable design. Even the motherboard connectors are not attached permanently to the housing, but you still have to use most of them. Nearly all cases have a power supply shroud now (at least ATX-sized ones do), so the unit and the cables will be hidden in most. Lian Li is not the first option you select for the RGB stuff, so it’s no different (and it’s good as RGB in the power supply is not needed). There are two colour variants:
- Black (which we got)
- White
The 850 Watts should be more than enough for users with i9 12900K combined with RTX 3080 (or even RTX 3090). The fan is a 92 mm unit with a double ball bearing (which is good). You get high-quality Electrolytic Japanese primary capacitors that should enhance reliability and durability (and because of that – you get a 5-year warranty). The main unit is very compact (like most other SFX). It’s an 850 Watt unit measuring 100 mm x 63,5 mm x 125 mm. As for the pricing, it’s 149.99 USD, which sounds relatively reasonable.
Ok, let’s check out this PSU from Lian Li, shall we?
