Certification and efficiency
Energy efficiency certification
Lian Li markets the SP850 series as their 80 Plus Gold power supply. Certification is performed by an organization called 80 PLUS. But what does this mean “on paper”? It’s a program introduced in 2004 intended to promote efficient energy use in computer power supply units (PSUs). Only products that offer more than 80% efficiency at 20, 50, and 100% load, and a power factor of 0.9 or more, are eligible. This means the PSU will waste 20% or less electric energy as heat, reducing power consumption and bills compared with less efficient designs.
|
80 Plus test type |
115 V internal non-redundant |
230 V EU internal non-redundant |
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|
Percentage of rated load |
10% |
20% |
50% |
100% |
10% |
20% |
50% |
100% |
|
|
80 Plus |
|
80% |
80% |
80% |
|
82% |
85% |
82% |
|
|
80 Plus Bronze |
|
82% |
85% |
82% |
|
85% |
88% |
85% |
|
|
80 Plus Silver |
|
85% |
88% |
85% |
|
87% |
90% |
87% |
|
|
80 Plus Gold |
|
87% |
90% |
87% |
|
90% |
92% |
89% |
|
|
80 Plus Platinum |
|
90% |
92% |
89% |
|
92% |
94% |
90% |
|
|
80 Plus Titanium |
90% |
92% |
94% |
90% |
90% |
94% |
96% |
94% |
|
As you can see above, there are 80 Plus, Bronze, Silver, Gold (these three are from 2008), Platinum (2009), and Titanium (2012) certificates. Nowadays, most computers with a single GPU don’t need more than a 600-650 W PSU, as power consumption has dropped over the years. The PSU tested today is the most efficient at 50% load (375 W), but the differences above and below this threshold are insignificant. You don’t need to keep it precisely at half load, but it’s best to stay below the maximum wattage for better noise performance, longevity, etc. The reviewed sample is 80 PLUS Gold certified – up to ~90% efficiency @ 115 V (at 20~100% loads) and 92% @ 230 V – and has active PFC with a power factor of up to 0.99. It consumes < 0.3 W in its off-mode, complying with the ERP standard.
| Voltage | 3.3 V | 5 V | 12 V |
| Ampers/Watts | 20 A | 20 A | 70 A |
| Total per Voltage | 100 W | 840 W | |
| Total Max. Power | 850 W | ||
Technical Specs are below:
|
Max. DC Output |
850 W |
|
PFC |
Active PFC |
|
Efficiency |
80 PLUS Gold |
|
Modular |
Yes |
|
Protections |
OCP/ OPP/ UVP/ OVP/ OTP/ SCP |
|
Cooling |
92 mm, FDB fan |
|
Semi-passive operation |
Yes (according to Lian Li) |
|
Dimensions (W x H x D) |
100 mm (D) x 63.5 mm (W) x 125 mm (H) |
|
Warranty |
Five years |
As for the provided cables, you’ll find this information (and the real photos) in the unboxing section of the review. The street price of the reviewed unit is 149.99 USD. Let’s see if it’s worth it. Next page, please.
