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Thortech Thunderbolt 1200 Watt PSU Preview

Cases & PSU/Power Supplies by petervandamned @ 2012-08-02

Thortech ??? Like most of the Memory companies, GeIL is also making Power Supplies under the brand name Thortech.

The Thunderbolt 1200 is a high end powerfull 80+ gold, semi modular PSU. Only 160mm in length. So it's sounds like a real contender for all the well known high end powerful PSU's. Let's bring on the [M] testbench set-up and compare what the thunder god has to offer.

Introduction, Specs & Features

The initials GeIL stand for Golden Emperor International, a really traditional and at the same time classy name for an IT company. GeIL is a large memory manufacturer that desired to enter the Power Supply Unit market but didn’t want to include the new products in their traditional memory related brand. So they used Thortech, a company with over 15 years of experience in this field, as a trojan horse to step into this market. Currently Thortech has only two PSU series and both of them include only units with high-end characteristics. The main difference between Thunderbolt and Thunderbolt Plus units is that the latter includes a device called iPower meter, through which vital information about the PSU can be obtained. The Thunderbolt Plus series consists of four units with capacities ranging from 800W to 1200W and in this review the test victim will be a Thunderbolt Plus 1200W.

The TTBPK00G is 80 Plus Gold certified, has a single +12V rail which can deliver up to 83Amps, it uses a semi-modular design with rather many fixed cables, all of its capacitors are Japanese and the cooling fan uses ball bearings so it enjoys a longer lifespan compared to a sleeved bearings one. The unit shares the same compact dimensions with its 1200W big brother so it will not face any compatibility problems with most chassis/cases. Finally, like all Thortech Plus units its most fascinating characteristic is of course the iPower meter device which provides lots of interesting information including Watts drawn from the unit, efficiency, current, voltage readings per rail etc.If Thor is the God of Power, then Thortech should be considered the God of Power Supplies. Thortech is determined to bring to the market only the best blend of performance, efficiency, technology and value of Power Supply brand and products. Thortech Power’s R&D team has experience in designing innovative industrial level power supplies for over 15 years, such experience will be transferred to make first grade consumer level power supplies with high yield rate of 80Plus Gold level or higher efficiency performance. All of Thortech Power Supply products will carry a five year warranty and service policy to ensure the highest level of customer satisfaction. Computex 2010 brings the first chapter of Thortech Power in the power supply industrial history and it is just the beginning. Everyone at Thortech is ready to continue writing chapter after chapter of successful stories with you. “Thortech, throws nothing but power”.

Let's go to the real world now ->

Comment from Teemto @ 2012/08/02

Tsss child labor has been banned!

Comment from Lesaonar @ 2012/08/02

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stefan Mileschin

Thortech ??? Like most of the Memory companies, GeIL is also making Power Supplies under the brand name Thortech.

The Thunderbolt 1200 is a high end powerfull 80+ gold, semi modular PSU. Only 160mm in length. So it's sounds like a real contender for all the well known high end powerful PSU's. Let's bring on the [M] testbench set-up and compare what the thunder god has to offer.

The actual testing methodology is laughable. Have you considered actually investing in a load testing unit? OC3D certainly has (just search for the Thortech Thunderbolt 1200 on youtube) and this PSU is one of the worst PSU's they've ever tested. It actually shuts itself down before it gets anywhere close to it's rated wattage. You do your readers no favours by using such shoddy testing methodology, especially when you end up recommending a PSU that can cause damage, due to the ripple issues, to the system it's used in.

Comment from Teemto @ 2012/08/02

Although a big shrimpy fan myself, having watched the video, I have to agree with Lesaonar.
I'm in the energy branch myself and like stated in the video, you don't test a PSU with a multimeter. You don't need a fancy adjustable load bench either. A couple of fixed loads - at the output rating you want to test - is enough. Most important will be the scope, even an old analog one will suffice (provided it's been properly calibrated).

Comment from Stefan Mileschin @ 2012/08/02

As far as I know, Peter will also test the PSUs at a separate location where they have professional testing tools.

Comment from Lesaonar @ 2012/08/02

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stefan Mileschin

As far as I know, Peter will also test the PSUs at a separate location where they have professional testing tools.

Which obviously should be done before a review is posted, let alone one that recommends a product that can damage someone's system. This was sloppy testing/reviewing and something I'd expect from someone with limited technical knowledge.

Comment from Stefan Mileschin @ 2012/08/03

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lesaonar

The product award has been currently removed and will be reinstated if the tests from the lab will be good.

Comment from Lesaonar @ 2012/08/03

The entire review should be taken down until the unit's been tested properly. The review should never have been posted until the unit was tested properly. It's common knowledge that you cannot properly test a PSU for reliability without knowing how it performs under load, putting a supposed 1200w PSU under 426w load is not putting it under any serious load, as well as knowing what the ripple is on the various rails.

I reiterate, this was sloppy testing/reviewing and is completely misleading in it's findings.

Comment from petervandamned @ 2012/08/03

As we don't have a many K euro test unit here, we have to take them to a test lab. But we called this a Preview not a Review.

In the home situation what has been set up like a normal PC, I had no problems at all. Not sure why yours did.

Later the PSU will be tested at full max and then we add the articel from a pre to a re view.

Comment from jmke @ 2012/08/06

we know Lesaonar, reason why you don't see a lot of PSU reviews from the last few years, http://www.madshrimps.be/articles/category/15 we don't have the required load testing gear in-house

Comment from Lesaonar @ 2012/12/03

"Maybe we will get some other results here but for now it's a fine PSU and I am sure it will not make you unhappy."

Yes the ripple on this PSU will make your hardware incredibly happy. So much so it might even die from sheer happiness. Months later and no further testing has occurred, as suggested by Stefan. To staffers that attempted to make this not seem like a review. When your reviewer, and I use that term loosely, calls this a "fine" unit that "will not make you unhappy", that is a recommendation, which is exactly what people look for in a review (is it good or is it bad). You've outright failed as a hardware review site and if this is indicative of your testing regimen, then every other review you've done can be questioned.

It's obvious that you're more interested in evaluation sponsorship than actually testing of the product and providing a true picture of what an end user can expect. You've done nothing with this article than stroke the ego of an undeserving manufacturer.

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