Introduction to the FSP Aurum 600 Gold
The power supply is probably the most overlooked pieces of PC hardware for DIY builds and upgrades. Often we see people purchase some pretty high end PC components i.e. powerful graphic cards, expensive motherboards and a nice multiple core processor. Then, they go and look for the cheapest, highest wattage power supply they can get their hands on, thinking it's going to be a high end product. The 1000 watt PSUs that are $60 will not be worth the pain and suffering you will endure when you have to replace one of those expensive parts, because the power supply you decide to skimp on did not have the protection circuits or quality components to keep your system safe and the PSU a long service life.
When it comes to this line of thinking, these same people tend to also think that the technology behind a power supply has not changed. Yet, if you take a quick peek at one of the well respected PSU manufacturer's site you will be amazed at the vast level of protection they posses. Another important aspect that has been gaining more importance is the unit's overall power efficiency.
80PLUS is a US-based third-party organization that measures the efficiency levels of a power supply. Manufacturer's send in their new units to be put under strict testings, and then only power supplies that can achieve no less than 80% efficiency across all load levels are given an "80 PLUS" certification for passing. Over time as designs have improved, we have seen more and more rating levels introduced, which now include: Bronze, Silver, Gold, and now Platinum as of more recently. Each level requires the unit to have a minimum efficiency, at a certain load. 80+ Gold for example requires the PSU be able to have 87/90/87% efficiency at load levels of 20/50/100% (respectfully). Basically meaning that at any given time the power supply should only be losing 13% of energy during conversion (of 120V AC to 12/5/3.3V DC) in the form of heat, which ultimately means costing less to run your computer.
Our next power supply sample just so happens to be one of those 80 PLUS Gold certified units: the new FSP Aurum 600 . The Aurum (Latin for gold) is a quad 12V rail and is one of four models released in this series. The other three models are 400W, 500W and 700W, all of which carry the Gold rating, making them the flagship power supply for FSP.
FSP’s take on the Aurum
AURUM Series, a brand new line-up of FSP Power Supply family that meets 80 PLUS Gold Standard with 90% efficiency. AURUM Series is a perfect combination of premium quality and efficiency, making it the most ideal choice for those who seek for state of the art technology and environmental friendliness at the same time.
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