Corrections: 0:45 - The LTT Forum PSU tier list has the Thermaltake PSU that we tested ranked in F tier, not C tier, as we said in the video. We tested the Thermaltake Smart 80+, not the Thermaltake Smart BM2. 5:37 - The location of the 80 Plus Certification Levels that are shown on the Efficiency Sweep 115V graph actually corresponds to the 230V 80 Plus Certification numbers. Additionally, since our setup isn’t finalized, the numbers in this video should be considered in a bubble and shouldn’t be interpreted to confirm or refute 80 Plus or any other specification (Labs will get there Soon™).

Worth noting that the regular Thermaltake Smart you tested is in the F-tier of the PSU tier list, not in the C-tier like the Smart BM2 or 450BR, so it is at least rated properly according to its performance on that tier list.

LTT has finally found their footing. Ever since they moved into the warehouse I’ve felt that their mission statement was kind of up in the air. They weren’t working for NCIX anymore, and this is a lot for some youtube reviews, whats the point? But this answers all that. LTT being a fully equipped independent testing house AND an entertainment media company with a large audience is a big deal. This isn’t just a couple KZfaq channels anymore, this is the main topic of the next urgent executive meeting in this industry. Independent testing has existed forever, but this is different. This isn’t testing for inside industry and technical enthusiasts, it’s for the average viewer. That matters because now everyone will be able to understand and care about a lot of important things you can’t advertise on the box. I’m sure a lot of decision making up to this point has been “this small thing costs X amount to make our product Y amount better, but our specifications sheet will be the same as our competitor that’s cheaper on the shelf next to us.” Now, it’s not going to be “no one will care/notice anyways is it really worth it”, it’s going to be “wholly s@&# we need to make sure our product isn’t cutting any corners before we get flamed in front of MILLIONS of viewers!”

i really appreciate the direction this channel is going in. from chill review vids to epic real time tests of equipments to verify what companies usually say and mark on their products, LMG is on the right track!

I had the exact same psu in an older build I had(FX8350+RX570+16gb ram) and had no complaints. Sold it to a friend and hes still using it today with no issue.

I should note - LTT forums are filled with some of the most useful cool people on earth. Moderator there helped me diagnose my 7900 XTX having a vapor chamber issue. They also helped me get a X670E-Pro to post. Legit awesome forums

Considering just how much influence LTT has on shoppers, I have a real feeling we're about to see a lot of brands really up their PSU game.

Man, Linus really is trying to bring EVGA back from the brink of death, and I love it

I love this video. Coming back to it after watching it for the first time when it came out and I'm really appreciating the thoroughness and attention to detail now that I'm actually looking to buy a PSU for myself

Just came here to watch this video after seeing Linus talk about how EVGA PSUs are out of stock as they might be winding down their business. 😅😅

Glad to see you're equipped to evaluate PSUs now. It's something so critical, yet so hard to objectively compare beyond wattage and efficiency. I've heard horror stories about PSU failures and its hard to discern what is a fluke and what is a result of poor quality

This is incredible! I am excited to no end by these precise technical overviews of stats THAT ACTUALLY MATTER in everyday use. While manufacturers will make a product page look good, you prove to us that a product is good, or bad. Can't wait for more content like this.

I’m glad I saw this video. I recently put together a build for my son‘s birthday and decided to opt for the more expensive EVGA power supply because I had issues with a thermal take the power supply on my own personal build years ago. I wanted to make sure that I built a system that would last for my son and I’m glad that I went with the EVGA PSU

Would love to see consistency tests : testing different units of the same models, to check if they all test the same or if there is a lot of variation

It's actually incredible what Linus and his team have been accomplishing with the labs. I don't know that tech journalism has ever seen anything quite like this, and they could have a pretty big impact on hardware manufacturers taking accountability for their products as they move forward.

It makes me happy to see actual genuine testing that can make people confident in purchasing. Hopefully it means manufacturers step up their game too. Thank you!

A PSU test I'd like to see: UPS switchover handling. Most affordable UPSes are line interactive -- the computer is fed from AC, and only at power failure a relay switches to the battery. This means there is a time during which the computer is without any power, but this is expected to work due to the PSU's capacitors providing power during the interruption. I've had in the past a computer that would often reboot when the power failed and the UPS switched to battery. It would be interesting to see how PSUs for current high end computers with power hungry video cards fare in this scenario.

You know what really makes that power supply testing rig REALLY worth it? It could potentially save lives. And thats worth it.

After years of trying different recommended power supplies, I've settled on Seasonic as my 'go-to' brand. It may be more expensive than some of the others, but they are solid and dependable. Many other brands with a good reputation are produced by Seasonic as well. Currently using a Seasonic Prime 650W Platinum

Creating a database like this is a crazy cool idea. I'm happy that its linus of all, who took this challenge as i can usually expect transparent and accurate data.

It's awful nice to have you folks performing third party tests who are committed to quality. This info is invaluable. Thanks a lot.

I would be interested in seeing LTT test multiple of each model of Power Supply to quantify the deviation you can expect between your unit and what is being advertised!

Absolutely love videos like these, one suggestion I have is make sure your power supply tester and the psu your testing are on a ups. If they aren’t the are susceptible to voltage drop from the grid. You’ll notice the voltage coming from the wall goes up and down as the day goes on depending on the load on the grid (this affects commercial service aswell). Anyway this was great can’t belive that evga was so bad, been using evga psu’s for years and will continue to pick between them and seasonic.

Great video I hope labs will be able to also test European brands like Endorfy, and not just American only brands. Also in case of power supplies I hope they will be tested at both 230V and 120V.

Holy crap, what an eye opener to the power of the labs. Linus and team delivering a major W for consumers

I would love to see the noise level of the power supplies at specific loads as well. I bought a Seasonic 1300W and ended up with a be quiet because the seasonic was the loudest component in my computer.

I really love this new aspect of LMG. Really interested in future results (particularly in the 'cheap' segment.. Which could possibly be the segment with the most interesting results.. "How are they keeping the prices low, and what does that mean in practise?" "And how do 'inferior' parts / omitted failsafes influence real-world performance and reliability?" And curious what else you might be testing next (besides power supplies). But for now - PSUs. Build thine database (and please - if possible - have it accessible to us mere mortals)

I am so excited to see each part of Labs start paying off. As many PCs as I've built, some aspects, like PSUs, have always felt like rolling the dice. It's literally a black box, that I have to trust with my components, my power bill, and the safety of my house, yet it has always been hard to get reliable information about their performance and reliability. Linus' work to change that is VERY much appreciated!

It is AMAZING that you provide not only North American voltage tests, but also European voltages. THANK YOU VERY MUCH!

As a measurement engineer I love how you’re pushing in the field of test design and hardware ❤

Great video and looking forward to upcoming testing! Pls also test sound levels from the PSU fans/coil whine. And test using both 110 and 220/240V in.

This is the content I want and need. Tom’s hardware has this kind of test data for SSDs but who publishes this data for power supplies. Love it. Likely to be most beneficial in the mid tier price points.

Please do 220-240V tests too! Would be really nice to see how they differ

I'm pretty excited to see the lab coming into action, hope it'll pay off the investment. As for stuff to test, I'm sure you've already thought of this, but I'd be pretty interested in seeing how older, well-used power supplies compare to new, unused ones. I.e. degradation over time.

Amazing work Linus and his team is doing with the Labs project! I'll not be surprised if one day they do design and manufacture their own tech product!

Massive respect for finally bringing in the true equipment needed to properly test manufacturer statements.

Would be awesome to eventually get a list of reccomended PSUs for different scenarios. Like best budget, best high end pc, best for NAS (stable 5V rail), best for efficiency etc

I have the 700w Thermaltake Smart one in my build. It works fine, and I got it on Newegg for a steal from a 3rd-party seller for ~$28. Been working excellently ever since I got it, no complaints from me.

Love to see it, can't wait for further developments with this testing setup!

I've used the Thermaltake Smart 700 White for dozens of builds and all of them have been rock solid for years.

I'd suggest making the baseline in diagrams to zero and not other values (like 0.3 in the PFC diagram). It tends to mislead on a quick glance and makes things look wrong in comparison

It's really great to see the psu lab coming together. As for my opinions and suggestions for methodology: Some of the graphs are not very easy to understand, power factor corrections as an example having the beer analogy was a great way to digest the concept, so maybe having more analogies would be great. Voltage ripple is a must have As a solid foundation the clear information of pass or fail on the atx standard is easy to understand, so including as many standards tests as possible. One option to make the results digestible is determining weight to each results and creating a general score as the tier list. I personally like a mad genius tester in Brazil that gives the score "bomb" or "explosion hazard" to the worst offenders and them going a more traditional F to S tier. Include 220-240v results, as a international spectator in my country we have 110-220v on city by city, so this would be an interesting info for people with similar situations. A recommendation of use would also be very interesting. Even a 30 dolar suspicious psu from wish can maybe be used for a low power home theater PC. And speaking of wish, also include aliexpess and other alternative options just so we can see how big of a fireball you can make it with them. Use the thermal camera not only from an efficiency POV but also on the hazard and thermal effects on the system. Does the PSU sold in canada is the same as the one in a a low importance market? Does a psu in Europe that has more restrictions and standards is better? Obviously this is not something that you guys can do for all samples, but it would be a nice extra. Are there practical differences from a new psu to an old one? Does the psu operate differently on lower or higher temperatures? (is the psu tester close to the ambient chamber? 😅) Destructive testing. Can the psu survive and/or protect the rest of the system after a lightning strike hit and the rest of the electrical system did not go off in time? How reliable are those 5 dollar psu testers? Are there better brands or models so we can test a psu at the wild? You guys are doing a service to the whole community, thank you for your efforts in making companies more accountable for the products they but in the market. I wish I could buy more LTT merch, but between the exchange rate and import fees, getting a back pack for example would cost me a whole minimum wage salary for a month plus some change.

I'm rocking a Thermaltake Tough Power 750w from 2015. It started with a i7 4790K and 980 Ti and now it is powering a 7800X3D and 3080.

I have great confidence in the Rohde & Schwarz Oszilloscope in the background. I work with one and its the best I have used so far.

When I've researched PSU's in the past, the tricky part turned out to be that the name on the outside isn't as important as the OEM. Unfortunately, most PSU's, regardless of brand, are made by a small handful of manufacturers, and varying models with the same brand on the outside may come from completely different OEM's. Something really obscure may be from a solid OEM, while some top-tier name brand may be stamped on a total pile of flaming garbage (possibly literally). As a rule-of-thumb, reputable brands are a good start, and that obscure PSU with a solid OEM may or may not have questionable features tacked on or skimped, but research, research, research!

I am glad to see you brought out something like the N1 for testing. Many average consumers while they may know to trust certain brands over others don't know that those same brands can still produce total crap

Yeah i use LTT powersupply list to buy my own and man good i did. I had no idea when I was trying to buy one what is is good and bad, thanks for the help people.

Can't wait for this to reach many more units. It will make so easier to research and make decisions and recommendations. Hopefully the data is free to use for final users. If not, at least this type of video on recommendations would help. But they should be on the same power category, not price. Because price varies a LOT from country to country.

The efficiency graph could use the 80 Plus Rating legend flipped to make it easier to decipher. Maybe have the colors a bit more distinct as well. This is a nice start to PSU testing though, can't wait to see how some A/B tier units stack up.

A thing I would really like to see tested is PSU aging. How much worse does regulation gets with time? Does frequent use make it worse or better? In short: do old PSUs need to be replaced?

I wish this video was out before i got my current psu. Until i saw this is was having issues with my pc and it turned out it was this exact psu but the 500w variety. I hope these reviews keep coming

Awesome to see stuff coming together with the lab. Let's look closelier!

It's amazing that we get this sort of info and even more coming with Labs team, for free. Well done to the entire LTT team!

I'm excited to see what the labs have in store for PSU reviews! With all the data on other components of computers, there isn't as much across the board for PSUs and it will be good to know that we'll have reliable information down the pipeline when it comes to making decisions on buying a PSU.

I used the Smart 600 to replace a broken one in an old build I use to watch YT while using my sport equipment. And I used two of them to build pc´s for some acquaintance of mine. Their rigs run fine for almost two years. I have a Thermaltake Toughpower Grand 1200W 80 Plus Platinum PSU in my main Rig btw. Never had problems with this either.

Im really looking forward to a LTT Labs page where we can filter the data and pick our hardware not only according to price and specs but also to how it ACTUALLY performs. This will be a huge change for the PC Industry and will put a lot of pressure on manufacturers. Finally!

Would love to see you open op the ones that failed to see if there is any clue as to what failed and if it's the same component that failed. And also to see if the PCB perhaps is made at the same factory, and/or with the same components.

Im gonna be that guyand point out just after 4:20 Linus says Closlier instead of closer, and I love it and want everyone to enjoy this with me. Thanks for all the handwork Linus! cant wait to see mor labs stuff and lists and testing and so on :)

Very much looking forward to your future data base. There won't be a different place that you'd have to look for to check which component to get when you're doing an upgrade. Will save a lot of time and I'm sure ppl would pay a couple bucks just for that saved time

I still have my (2) 600w and (1) 700w thermaltake smart. It's been years since I bought it and still working. So I don't care what everyone say. If it works, it works.

I know it's probably a bit more complicated to pull offf but it would be great if you could also test those PSUs with 230V (for those like us European plebs) because the efficiency changes with the input voltage.

These videos are so helpful in putting brands on the spot. I really hope an industry overhaul happens based on the data that the lab will be putting out

Two of my friends built custom PCs this and last year and came to me for review of the parts they were recommended by the shops they were buying the parts from. Both of them recommended this PSU to them and a RGB-filled case with no fans. It was easy to convince them to use the money they would spend between those two items to get a better power supply by asking them how much they valued the money they were putting into the build.

I've got a Thermaltake Smart 500W in my current computer and it's served me well. My computer is virtually always on. I get my new computer next week though so it'll finally get a rest

I'd love for LTT to start sharing this data on their website in the form of Web API's. Think of the amount of tools developers can create for consumers to help avoid bad or unsafe purchases. Just two examples: PCPartPicker could connect to the API's for these power supply data and provide a warning for unsafe power supplies. Or someone to could create an app that compares their GPU benchmarks to prices on ebay or Amazon to give a New or Used Gaming Value.

Love seeing these labs update. Appreciate all the hardwork you guys put into making sure consumers know whats going on with their hardware!

we need those power factor numbers for WAY MORE devices. i learned about it in a generator tech class i took. it's wild that they don't have to disclose those numbers alongside their stated specs.

That was great. As a tech nerd, I am VERY interested in the data you will be able to provide with your test equipment.

Glad seeing you guys pushing forward with this. Shocking what little knowledge people have about their PSUs.

I wonder if they should do testing on both 120 and 230V. I have no knowledge about this, but i reckon they would differ even on the same power supply model

I had a Thermaltake Smart 80+ 700w in my system for about 2.5 years. If I remember right I got it for $55 Canadian dollars off of Amazon. Still works perfectly but when I upgraded my PC I swapped it out for a Corsair RM850

Ohhh boy I cannot WAIT to see the genuine effect this will have on PSU manufacturers, the amount of reach in this space LTT has is not to be underestimated. Even some of my friends who are anything BUT power users go to LTT videos from time to time.

For the efficiency graphs it might be nice to see something more like what cybenetics does with their powersupply reports. They show a bit more of a complete picture of efficiency, showing how things change depending on how much power is coming from each rail. I also find the graphs to be much more compelling since you can easily visualize how efficient particular units are based on the size of each colour shown in the graphs. They also do a similar thing with power supply load vs noise which are great to know if you are planning a quiet build. Cybenetics also duplicates testing to show 120v and 240v results which might be appreciated by our european friends.

I've had the 700w for years and it works like beauty

Hope the database gets up and running soon because it'll be nice to have a comprehensive list based on actual data instead of relying on a bunch of forums "experts" who claim that if any non-Corsair/Seasonic/EVGA PSU is so much as plugged into your motherboard your computer is as good as dead. Most of the people I see posting lists of good/bad PSU brands give off that audiophile stink.

Very educational and informative. Would love to see more of this.

It might be a good idea to test multiple samples of the same PSU. If you look at when Gamer's Nexus tested the exploding Gigabyte units, I think he said that like half of the units passed the tests. To help offset the cost, you could sell the good test PSUs for a discount. I'd like to have a store to buy the reputable new parts as well. If you did start selling parts, you could also look closer at a particular part if you're getting a lot of RMAs. Not sure if it's possible, but it would also really help if you could test motherboards too because it's hard to really trust any of the brands. I just have to go by the reviews individually which really sucks, especially when you get something well reviewed because people plug it in and it works fine, but then fries your CPU over time with excessive voltage or something.

Loving what this lab is doing. Wish this had been around when I built my last PC.

This is so valuable. Finally someone with a big audience is shining light on this topic. I think I’ve been screwed over from now and then in the past with my power supply choices.

It's great to see Linus make this psu reviews I could not stop remember.. Of Jhony Guru's PSU reviews..

I really hope they get Electroboom in here to help evaluate their testing methodologies. And blow things up.

Very interesting. I hope that this automatic testing will lead to a large database of results that users can consult. I know that LTT is all about the videos, and I certainly expect to see videos about this, but it would be incredibly helpful when buying a PSU to have a place where one can just look up how well specific units work in the real world.

I'm using the same Seasonic S12 500W PSU since the P4 Northwood days. Right now it's powering a Ryzen 5600 & GTX 1060. Total power draw is 150W while gaming according to software, and about 200 W from the wall using a watt meter. Not that efficient, but not bad either. And the HDB Fan is still quiet after 18 years!

I bought the 700w version of this for my first ever PC build and it be loved it thus far! Loved this video!

I'm so hyped for the lab. I've been waiting a decade for this to exist. Thanks a lot Linus for starting this endeavor, I hope that soon the consumer electronics purchase experience is forever changed and manufacturers are punished for putting garbage out to the market.

Really cool to see the labs being able to test out things that might explode (or if you’re talking about Gigabyte, “will” explode) In the meanwhile I’m sticking to buying discounted PSUs on EVGA’s b-stock

This is excellent. Something like this has been needed for so long. I have had a few power supplies die over the years. I wonder how my current Corsair AX1000 would do? I also feel that it still needs to be said that the Power Supply is the most important part of the computer. There are still people who don't realise this. It is the one component that directly affects all others. Often power supply issues are blamed on the components that are failing when often it is that component that is struggling with power. I wonder how many good components have been thrown out for bad power supply issues.

This is pretty cool, if I had to suggest something, I'd add fan noise charts as well (at 10-20% load, 50%, 100%, etc.) since I know some PSUs are known for loud or quiet fans

Finally a video about PSUs that normal non engineer PC enthusiasts can understand! Kudos LTT! Looking forward to more such reviews..

Uh oh, I've had this exact unit since 2020. It's held up pretty well with a 3600XT and 5700 XT.

Actually makes me really excited! Far too long I've neglected power efficiency on these types of components, despite my PC being one of the most power hungry and expensive devices to run in my house. This will actually give you an easy and legitimate way to decide whether forking over that extra 50 bucks is worth it over the course of the next few years! Also it will just show what is simply objectively better for the environment in the long run.

I need to replace my power supply how do I go about figuring out what is the best option how much power do I need and all that thank you for all these great amazing videos I don't know what I would have been doing without this channel

It is really annoying whenever power supplies don't tell you the full picture right out of the gate. That's why everybody always recommends going a step above what you think you'll end up being at. If you think you could reach 600 watts, you go with 700 watts. That's usually the best thought process to make sure you don't get boned by your purchase of a brand new power supply.

I have been so excited to see this one! The other one I can’t wait for from the labs is the power bank round up!

I know that a series like this could take a while, but PSU shootouts would be fun!!

Please consider sample size for testing, too. Idk how feasible that is, but it's really important for an accurate picture

Nice. Glad to see the new testing setup is helping out.

Wouldnt it also be great to always test 2 of the same power supplies to see if there are maybe inconsistencies in quality or anything else? Maybe you just got a "bad" piece even though the rest is good or simply the other way around.

Cool setup, will you do a video comparing the scopes? I imagine your selection criteria aren't as deeply technical as most of the scope reviewers out there which may actually be a breath of fresh air in scope reviews.

5:39 Nice graphs, i like how they look