The ThermalTake ToughPower 850 is certainly a beast worthy of powering a hefty system. The high quality components used deliver very clean power at every load level, and the high capacity of this unit can certainly power even a quad-GPU computer.
The four 12-volt rails makes the system more stable, but only two of the rails deliver 30 amps (the other 2 have a “measly” 18A). This won’t be a big deal for most users, however.
This power supply is extremely stable. All rails are tightly controlled within a 1% tolerance at all load levels, and is at a minimum 83% efficient (beyond 80-plus certification).
It cannot be assumed that every user that buys this power supply will have two video cards, so the hardwired PCI-e cables should have been made modular at the very least. The modular design is a great step forward, but it would be nice if all PCIe and motherboard cables were completely modular, as seen in Ultra’s X-Connect line (reviewed here).
The large 140mm fan makes the unit run cooler and quieter than most power supplies, and doesn’t compromise the size of the PSU cage. Kudos to ThermalTake for keeping the PSU a standard size, as I was able to easily fit this in the cramped quarters of the bottom compartment of my Lian Li V1000 case.
Other well-respected PSUs, like the OCZ ProXstream 1000W (reviewed here) are not modular, which can clog up your PC’s case with unused cables. The ThermalTake ToughPower 850 delivers the same level of quality, but gives you modular flexibility. It may be expensive, but you get what you pay for, and the ThermalTake ToughPower 850 is one of the most solid modular PSUs currently available.
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