INTRODUCTION

   Time and again I’ve done my very best to point out the many reasons as to the why consumers and professionals alike always need to have a good power supply unit installed in their systems, especially if those systems feature high-end CPU's and graphics cards. I've also done my best to point out in previous power supply unit reviews that models released by large brands/manufacturers are almost always reliable and even though build quality, rail stability, electrical efficiency, number of connectors, output wattage and even noise levels all do vary from model to model things which can actually cause damage to your system (such as ripple) are no longer a serious concern (if at all). Fractal Design is a name you don't see a lot in our reviews but we recently received a good number of samples, the first of which is their latest ION+ 860P 860W Platinum Power Supply Unit.

   Fractal Design is a leading designer and manufacturer of premium PC hardware including cases, cooling, power supplies and accessories. Based in Gothenburg and with offices in the US as well as Taiwan, Fractal Design has gained a global reputation for innovative design, elegant aesthetics and solid build quality. Fractal Design products are available in over 45 countries worldwide, and are still growing.

   The ION+ line by Fractal Design currently includes 560/660/760/860W models all of which are fully modular and 80 PLUS Platinum certified (up to 93% electrical efficiency). The 860W output model which i have here with me today sports a continuous power output of 860W (maximum/peak power output of up to 998W) and comes packed with several interesting features including DC to DC design, DC to DC converter, semi-passive Zero RPM mode, 140mm fluid-dynamic bearing fan, 100% Japanese primary heavy-duty capacitors, ultraflex cables, single +12V rail (71.6A) which can make use of the entire total rated power output of this unit (860W) and an array of industrial-grade electrical protections including OVP (Over Voltage Protection), UVP (Under Voltage Protection), OCP (Over Current Protection), OPP (Over Power Protection), SCP (Short Circuit Protection) and OTP (Over Temperature Protection). Needless to say, Fractal Design covers their top-end PSU line with a rather generous 10-year limited warranty.