INTRODUCTION

   Everything seems to be getting smaller and smaller nowadays (oh miniaturization) from the very obvious everyday things like clothes and cars and up to electrical and electronic devices of all kinds. Of course PC hardware couldn't be far behind (although it actually seems to be leading the "pack") and so lately we've seen many manufacturers produce really small/compact CPU coolers, graphics cards, mainboards, PC cases, power supplies and even complete systems. Power supplies however have always been amongst the first thing people tend to check out when starting to build a brand new system from scratch and that goes double for mATX/mITX configurations. Well today we're going to take a look at what could be the solution for people after compact SFX form factor PSUs with adequate power outputs, the SST-SX600-G 600W by SilverStone.

   Founded in 2003, SilverStone is an established leader in its field, with an elite team of engineers; we started our quest of providing products that create inspirations. We have since expanded the lines of products as well as types of products we produce, giving our customers a wide selection of choices. With distribution centers in different areas of the globe, SilverStone products can be seen all over the world, not just for computer users but also for home entertainment use. Providing leisure with integration of advanced technologies that is functional and making them enjoyable to use. Here at SilverStone Technology, we continue to pride ourselves in providing the highest level of standards in designing and manufacturing computer enclosures, power supplies, and accessories. Our pursuit for the first class aesthetic appeal is relentless; our teams of devoted engineers are constantly searching for the best technologies that suit end-users with different needs and will make our products as technologically sound as they are beautiful.

   The SilverStone SST-SX600-G 600W SFX form factor power supply unit is the first of its kind to arrive here so the very first things that impressed us all after opening its box was not only its tiny size but also the very good build quality and its modular design (aside its very good specifications and features). Of course due to the very compact size of the SFX form factor we don't expect to see much higher wattage units anytime soon (if we see any and modular at that) but 600W should be more than just sufficient for mATX/mITX systems (some may even say overkill). As a matter of fact even the 80 Plus Gold certification was a surprise to us since the only PSU some of us were aware until now that could come even close to the SST-SX600-G in terms of size only featured an 80 Plus Bronze certification. That being said from paper to real use things can be different so let’s move forward with our review of the SST-SX600-G 600W SFX form factor PSU.

SPECIFICATIONS AND FEATURES

PACKAGING AND CONTENTS

SilverStone packs the SST-SX600-G inside a very small box that has a product image and the main features at the front.

The electrical table is placed at the top of the box and the available connectors can be seen at the bottom.

The features list is also printed at the rear in 9 languages right beneath several graphs showcasing the units’ efficiency and regulation.

We've seen better packaging with PSUs in the past but since our sample arrived without even a scratch on the box this shouldn't be a problem.

Along with the SST-SX600-G you will also get an ATX mounting bracket, flat modular cables, AC power cord, mounting screws, installation instructions and product information.

THE SST-SX600-G EXTERIOR

Measuring just 125mm in width, 63.5mm in height and 100mm in depth the SST-SX600-G is extremely small for what it offers.

To have a better understanding regarding its size we placed it right next to a standard ATX sized model.

A single 80mm intake fan takes care of the temperatures inside the housing.

The company logo is engraved at the base of the PSU.

You can see the electrical table on a sticker placed on the left side of the housing.

The modular connectors are not just tagged and different in design but also in color.

At the rear we find the typical honeycomb perforation and the power plug but unfortunately no on/off power switch.

THE SST-SX600-G INTERIOR

The 80mm ball-bearing fan used is manufactured by ADDA but unfortunately there's not much info on it around.

Although i don't think i ever encountered them in the past someone here said that the SST-SX600-G is actually manufactured by Enhance electronics.

Primary capacitor is manufactured by the Japanese Nippon Chemi-Con and is certified for use up to 105 degrees Celsius.

Unfortunately secondary capacitors are manufactured by the Taiwanese Taicon, Teapo and Su'scon manufacturers.

TEST BED

TESTING METHODOLOGY

     Using a dedicated measurement instrument such as a Chroma or a SunMoon to test power supply units is without doubt the most ideal and accurate way (not to mention the fastest) to do that currently. However it's certainly not the only way there is and so pretty much anyone can test a power supply unit just by using a computer. Certainly limitations do apply and so you can't really test a 1000W power supply if your system only uses 500W at peak loads and that's why during the past 5 years i have saved certain hardware components for the purpose of building a dedicated PSU test rig. True it may not be as accurate as the above mentioned solutions but it comes really close and is in fact closer to real world usage. So as always we ran several games with maximum graphic options enabled at a resolution of 2560x1600 in order to stress every hardware component and increase the overall power demands of the system. The Passmark BurnIn Test was also used to overstress the components in an effort to provide the most accurate results possible. As a final test we also used the latest OCCT 4.4 software and its dedicated PSU testing suite since it can really bring a power supply to its knees after inside a few minutes.

       Rail stability was checked/measured with the CPUID Hardware monitor and a Metex multimeter which also recorded the system load in idle and in load. As always try to remember that the power consumption numbers listed in the graph are the highest (Peak) ones recorded during the entire duration of the tests and not the average ones. Noise levels coming from the fan were recorded using the high precision HD600 ExTech Sound dBA Meter from the rear of the unit and at a range of no more than 5-10cm. Readings under load are recorded the exact moment we manually switch the fans of all graphics cards from full speed to almost zero, that way the fan of the power supply does not have enough time to slow its RPM and so by doing this we get very accurate noise level readings. Needless to say in order to get 100% accurate readings you need to have a noise isolated room for that exact purpose, something which is quite impossible unless you are working inside a real lab (some people use very small noise insulated boxes but due to their size both heat and noise exceed normal levels and so the results can't really be considered to be 100% accurate). Also do take into account that since all noise measurements take place from just 5-10cm away the final noise levels to reach your ears will be considerably less.

TEST RESULTS

RAIL STABILITY

Although this is the first SFX form factor PSU to be tested by me I have to admit that I didn’t expect such tight rails.

POWER CONSUMPTION

Our test rig almost maxed out the SST-SX600-G so with that in mind rail stability is even more impressive.

NOISE LEVELS (SPL)

42.7dBA is certainly not what I’d call loud but since such PSUs are aimed towards HTPC owners mostly it could matter more to some people.

CONCLUSION

   SilverStone has become one of the well-established PSU manufacturers in the market over the years but still if they had told me a while back that they were planning to make a fully modular SFX form factor PSU capable of outputting 600W of continuous power I’d probably think they were just throwing marketing material at me. Still not only does the SST-SX600-G output 600W of power (our test rig almost maxed it out) but it does so with solid rail stability and 80 Plus Gold efficiency. Noise levels however are a bit high so potential buyers should consider getting a good mATX/mITX case (preferably padded on the interior with noise insulating material) but even without that i don't really think that the majority of users will have a problem with it. Also this is the first time (from what i can recall) to have a device by Enhance Electronics land in our lab and although i didn't like the use of Su'scon capacitors (pretty much unknown to me) overall i think they made a fine unit.

   Normally most 600W power supply units don't cost much but when you pair an 80 Plus Gold efficiency certification with a fully modular design and a tiny size you can't really expect that to happen and so the SST-SX600-G by SilverStone currently retails for USD129.99 inside the USA (Amazon.com) and for 136Euros inside the EU (Amazon.co.uk). True normally i wouldn't consider this price tag very tempting but let's not forget that we're talking about a tiny, fully modular, 80 Plus Gold certified PSU that can output 600W continuously and can fit where no other model can. Bottom line if you need the smallest PSU possible right now or if you want to save some space inside your mATX/mITX case then you simply can't go wrong with the SST-SX600-G by SilverStone and that's why it gets our Golden Award.

PROS

- Build Quality
- Tiny SFX Form Factor Model
- Solid Rails
- 600W Continuous Output
- 80 Plus Gold Certified
- Fully Modular

CONS

- Noise Levels At Full Load (For Some)
- Price (For Some)