Box & Bundle
Typically, the box features a photo of the PSU on its face, along with two badges showing its efficiency certifications. I like the fact that be quiet! didn’t use a vast number of badges to impress, but only the ones that mattered. Actually, they could restrict the number of badges to one for efficiency and use another to describe the unit’s noise certification.
Internally, the contents are neatly arranged, and the provided protection is adequate. A smaller box holds the modular cables. Moreover, the provided bundle is rich, including several Velcro straps, zip ties, and even thumb screws for PSU mounting, in addition to the standard screws.
Product Photos
The PSU’s exterior design and overall build quality indicate that this is a premium product. The fan grille has many perforations, but they are pretty small, which impacts airflow. The fan speed profile is relaxed, though, because of the highly efficient platform and the massive heatsink that surrounds the cooling fan.
At the unit’s face, we find two additional switches. One enables the zero-RPM mode, and the other (OCK Button) lets you combine all 12V rails into a single rail, which I recommend. On the sides, the Dark Power logo looks great, while on the back, the modular panel takes up almost all available space, making it easier to handle the modular cables.
The modular panel has 13x sockets, including two native 12V-2×6 headers.
| Modular Cables | ||||
| Description | Cable Count | Connector Count (Total) | Gauge | Cable Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ATX connector 20+4 pin (600mm) | 1 | 1 | 16-18AWG | Tinned Copper |
| 8-pin ATX12V (700mm) | 1 | 1 | 16AWG | Tinned Copper |
| 4+4 pin ATX12V (700mm) | 1 | 1 | 16AWG | Tinned Copper |
| 2x 6+2 pin PCIe (750mm) | 4 | 4 | 18AWG | Tinned Copper |
| 12+4 pin PCIe PCIe (600mm) | 2 | 2 | 16-24AWG | Tinned Copper |
| SATA (600mm+155mm+155mm+155mm) | 2 | 8 | 18AWG | Tinned Copper |
| SATA (600mm+155mm+155mm) | 1 | 3 | 18AWG | Tinned Copper |
| SATA (605mm+155mm) / 4-pin Molex (+155mm+150mm) | 1 | 2 / 2 | 18AWG | Tinned Copper |
| AC Power Cord (1380mm) | 1 | 1 | 18AWG | – |
The cables are long. The ATX and high-power cables use thicker 16AWG gauges for lower voltage drop at high loads. The pair of 12V-2×6 is a pleasant surprise, though it is overkill to have both set to 600W, since it alone exceeds the PSU’s max capacity.
The number of peripheral connectors is more than enough. There is no need anymore for more SATA or a load of 4-pin Molex connectors, since most mainboards can take two or more NVMe drives, and the distance between the peripheral connectors is adequate.
Oh, good timing for this review ;-). Managed to order this psu, for 250€ @Alternate.
It will replace my older BQ DP 12 850W, for more future proof.