The NZXT C1500 is a powerful and high-performance PSU, capable of delivering up to 3000W of power, for short periods, if required. With the upcoming NVIDIA RTX 5090 you will definately be on the safe side, with a 1500W ATX v3.1 compliant power factory.
The NZXT C1500 will be included in my best ATX v3.x & PCIe 5.x PSU picks article.
The C1500 is NZXT’s flagship PSU model, using a modern platform provided by Channel Well Technology. It can deliver up to 1500W continuously and up to 3000W for short periods, meeting the strict ATX v3.1 requirements. This is not a PSU for the average user, but it addresses highly demanding users who want to push to the max high-end and power-hungry CPUs, and especially GPUs. If you flash your RTX 4090 with a “special” BIOS, allowing for up to 1000W power levels, then a capable 1500W PSU, or an even stronger one, is required. Don’t expect to see performance gains that justify the crazy increase in power consumption under such “special” usage scenarios. Still, there are always people out there who want to push hardware beyond its limits, and I cannot blame them for that because I used to do that many years ago.
The C1500 is named Platinum because of its 80 PLUS rating. Still, Titanium in the Cybenetics scheme uses over 1450 different load combinations to calculate its ratings, contrary to a handful that 80 PLUS takes into account. Using only several load points to calculate a PSU’s efficiency is inaccurate. This could have been enough 20 years ago, but times have changed, and we should improve every certification protocol and standard we use and not remain stuck in the past. Thanks to the versatility of the Cybenetics scheme, the 1450 different load levels can easily be upgraded to 3000 or even 10,000 if required without any significant changes to the certification’s base scheme.
Back to the C1500, it uses a fully modular cable design, and its dimensions are larger than usual since it is a power beast. With a depth of 180mm, you cannot call it large since other similar-capacity PSUs are way larger. Take, for example, the Seasonic TX-1600, which measures 210mm long! I don’t like small, in-dimensional PSUs, or to put it simply, high power-density PSUs, since in most cases, their output noise is extremely high because of the restricted airflow at their internals. An overpopulated PCB with parts that have to handle high power levels will quickly develop high temperatures, so the cooling fan has to spin at high speeds to handle the increased thermal loads.
ATX v3.1 >1300W PSU Reviews:
- Seasonic Prime TX-1300 ATX v3.0 PSU Review
- 1st Player NGDP 1300W PSU Review
- XPG Cybercore II 1300 Platinum PSU Review
- Thermaltake Toughpower GF3 1350W ATX v3.0 PSU Review
- Super Flower Leadex Titanium ATX v3.0 1600W PSU Review
- be quiet! Dark Power Pro 13 1600W PSU Review
- XPG Fusion 1600W Titanium PSU Review – Should Corsair Worry?
- Seasonic Prime PX-1600 ATX v3.0 PSU Review
- Seasonic Prime TX-1600 ATX v3.0 PSU Review
- Thermaltake Toughpower GF3 1650W ATX v3.0 PSU Review
- Manufacturer (OEM): CWT (CTT Platform)
- Max Power: 1500W
- Cybenetics Efficiency: [115V] Cybenetics Titanium (91-93%) [230V] Cybenetics Titanium (93-95%)
- Noise: Cybenetics A- (25-30 dB[A])
- Compliance: ATX v3.1, EPS 2.92
- Operating Temperature (Continuous Full Load): 0 – 50 °C
- Alternative Low Power Mode support: Yes
- Power 12V combined: 1500W
- Number of 12V rails: 1
- Power 5V + 3.3v: 120W
- Power 5VSB: 15W
- Cooling: 140mm Magnetic Levitation Bearing Fan (MFE0251VX-1Q010-S99)
- Semi-Passive Operation: ✓ (selectable)
- Modular Design: Yes (Fully)
- High Power Connectors: 2x EPS (2x cables), 6x PCIe 6+2 pin (6x cables), 2x PCIe 12+4 pin (600W, 2x cables)
- Peripheral Connectors: 12x SATA (3x cables), 4x 4-pin Molex (1x cables)
- ATX Cable Length: 600mm
- EPS Cable Length: 700mm
- 6+2 pin PCIe Cable Length: 650mm
- 12+4 pin PCIe Cable Length: 650mm
- Distance between SATA / 4-pin Molex: 145/150mm
- In-cable capacitors: No
- Dimensions (W x H x D): 150 mm x 85 mm x 180mm
- Weight: 2.38 kg (5.25 lb)
- Warranty: 10-years
- Street price (excluding VAT): $369
Power Specifications
| Rail | 3.3V | 5V | 12V | 5VSB | ||
| Max. Power | Amps | 22 | 22 | 125 | 3 | |
| Watts | 120 | 1500 | 15 | |||
| Total Max. Power (W) | 1500W (115-240V) 1300W (100-115V) |
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I bought this one to replace my old Corsair RM1000X, but the +12v Rail reports to be 11.904 in BIOS and in Windows it’s between 11.904/11.808; More like 11.808 than 11.904 that is. The PCIe +12v Rails report around v12.060 with v11.883 under load. I wonder whether this is an issue with the power supply or some other component that could be giving me issues. Should I return the PSU?
Do not pay attention to what the mainboard’s sensors say, they are not accurate, at all.
I don’t understand one thing, why this C1500 platform called CTT has the same nomenclature as the platform mounted on XPG Cybercore II 1300 and MSI MEG Ai1000P PCIe5.
They are so different, starting from the double transformer of the 12v, passing through the number of capacitors on the primary, the different dc to dc stage, the different position of many components, the output connectors with only solid state capacitors for c1500 while there are electrolytic ones for the other two. On the other hand the CST platform of the Dark Power Pro 13 1600W is much more similar to the CTT.
the platform has several changes, requested by NZXT as I remember.
Thi is really a great PSU, CWT is always synonymous with trust and quality.
I saw on their site that they produce a 2000w psu with the acronym CTT, atx 3.1 pcie 5.1, 80+TITANIUM, with only one 12V-2×6 connector but there is no review or internal photo to see if the platform is further updated.
Can I say that the C1500 has a superior performance compared to the TF11550?
Yes
Hi,
Just a quick one, those Sunon Maglev fans, do they not have an issue operating vertically- as I read this somewhere.
Thanks
No they are just fine.