Seasonic Vertex PX-1000 ATX v3.0 PSU Review

Epilogue

The Seasonic Vertex PX-1000 is a build-quality unit with a price tag of $260, so normally, my expectations are high. Nonetheless, although the unit didn’t give me any trouble during testing, it still didn’t register a high overall score, achieving second and third place from the bottom in the relative performance charts. Why this happened? Let’s break down the unit’s performance to find out.

• Load regulation is within 1% on all major rails but still not competitive on all rails but 5V. What matters the most here is the 12V rail, where the competition is strong.
• Ripple suppression is good at 12V but not that good on the rest rails, especially if compared with similar spec units.
• The transient response at 12V, with normal loads, is mediocre, and the same goes for the 3.3V rail.
• Inrush currents are high at 230V.
• Efficiency is low at light loads.
• The average efficiency is not that high for this category’s standards (Platinum).
• The average power factor readings need boosting.
• Vampire power exceeds 0.1W at 230V.

Besides performance, the protection features are of immense importance, and in this section, I found issues that Seasonic has to solve. The over-current and over-power protection triggering points must be notably apart between hot and cold conditions. When the PSU operates under high temperatures, the stress is increased, so it has to shut down sooner in case of overload.

In general, the build quality is good, and the PSU meets all ATX v3.0 requirements. However, its price is high, and some users will wonder why Seasonic didn’t change the connector to 12V-2×6 to provide this unit with ATX v3.1 compatibility. Besides this change, which won’t affect the production cost, nothing else is required to meet the newest ATX spec, which is looser regarding hold-up time. I am unsure whether Seasonic will upgrade the Vertex PX line to ATX v3.1, but if you are wondering whether you should get an ATX v3.0 or a v3.1 PSU, read the following article:

• Should I get an ATX v3.1 PSU, or will an ATX v3.0 be fine? Everything you need to know!

Before investing in a new power supply, read my Best ATX v3.x PSUs article to check all alternative PSU offerings. You help me a lot by using my affiliate links, which don’t increase the product’s price. I get a commission from Amazon every time you do it, which can make a difference for me, especially now that I am on my own, working exclusively for my media and not for someone else.