Within the realm of energy provide items (PSUs), the core underpinning of any high-performance computing system, seasoned market gamers have frequently raised the bar in delivering environment friendly, dependable, and technologically superior merchandise. One such stalwart within the PSU area is SeaSonic, whose meticulous engineering and innovation have repeatedly set trade benchmarks.
In immediately’s overview, we’re taking a look on the ATX 3.0 improve of SeaSonic’s revered Focus sequence, which epitomizes a fantastic steadiness between value and efficiency geared toward catering to a broad spectrum of PC fanatics and builders. It’s the successor of the Focus Plus sequence, which was SeaSonic’s hottest sequence over the previous a number of years.
The brand new Focus GX sequence consists of 5 items with an influence output starting from 550 Watts to 1.000 Watts. It’s the second strongest unit of the sequence that we’ll be placing to the check, the Focus GX-850. SeaSonic is inserting its advertising and marketing efforts totally on the exceedingly lengthy 10-year producer’s guarantee, its compact dimension, the 80Plus Gold effectivity certification, and the modular design.
| SeaSonic Focus GX-850 ATX 3.0 (SSR-850FX) Energy specs ( Rated @ 50 °C ) |
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| RAIL | +3.3V | +5V | +12V | +5Vsb | -12V |
| MAX OUTPUT | 20A | 20A | 70A | 3A | 0.3A |
| 100W | 840W | 15W | 3.6W | ||
| TOTAL | 850W | ||||
| AC INPUT | 100 – 240 VAC, 50 – 60 Hz | ||||
| MSRP | $124 | ||||
Packaging and Bundle
SeaSonic provides the Focus GX-850 in a sturdy cardboard field with black-gold paintings primarily based on easy geometric shapes. The PSU is sandwiched between two packaging foam items and is positioned inside a nylon pouch, making certain protected delivery.
The bundle accompanying the GX-850 is comparatively wealthy for what is meant to be a mainstream PSU. Other than the usual AC energy cable and 4 mounting screws, SeaSonic additionally gives various cable ties, cable straps, a full guide, and a 24-pin connector jumper that can be utilized to energy the PSU with out connecting it to a motherboard.
The modular cables of the Focus GX-850 are all similar, with individually sleeved black wires and black connectors. This consists of even the 12VHPWR cable, making this the primary time we noticed a producer altering that individual cable to match the remainder of the unit’s cables.
| SeaSonic Focus GX-850 ATX 3.0 | ||
| Connector sort | Hardwired | Modular |
| ATX 24 Pin | – | 1 |
| EPS 4+4 Pin | – | 2 |
| EPS 8 Pin | – | – |
| PCI-E 5.0 | – | 1 |
| PCI-E 8 Pin | – | 3 |
| SATA | – | 10 |
| Molex | – | 3 |
| Floppy | – | 1 |
The SeaSonic Focus GX-850 Gold PSU
Exterior Look
Regardless of its ample energy provision, SeaSonic has efficiently housed the brand new Focus GX-850 inside the typical ATX dimensions of 150 × 140 × 86 mm (W×D×H), making certain its compatibility throughout a broad vary of ATX-compliant enclosures, together with Desktop HTPC and different compact configurations. {The electrical} specs and certifications sticker is situated on the highest floor of the unit.
SeaSonic sometimes maintains a minimalist method in the direction of aesthetics, however the Focus GX-850 stands as a deviation. The design has been elevated past mere paintwork, showcasing a particular fan grill on the backside of the chassis. It’s adorned with a gray badge at its heart and black accents encircling the fan, changing the earlier gold and gray scheme. The embossed geometric motifs on the lateral sides of the PSU have been retained, with the corporate and sequence logos subtly highlighted on all faces of the unit.
Along with the usual small on/off swap and AC cable receptacle, SeaSonic has included a sq. locking swap on the PSU’s rear facet. This swap facilitates the administration of the cooling fan’s hybrid management mode. This mode is activated by default, permitting the fan to interact solely when the load escalates to a degree necessitating energetic cooling. When deactivated, the fan’s pace continues to be thermally regulated, albeit with out ever coming to an entire halt. The entrance of the chassis homes the connectors for the modular cables. Though the connectors will not be color-coded, a primary legend is printed on the chassis to information the cable connections. The PCI Categorical and CPU 12V cables make the most of similar connectors, negating the opportunity of inaccurate cable insertion owing to the distinct connector designs and keyed configurations.
Inside Design
SeaSonic as soon as once more entrusted the cooling of their Focus sequence to Hong Hua and their HA13525H12F-Z 120 mm fan. It’s a visually easy black fan however incorporates a high-quality Fluid Dynamic Bearing (FDB), with SeaSonic promising excessive life expectancy and comparatively low noise figures. It has a most rotational pace of 2000 RPM, a median determine for a 120 mm fan.
SeaSonic is each the designer and producer of their items, negating the necessity for us to establish an underlying OEM with their merchandise. At first look, it permits us to understand that, in contrast to many different producers, SeaSonic’s engineers took main steps in redesigning the platform that the earlier Focus sequence was primarily based upon to totally adjust to the ATX 3.0 specification. The unit’s inside is extraordinarily tidy, with out a single unfastened cable, because the PCBs are linked through stable copper bridges.
The filtering stage begins on the small PCB on the rear of the AC receptacle and continues onto the principle PCB, with a complete of 4 Y capacitors, two X capacitors, and two filtering inductors. Two bridge rectifiers share the identical heatsink with half the inversion transistors of the first stage.
Nippon Chemi-Con provides the large 680μF capacitor of the APFC stage, which is positioned subsequent to an equally massive filtering inductor. The energetic PCF elements, two 6R190P6 energy transistors and a diode might be discovered on the lengthy heatsink throughout the sting of the PCB. SeaSonic applied a full-bridge LLC inversion stage, a uncommon sight inside a mainstream unit. Two of the ability transistors (GPT13N50DG) are on their separate heatsink, and two share the heatsink with the enter rectifiers.
On the opposite facet of the transformer and the underside of the principle PCB, 4 IC840L MOSFETs generate the one 12V line. The DC-to-DC converters for the 5V and three.3V voltage strains might be seen on the vertical daughterboard that additionally hosts the fan’s controller. The secondary facet capacitors are a mixture of Rubycon, Nippon Chemi-Con, and Nichicon merchandise, all of that are from Japanese producers.
