The SilverStone Strider Platinum ST1200-PTS 1200W PSU Review: Small in Size, Big on Compliance

Conclusion

SilverStone’s engineers designed the ST1200-PTS to appease a very specific market – builders who need a high-wattage power supply in a confined space. As a result, the ST1200-PTS is the only 1200W PSU that we know of that has a fully ATX compliant, 140 mm deep chassis. Although this may not be important for power users who often use large tower cases, it is of utmost importance to builders who are trying to assemble very powerful systems into very small ATX cases, such as top-tier living room gaming systems.

Dissecting the ST1200-PTS from an engineering standpoint, trying to fit more components into a smaller space is very possible – as we've seen first-hand – but not without some trade-offs. Components have become smaller and more efficient as technology advances, allowing engineers to build shorter and more powerful PSUs, however we're not yet at a point where it's possible to have such a powerful ATX-compliant PSU with all the bells and whistles installed into it, while still remaining cost-effective. As such, the ST1200-PTS is a relatively simple PSU, without fancy features – aesthetic or otherwise. Thankfully, the compromises that SilverStone had to make are not severe. The most apparent compromise from a user’s point of view is the simple cooling circuitry, with a standard 120 mm fan handling the thermal needs of the unit. A deeper analysis reveals less complex filtering circuitry, which is the cause of the unit’s relatively high voltage ripple figures.

The overall performance of the ST1200-PTS is acceptable. Although it definitely is no match for many other top-tier units of similar power output, it does not fall outside of the ATX design recommendations either. Power quality figures are passable – although the voltage ripple flirts with the design limit on the 3.3V and 12V lines when the unit is under maximum load, it never surpasses that limit regardless of the operating conditions, and the regulation of the voltage lines is excellent.

Despite the compact dimensions of the unit and the use of a 120 mm fan, internal temperatures are low and thermal degradation is very limited. The only truly negative performance aspect that we must address is the very high noise when the unit is heavily loaded, which will not bother gamers who use headphones or loud speakers but it would certainly be a problem for users that want or need a relatively quiet environment. Note that the ST1200-PTS is noisy only when it is heavily loaded, as there is not a single (rational) PC configuration that is going to have a power draw greater than 300 Watts while the system is idling.

Overall, we feel that SilverStone will have trouble competing against typical top tier >1 kW alternatives, as their performance generally is superior over one or more aspects. When the length of the PSU is not very limited, there are competitive products which are both cheaper and better performers. On the other hand, the ST1200-PTS is the only option for users who are limited to fully ATX compliant units and cannot use a PSU longer than 140 mm. If that is the case, then the ST1200-PTS is a power supply that will not disappoint as the heart of a powerful modern gaming system.