Test Results

Our load tests utilize a couple of FAST ATE active load testers and a variety of other equipment such as an oscilloscope, power conditioner, temperature probe and a power consumption meter. You can read more about our standard testing approach here.

The tests performed are based around six conceivable setups that are out there and progressively load down the PSU up to the power supply's limits or 1000W, whichever comes first. Since our test equipment's limits are equal to that of the Rosewill Tachyon 1000W power supply, we can test it to the maximum.

The above tests represent typical loads that we have measured from various systems and are meant to give a rough idea of where your computer might fall in line with our tests. Please keep in mind that each system is different and actual loads can vary greatly even with similar hardware.

Let's start by taking a look at the voltages to see how well this unit did during testing. Starting with the 12V1 rail, we see 2% regulation from start to finish with a total drop of .20V. The 5V rail managed to stay within 2% of specification as well with a total drop of .09V from start to finish. Moving towards the 3.3V rail, we see that regulation was within 3% of specification with a total voltage drop of .08V.

DC Output quality for the Tachyon 1000W was amazing and well within specification. During Test 1, we saw 10mV of noise on our scope. When we increased the loads in Test 3, the ripple climbed to 16mV at a little under half load. During Test 6 under a load of 1000W, the oscilloscope showed a maximum of 23mv on noise on the 12Vrail.

The Rosewill Tachyon 1000W is rated for 80 PLUS Platinum efficiency. This means that the power supply must perform at 90%/92%/89% efficiency at 20%/50%/100% loads respectively. As you can see, the Tachyon 1000W passed on our bench, and wasn't close to failing at any point.

Final Thoughts

The Tachyon 1000W power supply represents a huge step up in quality and performance for Rosewill and is great to see. The power supply's build quality is fantastic inside and out, and it should be considering that Super Flower manufacturers the unit. The unit may lack a few of the flashy offerings such as labels on the side or in the center of the fan, but this is one of the areas costs are often shaved to make a unit viable for a house brand.

It is perhaps the test results that surprised us the most with the Tachyon. While the voltage regulation could be a little bit better on the 3.3V rail, all results are still very good. It is the DC Output quality that is most amazing. Most units barely manage to start out where the Tachyon leaves off at under full load. One can't really argue about the efficiency either as it is well beyond specification.

It is hard to fault the Tachyon for much at all, but I do have some concerns about the included modular PCI-E cables and their length. They should be of ample length for direct runs from the PSU to the video card, but perhaps not so much when trying to hide cables in the case.

The choice of a sleeve bearing fan over a ball bearing fan is often a questionable one, but those who enjoy silence will prefer it especially when looking at the five year warranty and low price for a 1000W Platinum rated power supply.