be quiet! Dark Power Pro 10 550-watt Power Supply Review (Page 1)

Introduction

Technology is ever evolving and driven by innovation. Power supplies are no different and changes occur in AC to DC regulation, DC to DC regulation, improvements in cooling, reduction in noise, etc. Often times we see big changes in one particular area that raises the bar in what is considered the best. Every now and then, we come across a unit that does this not in just one category, but multiple areas of the power supply. That is just what we have from a newcomer to the U.S. in the latest unit from be quiet!.

Many of you have never heard of be quiet! in the USA and that is due to their units being available to the European market. be quiet! is a German based company known for their quality power supplies, fans and coolers. They have been awarded manufacturer of the year five times in a row by German hardware magazine PC Games Hardware and have also received recognition for the fans and coolers. As the name suggests, be quiet! focuses on second to none silent operation built into their premium quality products.

The unit that we have on the bench today is their new Dark Power Pro 10 550W unit. The Dark Power Pro 10 is available in six different wattages to cover whatever your needs may be, ranging from 550W all the way up to 1200W. The Dark Power Pro series of power supplies are known for the quiet operation and the new Dark Power Pro 10 series units add excellent efficiency to the mix.

Efficiency and silence mean nothing if the unit can't provide stable power, so read on as we take a deep look into the Dark Power Pro 10 550W power supply and see if it as good as they say it is.

Specifications, Availability and Pricing

The Dark Power Pro 10 series of power supplies utilize a quad 12V rail design and can also be configured to use these four rails. We will talk more about this in a little bit. Two of the four rails are rated for 20A each and the other two are rated for 25A each. Combined total output for the four rails is 45A or 540W. Both of the minor rails are rated for 25A each with a combined maximum current of 25A. The 5VSB rail is rated for 3A or 15W total. Combined maximum output is 550W.

We are glad to see that the Dark Power Pro 10 series covers all the features that we look for in a unit. Protection is provided against over-current, over- and under-voltages, short circuits, overheating and overloads. The unit is rated for 80Plus Gold efficiency and rated for 100% continuous output at 50C. All of the cables are fully sleeved, both native and modular.

be quiet! has an MSRP on the Dark Power Pro 10 550W of €129.00. This currently works out to be about $160. That definitely puts the unit towards the more expensive end of things when it comes to 550W units, but at the same time, there are very few units that offer the efficiency and features of the Dark Power Pro 10 in the same wattage range. Warranty for the Dark Power Pro 10 series of power supplies is for five years.