Introduction and Features

Finally – a Silencer that is relatively quiet! Check out our latest review to see if the new Silencer Mk II lives up to PC Power & Cooling’s reputation for legendary quality and rock-solid performance.
Introduction

It’s been almost a year since we last reviewed a PC Power & Cooling Silencer power supply (PC P&C Silencer 910W) and we are anxious to see if this new Silencer can be quiet and still live up to PC Power & Cooling’s reputation for quality.  PC Power & Cooling has been around since 1986 and during that time they have earned a reputation for building some of the best high-performance PC power supplies on the market.  Their Turbo-Cool and Silencer units are legendary and people have come to expect the best in quality and performance from the brand.  While the Silencer line typically fell short of being silent (or even quiet by most peoples standards) they did deliver rock-solid performance.

PC Power & Cooling Silencer Mk II 950W PSU Review - Cases and Cooling 35
(Courtesy of OCZ/PC Power & Cooling)

The Silencer Mk II 950W is the latest addition to PC Power & Cooling’s Silencer line.  It is rated for 950W of power and claims to have excellent efficiency and tight regulation for server-class applications and cutting-edge gaming systems.  The new Silencer Mk II 950W PSU incorporates all hard-wired cables and comes with six PCI-E connectors, NVIDIA SLI certification, and is backed by a 7-year warranty.  The most notable feature however is the use of a top mounted 135mm fan.  This may seem like a subtle change to some but anyone who is familiar with PC Power & Cooling will remember how adamant they have been over the years about using only a rear mounted 80mm fan for proper PSU cooling.  It will be interesting to see if this new Silencer can live up to the high-standards set by PC P&C and finally do it quietly.

Silencer Mk II 950W PSU Key Features (PPCMK2S950):

•    1,000W continuous power output at 50°C
•    135mm Thermally controlled double-ball bearing fan
•    80 Plus Silver Certified (88% efficiency)
•    ATX12V and EPS12V Compliant
•    Powerful single +12V rail (up to 83.4A)
•    NVIDIA SLI and AMD Crossfire ready
•    Six PCI-E and a complete array of peripheral connectors
•    Active PFC with Universal AC line input
•    7-Year warranty and tech support 

Here is what PC Power & Cooling has to say about their new Silencer Mk II 950W:

The new Silencer Mk II strikes the right balance between standard, server-class topology and state-of-the-art PSU architecture. Designed with enthusiasts and power-users in mind, key features of the Mk II include a Single +12V Rail for maximum and efficient power distribution, a thermally controlled 135mm double-ball bearing fan for airflow at near-silent audible noise levels, extremely tight and well regulated electrical noise and ripple, and an ideal array of connector types for each wattage. Offering excellent energy and cost savings, the Mk II features ultra-high efficiency with 80+ Silver (650W, 750W, 950W) and 80+ Bronze (500W) certifications, converting up to a full 88% of AC to DC power at typical loads.

The PC Power & Cooling Silencer Mk II is the optimal power solution for multiple power-hungry drives and video cards, featuring a temperature rating of 50 degrees Celsius, twice that of the industry standard. The Silencer Mk II Series is fully compliant with the latest ATX12V and EPS12V specifications and will be available in 500W, 650W, 750W and 950W configurations. As a future-proof investment for any high-end system, the Mk II is built to last and comes backed by a 7-Year warranty.”

Testing Methodology

Establishing an accurate load is critical to testing and evaluating a PC power supply.  PCPerspective’s power supply test bench can place a precise 2,000 watt DC load on the PSU under test.  Each power supply is tested under controlled, real-world conditions up to its maximum rated load (at 40ºC), using both 115 VAC and 240 VAC line voltage.  Our current suite of tests includes:

•    DC Load Regulation
•    DC Line Regulation
•    DC Cross-load (unbalanced load)
•    AC Ripple and Noise
•    Power Factor
•    Efficiency
•    Differential Temperature
•    Noise

PC Power & Cooling Silencer Mk II 950W PSU Review - Cases and Cooling 36

The PC Power & Cooling Silencer Mk II 950W PSU was evaluated on both features and performance.  A full range of equipment was used to test the power supply under controlled load conditions. 

•    (2) CSI3710A Programmable DC load (+3.3V and +5V outputs)
•    (4) CSI3711A Programmable DC load (+12V1, +12V2, +12V3, and +12V4)
•    (2) 200W Precision resistor load bank (+12V5 and +12V6)
•    Switchable precision resistor load bank (-12V and +5VSB)
•    Extech MultiMaster MM570 digital multimeter (Accuracy ±0.02%)
•    Extech 380803 Power Analyzer (Accuracy ±0.5% of full scale)
•    DS1M12 “StingRay” digital oscilloscope (20M S/s with 12 Bit ADC)
•    Powerstat Variable Autotransformer, 1.4 KVA, 0-140 VAC
•    Extech Model 407738 digital sound level meter (Accuracy ±1.5 dB)
•    Custom PC60 enclosure to simulate real-world operating conditions



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