Introduction and Features

If you are in the market for a solid 300W PSU for a Micro ATX Media Center or Home Theater PC, the Seasonic SS-300TFX deserves a very close look! This is a very different form factor than standard power supplies so stop in and see if it might work for your next HTPC build!
Seasonic SS-300TFX Power Supply Review - Cases and Cooling 29

Seasonic has an excellent reputation for producing quiet ATX style PC power supplies with high efficiencies and stable outputs.  Seasonic also has a full line of server style power supplies in both 1U and 2U form factors and a new 300W TFX model.  The TFX form factor is used by the majority of Micro ATX and Mini-ITX Media Center PCs and Home Theater PCs.

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Seasonic SS-300TFX PSU

Seasonic SS-300TFX Main Features:

•    Complies with TFX12V v2.31 specification
•    80Plus Bronze certified
•    Pentium 4 12V connector
•    Forward converter circuit design
•    High efficiency and reliability
•    Low AC ripple and noise
•    Super low noise fan control
•    Short circuit protection on all outputs
•    Over voltage protection
•    Over power protection
•    100% Hi-pot tested
•    100% Burn-in, high temperature cycled On/Off
•    Patented active transient load 

PSU 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, 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

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The Seasonic SS-300TFX 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)
•    Extech MultiMaster MM570 digital multimeter (Accuracy ±0.02%)
•    Extech 380803 Power Analyzer (Accuracy ±0.5% of full scale)
•    Hitachi V-650F 60 MHz dual trace oscilloscope (Accuracy ±3%)
•    Powerstat Variable Autotransformer, 1.4 KVA, 0-140 VAC
•    Extech Model 407750 digital sound level meter (Accuracy ±1.5 dB)
•    Custom PC60 enclosure to simulate real-world operating conditions


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