The Dark Power 14 1000W power supply, part of the modular Dark Power 14’s silent PSU series, aims to offer both a consistent signal and impressive power efficiency for users, regardless of build. With three options available, 1200W, 1000W or 850W, the Dark Power 14 provides an 80 PLUS Titanium certification with each model. More impressive still is the newly integrated active and semi-passive cooling mode selectable via an onboard switch. Expertly designed by the good folks at be quiet!, the Dark Power 14 delivers unmatched power distribution and stability for your PC.
Following be quiet!’s tradition of smart engineering and design, the Dark Power 14 is exceptionally well constructed. While it follows the standard design concepts of most PSUs, there are a couple of notable features that give it be quiet!’s signature flair and style. For starters, the Dark Power 14 features the be quiet! Silent Wings fan, a carryover from the excellent Straight Power 12 1500W and 1200W PSUs.
Known for its namesake, the Silent Wings is an impressively quiet cooling fan, designed from the ground up for cooling efficiency and silent operation. Leveraging its 6-pole fan motor, it provides ample airflow while remaining impressively quiet thanks to fluid-dynamic bearings. When powered up and even under load, the Dark Power 14 1000W is exceptionally quiet.
“Expertly designed by the good folks at be quiet!, the Dark Power 14 delivers unmatched power distribution and stability for your PC.”
As for durability and long-term silent running, I’ve now been running the Straight Power 1200W for 2 and a half years, practically every day. The Silent Wings fan is as silent today as it was the day it was installed. This is an impressive testament to the build quality of both the fans and PSUs from be quiet!.
When the system isn’t under heavy load, the aforementioned cooling switch can switch between always-running and semi-passive cooling. This feature is exceptionally well implemented on the Dark Power 14, providing active fan cooling when required and then ramping down when the system is idle. An included aluminum heat sink further reduces heat from the PSU, reducing reliance on the fan in semi-passive cooling mode. The result is a much quieter, more efficient PSU that delivers consistently stable power.
On the note of power, be quiet! Has included a second notable feature with the Dark Power 14, the overclocking switch. Located beside the aforementioned cooling switch, the Dark Power 14 can, when engaged, switch between multi-rail and single-rail modes. When in multi-rail mode, power is distributed evenly, limiting the amount any one component can draw. This creates a more balanced and protected state for all components, as power distribution is divided among them.
While more efficient, it limits power draw for power-hungry components. This problem is solved when the Dark Power 14 is switched to single-rail mode. Instead of power being distributed evenly across multiple rails, all power is delivered through a single, focused rail, allowing components to draw their full current. This is ideal for high-end PCs that want to leverage the full power of their GPUs.
To help facilitate and maintain this level of continuous power, be quiet! Has included high-end Japanese-built capacitors rated for 105℃. Known for their quality and stability, many high-end PSUs and other devices that require higher power output rely on this type of capacitor. It’s nice to be quiet! Leveraging them for this application.
Rated for ATX 3.1, the Dark Power 14’s modular design works exceptionally well. It easily supports the latest PCIe 5.1 GPUs, and with 4 PCIe 6+2 pin ports, powering multiple components isn’t an issue. Thanks to the inclusion of a full-bridge inverter that reduces power loss, a synchronous rectifier that reduces signal loss, and an LLC resonant converter that eliminates signal loss when switching between the primary and secondary rectifiers, the Dark Power 14 is incredibly power-efficient in use. This is also the reason the Dark Power 14 is rated for Cybenetics Titanium efficiency.
“The Dark Power 14 1000W is a smart evolution of be quiet!’s PSU lineup.”
On every front, the Dark Power 14 is an impressive power supply. The design and build quality of this PSU are top-notch, offering all the safety and protection I want to see in a premium unit. The inclusion of selectable cooling and power distribution modes is a smart touch. Even with all these additional design elements and components, the Dark Power 14 still maintains a fairly average footprint in a PC case, easily fitting into most modern builds.
The Dark Power 14 1000W is a smart evolution of be quiet!’s PSU lineup. It provides ample power, stability and durability in a premium package ready to handle most any build it’s put into. With three wattage options, the Dark Power 14 series PSU is a premium power supply ready for the most demanding tasks.
