The be quiet! Straight Power 12 1500W Power Supply is the next evolution in the Straight Power 12 PSU series. Building on the excellent Straight Power 12 1200W that we reviewed last year, the new 1500W PSU offers the same premium features present in its little brother but with more power. Designed for high-end rigs that require maximum and consistent power, the Straight Power 12 1500W aims to offer more than enough power to meet your build’s needs.
The Straight Power 12 1500W houses some impressive components. As an ATX 3.0 power supply with an 80 PLUS Platinum rating, the Straight Power 12 1500W features Japanese 105℃ capacitors built from the ground up for both stability and reliability. Japanese 105℃ capacitors have a long history of being the gold standard for capacitor choice due to their longevity and durability in high-heat settings. While there are other capacitors today that might be comparable, due to the aforementioned history of quality, the Japanese 105℃ capacitors are a trusted component in the 1500W power supply.
Another important feature of the Straight Power 12 1500W is the inclusion of one High-performance 12V rail for power delivery. For those new to the world of power supply power distribution, historically, PSUs would have to manage a variety of voltage needs, creating the need for minor power distribution rails for variable voltages. This resulted in the overall voltage being split or reduced to accommodate the various voltage needs, thus reducing the overall voltage available to maximize system performance.
“The Straight Power 12 1500W is PCIe 5.0 ready and is future-proofed for the next several years.”
As technology has progressed, components have been refined to self-regulate voltage needs, reducing the need for multiple minor rails. As a result, high-end PSUs have been able to switch to a single 12V rail, maximizing the voltage output of the system. This becomes crucial for systems that are overclocked or have higher performance needs and as a result, make the Straight Power 1500W an excellent choice for such applications. When coupled with the aforementioned Japanese 105℃ capacitors, a PSU is created that can handle higher output over a longer period without risk of damage.
With all this in mind, it makes sense that the Straight Power 12 1500W is PCIe 5.0 ready and is future-proofed for the next several years. The Straight Power 12 comes stock with support for GPUs with 6+2 pin connectors allowing it to easily distribute power to even the most power-hungry video cards and components. Power stability, even with power-hungry cards, is further supported thanks to the full bridge LLC built into the Straight Power 12. This full bridge LLC provides superior power stability.
To unpack this a little, full bridge LLC is a term used to describe how a PSU handles MOSFET or Metal Oxide Semiconductor field effect transistors. Without getting too lost in the technology behind the acronym, these transistors are essentially what create the AC voltage needed to generate and regulate the power that the PSU sends to the components. When a full-bridge LLC is present, the PSU uses four MOSFETs, which is both the maximum number that can be used and the most efficient way to produce the maximum amount of power. Essentially, full-bridge LLC support in a PSU maximizes the strength and stability of the power signals, which is essential for high-end or overclocked PC builds.
“Shifting from power to cooling, the Straight Power 12 1500W PSU comes with an impressive 135mm Silent Wings fan.”
Shifting from power to cooling, the Straight Power 12 1500W PSU comes with an impressive 135mm Silent Wings fan. A staple in most be quiet! cooling components, the Silent Wings fans are built from the ground up to maximize airflow while simultaneously reducing overall noise levels. Much like the excellent 140mm Silent Wings 4 series fans found in the Darkbase 701 series case we recently reviewed, the 135mm version found in the Straight Power 12 is impressively quiet.
The Silent Wings Fan also features a funnel-shaped design, which helps pull more air through the PSU quickly, resulting in a cooler PSU overall. Even during stress tests, the PSU remained exceptionally quiet and cool at around the 40℃ mark. Be quiet! has a reputation for maximizing cooling, and this is evident in the Straight Power 12 1500W PSU.
As for design, the Straight Power 12 is designed for modular cable management. With a host of cables provided, users can easily plug in only what they need, making cable management a breeze. Having now used 2 versions of the Straight Power 12 series PSU in various builds, I can say with certainty that it is one of the easiest PSUs to work with while building. The included cables are plenty long for even the massive Darkbase 901 Pro series case we worked with earlier this month. Additionally, thanks to their rugged but flexible design, the included cables are easy to work into included cable trays.
After a few weeks of testing and usage, there have been no issues or power fluctuations to report. Once installed and powered, the Straight Power 12 1500W PSU is a monster that handles even the most taxing power-hungry jobs with ease. From build quality to install simplicity to cooling and overall functionality, there is nothing to critique. The Straight Power 12 1500W PSU is the gold star for PSUs. It offers future-proofing power, superior cooling and excellent cable management and is built for the long haul. The Straight Power 12 1500W is a premium PSU for premium builds.
- 80 PLUS Platinum efficiency (up to 93.8%)
- ATX 3.0 PSU with full support for PCIe 5.0 GPUs and GPUs with 6+2 pin connectors
