Power Supply

Servers need power, and our unit is no different. Picking a power supply means finding one with adequate capacity, reliability, low noise, low heat and efficiency.

To meet those requirements, we chose a Corsair HX1000W power supply unit. Rated at 1000 watts, the PSU offered ample capacity; some may even say too much.

The way we looked at it was that the enemies of electronics are heat and load, so if we used a power supply designed for 1000 watts at 40 percent usage, it would outlast a 500 watt power supply at 90 percent usage. What's more, the Corsair unit comes with a 5-year warranty, is only a few dollars more than a 750 watt unit and includes modular cable management, making for a much easier and neater installation. With a street price of about $215, the HX1000W proves to be pricey as power supplies go.

But,that $215 buys a very high-quality unit, which is 80 Plus certified (80 percent or more efficient), offers active power correction (PFC), and adheres to the ROHS standard. All of that combined makes the HX1000W a clean, green power machine.