Design & Features

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Again, like most higher-end PSU's offering this much power, it obviously requires much more space to simply provide it.  For those looking to purchase a 1000+ watt PSU for the first time, you'll want to make sure that the case you plan to run it on will support it.  In the case of the OP1000, you're looking at a PSU that measures in at just under 8.7 inches in depth.  Measure and make sure this large unit will fit and not interfere with other features the case may offer such as extra cooling options, support brackets, etc.

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What is very clear upon "un-boxing" is that the OP1000 is no different than units that have been on the market for years now.  There's no shiny mirror-like finish, no fancy lights, no massive cooling fan and no modular connections that most case-modders now find a necessity when building a highly appealing system with minimal cable clutter.  Instead, we need to look beyond all these features that are fairly common now with lower end units and focus more on its primary target...the hardcore enthusiast with no strict budget who is primarily after long-term reliability and performance.  If you absolutely must have a modular unit, then perhaps their DA Series would suit you better. 

The OP1000 sports a more streamlined design with a very rough, sandpaper-like finish that is not likely to scratch easily at all.  Hard to put it all in perspective, but as an example, for those familiar with plasma HDTV's, think of this unit as the Panasonic of plasma TV's.  Their industrial-grade displays are the best in the market in terms of picture quality, yet they lack features or appeal in design. 

Another thing you'll quickly notice is the option they chose to cool it.  You won't find an extra large top or bottom mounted fan.  Instead, the unit is fairly standard in terms of cooling and sports a 80mm rear exhaust fan.  However, what you should note is that the fan is designed to spin at different speeds depending on power usage and temperature as a result of it.  Considering its size and power, is it that loud under normal use or extensive load?  I'll elaborate on this later in this article.

No, this unit does not sport a modular design.  However, note that all cables coming from the unit are sleeved and of high quality.  They certainly are long enough and will support those systems built with larger, more spacious enclosures.  Speaking of cables, there certainly are plenty, but not quite as many of the kind I typically make use of.  Also, after some research of my own, I found that not only the specs provided by Silverstone can confuse many, but found a few sites that have incorrectly listed the number of connectors available.  With that said, let's have a very clear look at just what connectors are featured and exactly how many of them are available.

With a unit offering this much power, and considering the number of components most may install in build featuring such a product, six 4-pin Molex plugs doesn't seem like much at all.  Instead, this unit primarily focuses on SLI and Crossfire setups and provides plenty of these connectors over all others.  Let's not leave out SATA here either.  The unit certainly has you covered in terms of powering whatever SATA storage solution you may have in mind, providing a total of six SATA power plugs.  Also note that there is only one floppy power connector.  This is fine for me because I'm one who refuses to use a floppy.  However, this may be an issue for some users who may have a select few accessories I've tested that require this kind of power plug to operate. 

Unless you are actually reviewing the product, breaking that seal and voiding your warranty on such an expensive product in order to see what powers it within is typically out of the question.  However, with a unit claiming to offer this much continuous power in such a compact enclosure, most enthusiasts may be unable to resist and be curious enough to break it open for a closer look.  With this unit though, upon first glance, you'll quickly notice its somewhat unusual layout.  The two massive electrolytic capacitors are actually between the primary and secondary heatsinks.  The transformers, which I may add are the largest I've seen on a PSU to date, are located near the front of the unit.  Overall, its build quality is very good layout is somewhat busy and airflow from the small rear 80mm fan will be restricted to some level. 

Additional Features

  The Silverstone OP1000 is an Active PFC unit.  Most new power supplies on the market are, even though some manufacturers don't "officially" market them this way.  The reason why is still a bit unclear to me.  However, when in search of a high performance PSU, you should definitely focus on those that are. Active PFC units, in short, provide more efficient power frequency.  They use a circuit to "correct" power factor, resulting in high power factor when compared to those that aren't.  Active Power Factor Correction also attenuates total harmonics and automatically "corrects" for the input AC voltage.  This method is usually much more expensive to implement so very cheap, high wattage units on the market actually fail to feature it.  How to easily tell whether your unit is physically designed this way is actually not that simple.  However, one indication is by simply looking at the rear of your power supply and see if it has a switch.  If there is some kind of voltage switch on the back, chances are that it is not an Active PFC unit. 

Other Special Features
-Class-leading single +12V rail with 80A ( 88A peak)
-1000W continuous power output rated up to 50°C
-Quad PCI-E 6pin connectors
-Dual PCI-E 8pin connectors
-Six serial ATA connectors
-Active PFC
-Support ATX 12V 2.2 & EPS 12V

-Crossfire Certified

Next:  Performance