Silverstone Strider Essential 700W PSU Review

By – John Williamson

Possibly the most overlooked component when compiling a PC build is the power supply.  There is a temptation to skimp on the PSU and put the funds towards a higher end graphics card but this would be a monumental error of judgement since the unbranded “800 watt” PSUs offer poor over-voltage protection and struggle to hit the maximum quoted power output.  In addition, for single GPU PCs which most users will be utilizing, 600 watts should be more than ample; heck even 500watts would be enough using the newest Maxwell architecture.  SLI/CrossfireX customers are more prone to overclocking their system so having additional headroom is important.  As a result, I would suggest a 800watt output to deal with the TDP of 2 graphics cards.  Today we look at Silverstone’s Strider Essential 700W Power Supply which features a superb 80+ Gold rating and near silent operation.

The PSU comes packaged in a durable box with fairly thick cardboard which suitably cushions against damage during the delivery process.  Silverstone have applied a gold colour scheme to emphasis this model’s 80+ Gold efficiency rating and does a stellar job of keep things simple.  Inside the box is an instruction manual, technical specsheet, the power supply itself, mounting screws, AC power adaptor and velcro zip ties to help with cable management.  The PSU is further protected by bubble wrap and surrounded by some supporting foam.

Efficiency ratings have been a staple of the higher end PSUs and a clear way to distinguish between various models.  Ratings start from 80+ all the way up to 80+ Titanium and this figure signifies the unit’s output wattage divided by its input. I won’t go into too much detail about how these figures are reached apart from to achieve certification, the power supply much hit a minimum of 80% efficiency at 20%, 50% and 100% load.  However, there is a discrepancy which allows for lower efficiency whilst idling.  Now, I could explain at length how this all works, but for gaming purposes it’s really not all that important since the variation between 80+ bronze and 80+ Titanium isn’t going to be noticed by any mainstream consumer.  What you must focus on instead of being compelled to buy the highest grade, is suitable wattage, reasonable efficiency and an excellent warranty service.

The Silverstone Strider Essential Gold ticks all the boxes due to its generous 3 year warranty, 80+ rating and reliable power draw.  I would expect a PSU in this price range to come with a 2 year warranty period so the 3 year duration is most welcome. I feel a lot of manufacturers underestimate the value of after sales service which can be the key difference in a customer’s purchasing decision.

As with any power supply, it is vital to inspect the cable sleeving and analyze the finish. The coating is soft, flush and thick enough to prevent any rips over a long period of time.  However, I would have preferred a slightly thicker material just to enhance the rigidity.  Another issue I encountered was the 8 pin EPS12v cable which is quite short and virtually impossible to hide around the back and feed through neatly without using extension cables.

With power supplies, the usual testing procedure involves comparing the quoted efficiency vs final results whilst investigating the fan noise to see if there was a noticeable ripple effect.  The findings were very impressive as 20% load yielded a 90% figure, 50% attained 91% and 100% came in at 87%.  These statistics are well within the margin of 80+ Gold and performed admirably.  Silverstone have included a 120mm hybrid bearing fan and this offers heightened cooling proficiency at lower volume levels.  Subsequently, this design results in a smoother increase in fan speed which fairly inaudible.  During idle phases, the fan spins at approximately 700rpm and cannot be heard.  Higher load at 50% increases this number to 1000rpm and 100% load reaches a climax of 2300rpm.  In basic terms, the preset fan curve is engineered to reduce the ripple effect and eliminate audio interference.  The fan setting is accompanied by a +12v rail design which maintains a gradual application of wattage.

Conclusion – Is It Worth Your Money?

The Silverstone Strider Essential 80+ Gold is quiet, efficient and feels exceptionally well-made given the very reasonable asking price of £49.99. Furthermore, I was impressed with the consistent power delivery and fairly inaudible fan. In technical terms, the power output on a 12v rail is 672 watts which should provide enough power for most customers. Without a shadow of doubt, this is the best budget power supply on the market today and I cannot recommend it enough.