Be Quiet! Dark Power Pro 850W

Be Quiet! Dark Power Pro 850W

Manufacturer: Be Quiet!
UK Price (as reviewed): £139.99 (inc. VAT)

We've been instructed to inform everyone that serious German company, Be Quiet! is supposed to have a small "b" and small "q"; presumably, this is because capital letters equate to SHOUTING and that would be against company policy. Sadly, this messes with our style guide and so we're playing devil's advocate - we'll probably get our ears clipped next time we meet the company's representatives. That's something we relish, so bring it on.

Anyway, the Dark Power Pro.

You'll only buy the modular Dark Power in the UK - the non-modular straight power obviously has more immature and humorous connotations with sexual orientation that don't align to the ever present willy waving contests of forum signatures and events at LAN parties (so I hear) and the fact most people prefer modular PSUs because they're more convenient.

We originally recommended the 650W (and have continued to do so) because it is actually silent while maintaining a great efficiency with solid rails at a reasonable price. The same fan and PSU profile exists in the 850W, with only the internals buffed up to handle the extra load. However, without a notably faster fan or higher efficiency, we were curious whether the Dark Power could withstand the heat.


The box is well sized although the PSU doesn't come particularly well protected in foam - in fact there's not even bubble wrap surrounding it - instead Be Quiet! opts for tidy cardboard compartments containing the cables surrounding the PSU. These are easily extracted using the two finger holes. Very nice, but a bit of cushioning would make the journey to the front door a little softer having witnessed some of the courier fails that turn up on our doorsteps.


Inside there are the bundles of modular cables, the glossy multi-language manual, case screws, thumbscrews and some Velcro and zip ties. The manual is actually really quite informative - listing rail divisions, cable lengths, typical ripple, clear warnings and limitations of the product (in red ink). The Velcro and thumbscrews are a nice free addition too - Be Quiet! likes to labour on the extras and realises that despite being modular they are still relevant to people wanting tidy cases.