Computex 2017 - Day 2

Be Quiet!

Be Quiet! is well known for producing reliable PSUs, and at Computex this year it had a couple of new models to show us.


The Straight Power 11 series of PSUs is, unsurprisingly, set to replace the Straight Power 10 family when it launches in October. The headline feature is wire-free internal design – as you can see in the gut-shot there are no exposed cables on the inside, resulting in better internal airflow, better cooling, and longer component longevity. The topology has been upgraded to an LLC + Synchronous Rectifier + DC-to-DC design, and the PSUs now use all Japanese capacitors rated to 105°C. They've been certified with 80 Plus Gold efficiency, and they're now fully modular as well. Cooling comes courtesy of a 135mm Be Quiet! Silent Wings 3 fan, although it isn't semi-passive. Capacities will be 450W, 550W, 650W, 750W, 850W, and 1,000W, and the Straight Power 11 PSUs will all have a five-year warranty and launch at similar prices to the equivalent Straight Power 10 capacities.


The SFX L Power, meanwhile, is Be Quiet!'s answer to demand for making a PSU that's small, high power, and quiet all at once. Moving to SFX-L allows Be Quiet! to put in a 120mm fan for much quieter cooling. It can be used 'almost anywhere' that an SFX PSU can be used, and the supplied ATX bracket means you can use it wherever an ATX PSU is supported too – useful for saving space. The PSU is fully modular and comes with four PCI-E connectors for multi-GPU support. 80 Plus Gold certification is attached, and the 500W and 600W models are set to launch in August for 109 Euros and 129 Euros including taxes respectively, and they'll have a three-year warranty attached.


Last but not least, Be Quiet! showed off its flagship Dark Base Pro 900 cooler in a limited edition run that sees it come in an all-white design. Each of the 2,000 cases will come with an aluminium, numbered badge, and all the usual features are present: sound-proofed panels, wireless Qi charging, and LED light strips, for example. The tempered glass side panel is clearer now to better match the white finish. It is expected to retail with a premium of around 15 Euros compared to the original.