Revised Power Supply Assessment: SAMA P1200 Platinum Edition

The P1200, the latest addition to SAMA's flagship P-series, has made its entry into the 1200-watt Platinum efficiency market segment. This power supply unit (PSU) boasts an impressive 80 Plus Platinum certification and a comprehensive 10-year warranty, reflecting SAMA's commitment to quality and reliability.

SAMA, a company specialising in the manufacturing and designing of computer cases, power supplies, CPU coolers, fans, and gaming accessories, has built a strong worldwide online and offline sales system over the past 20 years.

Under hot test conditions, the P1200 maintains good electrical performance with little efficiency reduction. With an average nominal load efficiency of 90.7% at 115 VAC and 92.1% at 230 VAC, it delivers great power output quality. Maximum ripple levels are kept low, at only 42 mV on the 12V rail, 22 mV on the 5V rail, and 20 mV on the 3.3V rail.

The P1200 features a fully modular cable design with high-quality flat, ribbon-style cables. The Globe fan, used for thermal management, remains silent until reaching 60% load and maintains relatively low RPM while delivering exceptional thermal performance. However, under elevated ambient conditions, the fan response becomes more aggressive, with operation beginning at 30% load. This thermal design appears optimised for reliability over absolute acoustics performance.

The internal temperature management of the P1200 is exemplary throughout testing, maintaining very low component temperatures at the expense of the unit's acoustic output. The Over Current Protection activates at 155% for the 3.3V rail, 154% for the 5V rail, and 140% for the 12V rail, while Over Power Protection triggers at 144% under hot conditions.

All capacitors in the P1200 are sourced from the renowned Japanese manufacturers Unicon and Rubycon, ensuring high-quality components. The unit measures 150mm in length, making it a suitable fit for most standard cases.

The SAMA P1200's MSRP is set at $190, positioning it as a competitive offering in the high-end power supply market. With its exceptional efficiency performance under cold testing conditions, its 10-year warranty, and its commitment to quality and reliability, the P1200 is a strong choice for power-hungry PC builds.