Last time we reviewed a power supply here at TechIMO, we looked at the now mid-range Zeus model from Silverstone. Today we are examining Silverstone's latest top-tier 600-watt power supply, dubbed the Strider ST60F. The naming scheme is not as elaborate compared to the Zeus that we previously reviewed, but the ST60F posts some impressive specs: nVidia SLI certification, powerful output, and an extra perk with its modular cable design. To gain a better understanding of the Silverstone ST60F, we will stack it up against the popular Antec TruePower 2.0 550EPS12V.
 
Marketing Hype

Taking the modular power supply design to the limit, the ST60F combines a core based on the highly acclaimed Zeus ST65ZF and a quiet running 120mm fan to create a truly fantastic package. With 600W of continuous power output at 50°C, it is the industry’s first EPS12V modular power supply and also an excellent choice for high-end desktop systems with dual graphics cards. Housed in an all new environmentally friendly casing and offering the highest number of cables of any power supplies in its class, the ST60F is without a doubt, the new benchmark for enthusiast power supplies.

Comparison Testing
 
This time around for the reviewing I chose not to open the power supply for a few reasons. Everyone knows that great power supplies are traditionally heavy due to the capacitors, electrical circuitry, heatsinks, and other internal components. Shipping weight for the modular Silverstone ST60F is about eight pounds. When I first observed up the ST60F, I figured it could not be heavier than the quality-built Antec TruePower 2.0 550EPS12V, but I was completely taken off guard by the massive weight of the Silverstone offering.

The Silverstone ST60F is massive, but luckily the modular design does offer a weight and case space savings by eliminating unneeded cables. Everything is perfectly labeled and cable orientations are clearly defined. The best part about the cables is they are industry standard, therefore you can easily replace the cables unlike some other proprietary modular designs.

It is immediately evident the Silverstone Zeus ST52F provides a wealth of connectors for practically any modern system configuration. I actually ran out of molex power connectors when setting up my computer using the Antec, whereas the Silverstone had too many, which is always a good thing for a modular power supply. The quad 12-volt rails are a nice touch, giving the Silverstone ST60F a combined total of 55 amps, while the compared Antec TruePower 2.0 550EPS12V offers only 38 amps.
 
System as Tested
 
Nowadays everyone should be moving forward to dual-core processing and this test bed does not shy away from that ideal.

Everest was used to measure voltage levels, as Motherboard Monitor does not support the test system motherboard. Stress testing included: Guild Wars rendering in a 1024x768 window, Super Pi in a 16M loop, Find-A-Drug running two instances, and DVD Shrink ripping a movie from disc. During the course of the gaming session and general computing usage, slowdowns could be felt during window switching, but overall the computer held up and did not crash. Screenshots of Everest were taken at one minute intervals.

Antec Performance

Silverstone Performance

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Final Thoughts
 
The voltages on both power supplies fell within acceptable tolerance levels, and no instabilities occurred. Looking at the screen shots, one may think the +5V and +2.5V rails are somewhat skewed. Sadly, this is a known limitation when using software monitoring, but checking the voltages directly from the BIOS indicated the voltages were well within normal expectations. Ultimately, all power supplies should only be tested using a quality digital multimeter, which is an universal testing practice we plan to introduce in the immediate future.

Just like our previously tested Silverstone unit, the ST60F held tight voltages, even while under load. I originally purchased the Antec TruePower 2.0 550EPS12V for $160 for comparison testing, though pricing has recently dropped to slightly above $100, while the Silverstone is currently averaging around $160 at most vendors. Accounting for the additional cost, the Silverstone offers several key advantages: modular cables, every cable is weaved, plenty of molex connectors,  four 12-volt rails, and stable operating voltages. While it is certainly not the cheapest 600-watt power supply to be found, the Silverstone ST60F is without a doubt a potent and reliable solution for today's latest power-hungry desktop configurations.

Pros: Powerful circuitry Stable voltages Modular cables Numerous connectors Cons: 5-volt amperage

Overall Rating: 9.0/10 (higher is better) Manufacturer Info: Homepage: Silverstonetek Pricing:       ~ $160 + s/h