I-Star TC-750PD2 750 Watt Power Supply Review

     I-Star has been providing high end rackmount chassis and power supplies for the server market since 1989.  Recently they have expanded their commercial power line to include a growing line of ATX PS2 switching power supplies.  The TC-750PD2 750W power supply is the top dog in their PD2 high performance line.  Can they bring the same level of performance to your high end PC?  Lets take a closer look!

     Our review sample came in a plain brown box providing no hint on retail packaging to go by.  Actually from a company best known for server supplies, the plain box is oddly reassuring.  I know every dime is going into the power supply.

     The TC-750PD2 ships with the standard power cables and mounting screws.  No frills here.  It is often believed that you can determine the quality of the power supply by its weight.  Well, this sucker is heavy!

     The outside of the TC-750PD2 is finished in a shiny polished aluminum that is nearly completely bare.  With so many manufacturers covering every outer surface with stickers, the simple reflective surface is refreshing.

     The back is dominated by the 80 mm cooling fan.  I am sure by now you have noticed this is the only active cooling method offered.

     This venting and the visible heat sink stack provide the rest of the cooling effort.  After so many single 120 mm and multiple fan solutions, I am surprised to see no additional cooling in a 750 W power supply.  The data sheet on the I-Star site reveals a tested temperature range of 0 to ~50 ( I assume this must be Celsius).

     There is no shortage of cabling to the TC-750PD2.  With support for all the current motherboard connectors we have 20, 24, 8 and 4 pin runs. Two different SATA runs provide support for 4 SATA devices.  In addition there is support for 6x 12v Molex, SLI video and 1 floppy drive.  Sadly the only cable sleeved is the main power run.

     Lets take a closer look at those rails.  Your eyes are not playing tricks on you, there really are 4 dedicated +12 V rails!  The advantages of added dedicated rails include stronger stability and lower thermal dissipation.  With 750 Watts and 4 dedicated +12V rails you should have more than enough power to spare on even the hungriest system build.

Features:

• 750 Watts Total Output Power
• Over Power Protection
• Over Voltage Protection
• Short Circuits Protection
• Quad Dedicated 12V Rails
• 16ms Hold Up Time
• Dual Video Card Ready
• Universal AC Input with Active PFC
• High Efficiency ≥ 80%
• I-Star Power 5 Year Warranty

Specifications:

Output: