ASUS ROG is known for producing excellent products. And today, our ASUS ROG Thor 850W Platinum PSU review will give you just that.
The ROG Thor 850W Platinum PSU is the very first power supply that’s been offered to us by ASUS. It’s also one of the very few that they’ve ever created.
But needless to say, we’re extremely curious about what they have in store for us. So, we’re checking out all the essentials about the product here in our ASUS ROG Thor 850W Platinum PSU review.
ASUS ROG Thor 850W Platinum PSU Packaging
Our ROG Thor 850W Platinum PSU came in a typical-looking ASUS ROG box. In front, it’s similar to other ROG-based products like their motherboards, where an image of the product is being displayed.
Of course, the unit and company’s name is present, as well as the main features of the PSU. We find it interesting that the image of the PSU has a glossy feel to it.
On this area of the box, it’s good to note the Lambda A+ rating mixed with a collection of badges. This specific rating is for noise output from the PSU under loads.
Flipping the box, the rear exhibits more details about the product. There are a number of images that showcase the PSU’s parts, while information on these are present as well. The company even included a couple of its features which we think is extremely useful.
Other than these details, you’ll also find a couple of certification, regulatory, and classification logos along the bottom area.
The box’s flap is where you’ll find the PSU’s specification table. It’s listed together with other details that are written in other languages. This section is also where every inventory control label can be seen.
There isn’t much to see on the sides, other than the name of the PSU written in bold letters.
What’s Inside the ASUS ROG Thor 850W Platinum PSU Box?
Looking inside the box, you’ll find two additional packages to separate all the accessories in an organised manner. One box carries the accessories and cables while the other holds the ROG Thor 850W Platinum PSU.
The PSU is packed well and securely, and that also goes for the accessory box. Speaking of the latter, opening the box reveals semi-opaque bags that carry all the needed accessories of the product.
Other than the ROG Thor 850W Platinum PSU, the package includes a quick start guide, twelve zip ties, plus cable combs. You’ll also find four Velcro straps, four PSU screws, a voucher for Cablemod cables, plus an ROG Eye case badge.
We highly appreciate ASUS for including all the necessary accessories to start using the PSU immediately. So that’s what we did after receiving the package. We set it up, switched it on, then tried it out for our ASUS ROG Thor 850W Platinum PSU review.
But let’s talk about its performance later on and focus on its design and functions first.
ASUS ROG Thor 850W Platinum PSU Review – Design and Functionality
The first thing that came to mind when we saw the ROG Thor 850W Platinum PSU was it looked rugged. It sports angular shapes and aggressive edges which aim to attract gamers around.
With its form and design, the PSU looks built and tough enough to take a beating. This only means that the product will surely last a long time.
On its side, you can clearly see the ROG logo which looks great combined with the PSU’s external design. And if you compare this 850W model with the 1200W model, it’s a bit smaller in form. Specifically, it measures 160 x 150 x 86mm.
Since it has a more compact form, you can easily fit it into a variety of cases.
You will see the LED screen on the PSU’s side, and this shows the power used when it’s running. For the modular bay, it’s well-laid out and labelled for easy installation.
For the other side, you’ll see a connector used for the AURA RGB. There’s also a power button and a button for toggling the semi-passive operation mode. Additionally, a huge fan is concealed behind a mesh of grills found along the top.
Now inside the ASUS ROG Thor 850W Platinum PSU, you’ll notice a Power Logic 135mm fan. And to be specific, it’s a double-ball bearing unit under the PLA-13525-B12M model.
The Thor units from ROG are based on the Seasonic Prime-Ultra Platinum platform and are designed with extremely high standards. And this is something always to be expected from Seasonic.
Its OLED screen is a modification made by ASUS which shows the present power draw. The data is sent to the screen and is handled by a microcontroller. In addition, this new platform also allows addressable RGB lights which can be managed through a compatible board.
There are other changes made and these include the supersized heatsinks and preceding double-ball bearing fan. Having these heatsinks means that ASUS aims to make the product function with lower overall noise. This is always a welcomed feature for such products.
All heavy power transfers to various parts of the board are sent via the PCB. Only the fan circuits utilise a couple of wires.
Also, most filtering for this PSU is controlled by polymer capacitors with a couple of electrolytic caps that offer the needed capacity. This is to deal with and handle changes in quick transient loads.
The first section of the transient filter is along the AC receptacle and includes two Y and X caps. It goes along the primary PCB with two Y caps and one X cap.
A MOV helps protect against surges through the mains grid. The main Japanese Capacitor is 105C – 820uf 400V-rated, while bulk capacitors are from Hitachi.
We love the soldering quality for the PSU, and it’s something expected from the platform.
It’s also important to learn about the PSU’s key features. So, we’re looking into those next in our ASUS ROG Thor 850W Platinum PSU review.
Key Features of the ASUS ROG Thor 850W Platinum PSU
Innovative PSU
The ROG Thor 850W Platinum may be the company’s first PSU but it’s packed with innovation. It features RGB illumination for customisation and an OLED panel for monitoring your rig. Inside, there are high-quality capacitors, large heatsinks, and a 135mm fan.
With all these features, the ROG Thor 850W Platinum has won certifications PC enthusiasts look for. It’s an excellent PSU for those who need optimal performance.
Aura Sync
The ROG Thor 850W Platinum features customisable RGB LEDs. It’s also compatible with the Aura Sync ecosystem which lets you synchronise lighting effects across your other peripherals and components.
OLED Panel
The ROG Thor 850W Platinum is the first PSU for computers to feature a built-in OLED panel. This provides you with a power draw display to show how much power your rig uses.
Wing-blade Fan
The ROG Thor 850W Platinum has a 135mm Platinum Logic fan that provides optimal cooling to maximise component lifespan. These fans are IPX-5 dust-resistant to keep them spinning freely.
The 0dB technology uses sensors to allow the fans to automatically switch off completely at lower wattages. This results in totally silent operation.
ROG Heatsink
The PSU’s integrated ROG heatsinks have twice the volume of traditional designs. As a result, it offers 20% lower temperatures for the ROG Thor 850W’s interior and extends the components’ lifespan.
With low temperatures, the PSU also operates with 0dB noise levels for longer periods than conventional designs. Since the heatsinks are effective and the fan noise doesn’t exceed 20dB, this PSU achieved the LAMBDA A+ certification.
80 PLUS Platinum Certified
The ROG Thor 850W Platinum comes with top-notch Japanese capacitors for efficient operation. These capacitors have earned the 80 PLUS Platinum certification that guarantees efficiency at all loads. The PSU’s higher efficiency offers less heat, reduced fan noise, and more reliability.
Sleeved Cables
ASUS included high-quality standard and sleeved cables. The sleeved cables include two 8-pin CPU cables, two 6+2-pin PCIe cables, one 24-pin cable. The PSU also comes with an RGB connector that links to the addressable RGB header on ASUS motherboards.
The two PCIe power cables feature embedded capacitors to lessen voltage ripple.
10-year Warranty
ASUS is confident with the ROG Thor 850W Platinum’s reliability, that’s why it comes with a 10-year warranty.
Let’s move on to the different specifications of the PSU in our ASUS ROG Thor 850W Platinum PSU review.
Specifications
The Thor 850W Platinum PSU has an ATX12V Intel specification and an 80Plus Platinum efficiency. Its protection features include OPP, SCP, OVP, OCP, and OTP.
This PSU comes with an AC input range of 100 – 240V ac. When it comes to the DC output Voltage, it is +5V, +3.3V, -12V, +12V, and +5Vsb. Max load is at 71A, 20A, 0.3A, and 3A, while the total output is 852W.
Now, it’s that time in our ASUS ROG Thor 850W Platinum PSU review where we focus on the product’s performance.
Hands-on with the ASUS ROG Thor 850W Platinum PSU
To see what the ROG Thor 850W Platinum can deliver, we tried a variety of activities during our tests. First, we did average day-by-day activities like browsing the internet, writing articles, listening to music, and watching Youtube videos.
The ROG Thor 850W Platinum also managed to provide us with 960W before shutting down. This was 110W higher than the rated specifications.
Gaming was the most demanding activity that we did in terms of electricity consumption and computer processing power. So, we tried using the PSU while playing to see how well it performed.
We also tried games that had greater requirements to see how the system would handle it. Here, we saw that the ROG Thor 850W PSU was powerful enough to provide sufficient power for our system.
The highest wattage that we recorded during our time using the PSU was 236W.
While we continued observing the PSU for our ASUS ROG Thor 850W Platinum PSU review, we realised something. The product is extremely quiet thanks to the excellent and high-efficiency heatsinks. Even on heavy load, it was able to stay non-aggressive which is pretty cool.
Yet when we reached close to full load, that’s when we noticed a bit of fan noise. But don’t worry, it wasn’t alarming at all so it’s still basically quiet.
Throughout the time we tested the product, we can confirm that the ROG Thor 850W Platinum is an excellent performer. We never had big issues while trying it out, and we didn’t experience any lack of power.
It was able to do its job well and we were satisfied with how it performed. So, we’re highly recommending this PSU.
ASUS ROG Thor 850W Platinum PSU Review Summary
For their first PSU, ASUS ROG’s Thor 850W Platinum is an impressive PSU. It’s well-built, powerful, and reliable even under heavy loads. Plus, it comes with innovative features like the OLED display for easy monitoring of power usage and its customisable RGB.
During our tests, it delivered excellent performance while operating quietly. The PSU also maintained low temperatures which made it more impressive. We liked the OLED display that consistently showed the system’s power consumption.
The ROG Thor 850W Platinum is among the excellent power supply units today. It comes with great aesthetics, performance, and lots of practical features that are ideal for gaming and other demanding uses. If you’re using a single GPU system and want excellent power delivery with silent performance, this is a reliable PSU.
If you’re looking for a PSU that offers solid performance, the ROG Thor 850W Platinum might just be for you. Since we were satisfied with this PSU’s performance and features, we’re highly recommending it. Check out the company’s store locator to find authorised shops that sell this PSU.
