Testing (continued):
The next set of results were obtained from the Seasonic Power Angel while the idle and load testing already described was being executed. This device takes a look at the AC power being provided to the 1200W Tuniq unit as compared to the results from the 1250W Cooler Master unit under the same conditions.
In the first portion of the two paned chart we see that the power factor values are similar, but neither is approaching 99% as advertised. This is due to the fact that despite everything I have thrown at this unit, it still isn't approaching 100% full load. Not only does the power factor value suffer from running at less than a full load, the advertised efficiency of 86-87% can not be achieved, either. The second value shown in this first pane details the amperage on the 120VAC line. I have obviously done a better job loading this system than on any other PSU review, as I have never gotten the amperage values up this high. Of interest is that the Tuniq unit requires 0.12A (or about 2.5%) less, which is a small but welcome improvement in efficiency.
The second half of the chart of Power Angel data shows the wattage (W) and apparent wattage (VA). The first note on these values is that they should not be confused with the DC wattage being put out to the components in the system. This is AC wattage coming from the electrical outlet, and is by far the most I have seen on one of my computer systems.
While the values are quite high, what we can see is that the Tuniq unit is a bit more efficient, requiring about 13 Watts (or about 2.5%) less than the Cooler Master unit. If I were to somehow have this system loaded up like this 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, I would save about $17.08 in electricity in one year (based on my current rate of 15 cents per kilowatt-hour). Not a huge savings, but the Cooler Master unit is no slouch when it comes to energy efficiency. Compare these units to some from a few years ago when energy efficiency wasn't such a big concern and you could easily achieve greater savings.
Along the same lines of the high efficiency, I found that the Tuniq Ensemble really didn't get all that hot in use. The exhaust air was warm, but nothing out of the ordinary. And it apparently didn't exceed 50C, as the fan never stayed on after the system was shut down.
