Thermaltake Smart BX1 RGB 650w Power Supply Review

A Closer Look

The front of the packaging carries that bold black and red branding which Thermaltake is getting very well known for. It includes all of the key features that you would want to know from your power supply. In addition, it also has a nice large, bold, image of the power supply itself with the RGB lighting in its full glory.

The back of the box is again fantastic in terms of the information it provides. You literally have everything you could want to know here. It’s also a great factor that Thermaltake providers both the efficiency rating charts (something that many manufacturers tend to not bother with), the output voltages as well as a full diagram (with pictures) of the cables included.

Given that this is a non-modular power supply, the latter choice is a great idea so users can make sure that this power supply is right for them.

The side of the packaging details Thermaltakes Patented 256 colour RGB fan system. As above, having RGB effects on a power supply is something unique to Thermaltake and a branding they are looking to push very hard with their products. As with all other parts of the packaging though, the information is nice, clear and easy to read.

RGB Lighting Effects

We could try and explain the RGB lighting effects, but it’s easier just to show you. We have taken a brief video showing some of the RGB effect modes through their cycle. This will clearly look better when in a dark system, but the video should at least give you an idea as to what to expect from the Thermaltake Smart Bx1 RGB Power Supply. For the sake of clarity, we should note that we were manually colour cycling during this video, but there are other options available.

Whats In The Box?

The power supply itself is very well presented with both the Thermaltake logo and product branding. As this is a non-modular power supply its hard for the cables to not draw your attention. In that regard though, the sleek black cabling actually takes them very pleasant to look at. In addition, it becomes clear straight away that you are provided with all the cables you could need for the average gaming system. While it will not be found wanting, you will not have masses of redundant cables either!

The power supply itself is reasonably lightweight and looks exceptionally durable. On the base of the power supply you will also find the rail voltage information which is nice to have directly on the power supply.

The Thermaltake Smart BX1 RGB power supply does not have any hybrid or passive cooling. That hasn’t, however, stopped them from trying to promote airflow as best as possible. On the top and rear of the PSU, there are huge vents which should allow for a decent airflow to all of the key components inside.

The design of the rear of the power supply is a definite highlight as the large vents allow for the best possible exhaust. There is very little space that isn’t used here for either switches or venting and that should help keep the power supply nice and cool. On the rear, you will find the main power switch as well as the button cycle controller for the RGB lighting effects.

In terms of presentation and exterior build, there’s very little to fault with the Thermaltake Smart Bx1 RGB Power Supply. Let us, therefore, have a look inside to see if it is equally as good!

Interior

Despite this being a reasonably inexpensive power supply, Thermaltake still takes great care in terms of their internal design. A factor we have gotten to appreciate very well from many of their products. All of the chips and capacitors are well spaced and organised. With the 2 main heat syncs sitting directly beneath the fan, this should also help promote keeping temperatures nice and cool.

The only place where things are a little messy is the soldering to the power input. This, however, is still far better than what we have seen from other brands.

All interior components have been well spaced out with a clear eye for a tidy design here. Not only does this make the cooler look very professionally built, it should also help promote airflow between all of the hot parts. As we know with anything electrical, the cooler it is, the happier it will run!

Due to the design, it was difficult getting a clear photograph of the main capacitor. We can, however, confirm that as this says on the box, this is a Japanese made capacitor. Nichicon is the brand just in case you were wondering. This brand is well known for their excellent products and reliability and is a fantastic choice for any power supply.

We should at this point be clear that it is only the main capacitor that is Japanese. Given that this is the hardest working part of the electrics though, this is a good thing to see. Particularly again in an inexpensive power supply.

In regards to the system fan, the model installed in this cooler is the TT-1225. This is a reasonably common fan used by Thermaltake (particularly throughout their ‘Smart’ range) and has always proved to be a solid and reliable performer.

Important – Please Read

To understand the results on the new few pages, please take the time to read our detailed testing methodology page. The next page of this review will help you understand what the results of our testing mean, and educate you on the various qualities we look for in a good PSU.