ASUS ROG Thor 850W & 1200W PSU Review
Introduction - The Power of ROG
Published: 16th December 2018 | Source: ASUS ROG | Price: |
Introduction
While some will argue that innovation is dead in the PSU market, it is also arguable that the PSU market is where we need new competitors the most, a new spark of creativity to take things to a whole new level. Yes, companies can continue to push for higher efficiency rating and cleaner power, but there are other ways of improving a product.
ASUS' and their Republic of Gamers Sub-brand are entering the high-end PSU market, hoping to bring to the table unparalleled build quality and a stylistic flair that is almost completely missing from the market. Yes, we have seen a few power supplies with multi-coloured lighting in the past, but nothing else comes close to what ROG has brought to the table with their Thor series of PSU.
In recent years, most new case designs hide power supplies under a shroud, leaving them unseen inside most new builds. ASUS' believes that if you buy a PSU from them, you will want to put it on display. ROG has placed a lot of effort into making their units as appealing as possible, even going so far as to create their own internal heatsinks, which appear to be similar to their high-end motherboards and come with ROG series branding to boot.
Today we will be looking at ASUS' ROG Thor 850W and 1200W power supplies, two units that ooze premium from every facet of their being. It would be a crime to place either model under a PSU shroud, as ASUS fully intends for their PSUs to be shown to the masses.
Specifications
We will start with ASUS' unique selling points, the first of which being the ROG brand itself. We know that plenty of PC builders love to match their components to a single brand when possible, making the Thor series the only option available if you are shopping with the ROG brand in mind. The ROG brand is amongst the most popular amongst PC gamers, so it shouldn't be discounted as a selling point out of hand.
Now, this is a review; we will need more than a brand logo to convince us to recommend a product. We know all too well that every brand has a dud product every now and then. The real USPs (Unique Selling Points) of the ROG Thor series is their integration of AURA Sync lighting, which can be controlled via ASUS Aura Sync and the use of an OLED panel to measure power draw, neither of which are common features in the PSU market.
On the inside, ASUS boasts a design that uses 100% Japanese Capacitors, ASUS' patented Wing-Blade fan design with 0dB technology and an integrated heatsink solution that is said to offer 2x more volume than competing designs and offer 20% lower load temperatures. ASUS claims that these features will give their PSUs an extended lifespan, which is why the company offers a 10-year warranty for their core components (more on that later).
Both ASUS' 850W and 1200W Thor series power supplies offer an 80+ Platinum efficiency rating and fit inside the industry standard ATX specification, with the only major difference in each unit's specifications being their wattage and their length, with the 850W model being 160mm long while the 1200W model is 30mm longer.
Most Recent Comments
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Originally Posted by AlienALX
Great review, and bonus points for making up the term "Roggy"
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| In short, we think ASUS needs to lower the price of their 1200W model. At its current pricing, it is hard not to recommend exploring other options, leaving the ROG Thor 1200W as a unit that is only for the most ardent of ROG fans. |
Even a 1000W would be catered more towards enthusiast markets. 1200W just makes no sense to me at all.Quote
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Originally Posted by Dicehunter
Whatever you do, Do not drop 1 of these PSU's on your foot, Otherwise you're going to have a thor toe.....
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They spend the night in a hotel making love.. The next morning he decides to formally introduce himself..
"Hi, I'm Thor!" he says. She replies..
"You're thor? I'm so thor I can't pith"Quote
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