Conclusion
The Lian Li SP750 is the first Lian Li power supply we have seen here at TheFPSReview. Making things a bit more challenging today is the fact that this unit is a teeny tiny SFX power supply. In the past, Lian Li has marketed power supplies but they are better known for their excellent chassis. So, while PSUs have not been their biggest product segment, Lian Li is known for quality products. This gives us a lot of hope today! However, hope is not all that you need to have a quality power supply. So, does this unit stack up to the high marks of the Lian Li reputation, or does it come up a bit short? Let’s see.
Build Quality
Today’s Lian Li SP750 starts things off with a build quality that is very good for what it is. The exterior represents a clear link to Lian Li products of the past. This is particularly clear with the finish on this unit which is more of a brushed black aluminum finish like you would find on of their high-end chassis rather than the flat back or textured black finish we usually see on PSU’s.
We also see FlexForce cables and individually sleeved cables. Generally, individually sleeved cables look cool to some people but are quite pointless and only make a mess. However, on this unit that isn’t exactly the case because with an SFX-appropriate set of cables the length is short enough that they remain stiff enough to not tangle terribly. Not everything is perfect in the end, however, as the Lian Li branding is applied with a sticker. Why? You were doing so well!!!!!
The integration is remarkably clean for how small and crowded this unit is. The component selection includes Nippon Chemi-con standard electrolytics and a hydraulic bearing fan. Now, on the questionable side are the solid capacitors as they are not ones I can place exactly which is not a great feeling (that said if you know these feel free to email me). The documentation with this unit is not very detailed, but the warranty is 5 years.
Load Testing
Today’s Lian Li SP750 started off testing in very good shape. We saw voltage regulation of up to 0.09v on the 12v rail, 0.04v on the 5v rail, and 0.05v on the 3.3v rail. These values are very good in an absolute sense and only slightly behind the SilverStone SX750 simply because of the 12v rail. In addition to that, we saw efficiency that ranged from 87.92% to 90.38% efficient at 120v AC input and 85.90% to 89.72% efficient at 100v AC input. These numbers would be very good for any unit, but this is not just any unit it is a 750W SFX unit.
When we look at the Transient Load Tests results for the Lian Li SP750, we see that the results are good to excellent. When directly loaded, the 12v rail showed a peak change of ~400mV, and the 5v rail had a peak change of ~20mV. During the 12v load, the unloaded 5v rail saw a peak change of ~20mV. In absolute terms, these results are very good, but in relative terms, these numbers are even more so as this unit is an SFX offering. This unit is also very comparable to the SilverStone SX750 here but does trail that unit by a bit when it comes to the 12v rail.
DC Output Quality
The DC Output Quality results for the Lian Li SP750 were very good. We saw peak ripple/noise values of just ~40mV of ripple/noise on the 12v rail, ~15mV on the 5v rail, and ~15mV on the 3.3v rail. These values are well within specification limits and that means, at a minimum, that these results are good in absolute terms. In relative terms, these results put this unit better than the SilverStone SX750. So, we have a very good unit here today.
Noise
Today’s Lian Li SP750 is not a tiny capacity unit, but it is trapped in a tiny enclosure which means that quiet operation might be a bit of a challenge. On top of that, SFX units are often used in situations where noise is a real concern so people are going to cast a very suspicious eye on this unit. On the flip side, this unit does have a hydraulic bearing fan which is a good choice for being quiet.
Overall, the SP750 did a good job in our testing. It was not until Test #4 when this unit was readily apparent in our load testing environment. At that point, it was working very hard and it definitely began to contribute to our load testing environment. This was a little better than what we have seen from some previous SFX units which is commendable. The SFX form factor is a tough one to get the balance of capacity and noise right in though so you have to weigh that when you at these units. Overall then, this unit seems to be very nicely behaved given its capacity and should be a very good option for folks looking for an SFX unit.
Final Points
The Lian Li SP750 is a very good unit that is squeezing a lot of power out of a very small package. The SFX PSU form factor is great for ITX cases, and Lian Li will have some new cases coming out this year. We are happy to see Lian Li enter this power supply market with this great first introduction. The SP750 gave us very good/excellent build quality, very good/excellent voltage regulation, excellent DC Output Quality, and very good/excellent Transient Load results while also being very quiet. So, what are mostly very good/excellent ATX12v/EPS results in an SFX form factor unit going to cost us?
Today, we find that the SP750 is advertised as having an MSRP of $139.99. If this unit can indeed be had for that MSRP then this unit is literally killing the competition. I don’t mean beating them, I mean they take them outside behind the dumpster and beat them with a baseball bat kind of beating. Every single slightly negative thing we found can just be tossed out because that is about $40 less than any competing unit. The Lian Li SP750 is a fit we can recommend for your ITX or small form factor case builds.
Discussion
