Introduction
Lian Li is launching a new Performance SFX Form Factor Power Supply today! With an MSRP of $149.99, the SP850 is a fully modular 850 Watt SFX power supply with 80 PLUS GOLD efficiency, a classy white brushed aluminum housing, and braided cables. What’s more, this is the first SFX PSU to provide the new 12-pin PCIe 5.0 12VHPWR adapter for 350W-400W power delivery according to Lian Li.
Lian Li requires virtually no introduction as their cases are legendary and exceedingly popular in the enthusiast realm. Lian Li was founded in 1983 and has spent most of that time developing the outstanding Aluminum cases they are now known for. However, recently they have also begun branding power supplies and with their stellar reputation in the case development arena their power supply offerings are sure to catch the eye of customers. The Lian Li SP850 is produced in conjunction with Helly Electronics.
Helly Technology (Guangzhou) Co. Ltd is a manufacturer of various power supply types and components mostly focused on LED power supplies and peripherals. Having been founded in 2008 they are also one of the newer OEMs providing products to the enthusiast sector.
To date, we have only rarely seen their products in very low-end products that are not what we would normally look at for higher-end systems with serious power demands. In fact, very few of their products have made it into the North American market and those that have, typically, do not warrant much attention other than to avoid. Today though, it seems that Helly may be trying to provide a more robust set of power supply products for the North American market.
Lian Li SP850
The Lian Li SP850 is the 11th SFX unit we have seen here at TheFPSReview and the second unit from Lian Li. This particular unit is probably a bit more interesting than most of the SFX units we saw since this unit is coming at 850W and it is the first unit we have seen with the new 12-pin PCIe 5.0 12VHPWR adapter, which splits into two 8-pin connectors to the PSU. An SFX unit is the first power supply that we have seen with this adapter, let that sink in for a moment.
So, Lian Li isn’t just stepping up their game when it comes to connectivity and powering next-generation GPU’s they are aiming to go right to the top! Will their game truly be top-notch though? Well, before we get too far ahead of ourselves, let’s first see what Lian Li has to say about this unit:
SP850 achieves 91.55% efficiency 115VAC at 50% load, which edges close to the 80PLUS PLATINIUM a requirement at 92% efficiency 115VAC at 50%, ensuring less power wastage. To achieve minimal acoustic levels, the SP850 features a 92mm hydraulic bearing fan that operates at zero RPM mode until the PSU reaches 40% load or once the ambient temperature reaches 60°C. Premium Japanese electrolytic capacitors provide great durability and long-term reliability, as well as offer the highest stability. A PCIe 5.0 12-pin power connector is included, which is 16 AWG thick to transfer 350W- 400W and doesn’t need the use of an adaptor for the up-to-date GPUs.
Let’s move on now and see what we can expect when a user purchases the Lian Li SP850 power supply in retail in terms of documentation, accessories, cable count, rail layout, output characteristics, and general build quality.
Official specifications and documentation provided by Lian Li are shown below. Note that the specification for the 12-pin 12VHPWR connector is wrong in the marketing material, Lian Li is aware of this and will be updating the material with the correct info.
The 12VHPWR power cable adapter is actually a 12-pin variety, and it connects via two 8-pin PCIe connectors to the PSU. Lian Li claims 350W-400W over this cable, due to their 16AWG wire construction. Technically this will run the power supply side 8-pin PCIe connectors out of spec, as the ATX spec specifies 150W power delivery from each 8-pin PCIe connector making for a total power draw of just 300W if it were in spec. The power supply can deliver that much power and more over the PCIe PSU side connectors, out of spec, but it will be up to the cable to support that much power well.
