Topower PowerBird Series Power Supplies

The PowerBird PSUs come in at 900 and 1100 watts. This puts these power supplies firmly in upper-end market where weaknesses are identified quickly. But how does the PowerBird with its Blackbird heritage and impressive feature list fare when you put it to work? Let’s find out!

Introduction

Topower Computer Industrial Co., Ltd has been a large supplier of PSUs under both their own label and through contract production for other brands since 1986. Topower can be found providing OEM services for a number of brands including various Tagan, BFG, Mushkin, ePower, and Spire products among a number of others. When new higher wattage power supplies start hitting the market Topower can usually be found among them. However, being early to market isn't always a blessing and at times Topower units have struggled and other times it has had successes. This is most easily seen in our recent ABS/Tagan BZ800 and ITZ1300 reviews. Today, however, we have the opportunity to look at Topower's newest retail offerings under its own label in the “PowerBird” series. Currently, the PowerBird series is represented by a 900w and an 1100w model (TOP-900w and TOP-1100w), both of which we will be looking at today.

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PowerBird or Turkey?

While our previous experiences with Topower OEM products have been decided mixed, and particularly less than stellar when we get above 800 watts, the PowerBird represents a new product line that bears a striking similarity to the power supplies in the HP Blackbird, which you almost have to assume are quality units. So, today we have the opportunity to see what these newer high powered Topower units have to offer in the extremely competitive ~1000w market that their predecessors did not. Given the large number of very good units from a variety of OEM's that now inhabit this 1000w realm, how does the PowerBird series distinguish itself from the rest of the units on the market?

Dual main transformers

Balance load sharing

Best for high watt design

12V generted(sic) from both transformers

Cable Management

Flexible to plug in any bridge

6 sets of 12V rails design

Eliminate clutter and improve airflow inside the case

Fiber PCB with double layers

Best flexural strength and dimensional stability

Up to 150ºC utilization temperature

PowerGood LED Indicator

Selftest for normal operation

Mirror - effect coating

Titanium-like mirror coating

Nano technology for shielding EMI

S2M Adapters

Convert SATA connectors to regular molex 4pin

Flexible to use for sorting cable

Certainly most of those talking points are things that have been done by various other units at one point or another, but it is the combination off all these points that, if done well, could result in a solid option for enthusiasts in the ~1000w range. Moving on let’s see what we can expect when a user purchases a member of the Topower PowerBird series at retail in terms of documentation, accessories, cable count, rail layout, output characteristics, and general build quality.