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Should You Get It?
Review Summary
The ASRock Steel Legend SL1000GW is a reliable power supply with good efficiency and enough power for high-end GPUs. It meets the latest ATX 3.1 standard and comes with a 10-year warranty, which shows ASRock’s trust in its durability. Performance-wise, it does well in efficiency, though its voltage regulation and ripple control are decent but not top-tier. Overall, if you want a solid, future-proof PSU from a well-known brand, this one is worth considering.
Hours Tested: 9
Overall
-
Performance - 8.5/10
8.5/10
-
Build Quality - 9/10
9/10
-
Efficiency - 9.5/10
9.5/10
-
Value - 8/10
8/10
Pros
- Balanced Overall Performance
- iCool Hybrid Fan Feature
- Super Efficiency
Cons
- Voltage regulation and ripple performance not on par with similarly priced offerings from competitors
The new ATX 3.0/3.1 specification from Intel not only disrupted the whole PSU market by forcing manufacturers/OEMs to beef up their PSU platforms to tackle extreme power excursions caused by the latest GPUs & CPUs, it also paved the way for the new players to enter in the PSU market.
ASRock, which has already been a well-known and reputable brand for its several amazing PC products; especially for its motherboards, has now finally decided to join in the PSU master race by offering (as of now) 4 of its innovative PSU lineups; Taichi (Titanium), Phantom Gaming (Gold), Steel Legend (Gold) & Challenger (Semi-Modular Gold).
I am personally excited to take an in-depth look at ASRock Steel Legend SL1000GW because it’s always refreshing to see new brands in this particular segment and how well they maintain their quality compared to others and their own standards.
Key Takeaways
- The ASRock SL-1000GW is the company’s one of the first power supplies with the ATX 3.1 spec. It has a 1000W capacity and features 80+ GOLD and Cybenetics Platinum efficiency certificates.
- You should buy the ASRock SL-1000GW if you’re after exceptional efficiency and want a beautiful, white power supply that offers overall good performance.
- You should not buy the ASRock SL-1000GW if you want the most performance out of your money, as its voltage ripple and regulation are not on par with the competition.
Here are the specifications:
| Specification | Detail |
|---|---|
| 80 PLUS Efficiency | Gold |
| Modular | Fully |
| Total Power | 1000W |
| Cybenetics Efficiency Level | Platinum |
| Cybenetics Noise Level | Lambda A |
| Fan Size | 130mm |
| Protection | OPP, OVP, OPP, OTP, SCP, UVP |
| Dimension (D x W x H) | 150 × 150 × 86 mm |
It is important to remind our readers that the PSUs prior to ATX 3.0 specifications are no longer recommended to be used with the latest and exceedingly power-hungry GPUs such as RTX4090 & RTX5090 for their huge power spikes or power excursions that may very easily exceed 600W! The latest ATX 3.0/3.1 specification makes sure that the PSU has enough horsepower to handle these immense power demands, but also, with the integration of a new 12VHPWR connector (which is now referred to as 12V-2×6 connector) allows a single power cable to safely and conveniently provide upto 600W of power to the GPU. These significant changes are forcing users to upgrade their existing PSUs if they want to run the latest offerings from their beloved hardware brands and to give their builds more future-proof compatibility. – Arsalan Shakil
Packaging & Unboxing
Being a Steel Legend white power supply, we get beautiful white packaging. The box front has plenty of logos and a picture of the PSU itself, highlighting its white design.
At the back, we find more information about the PSU’s cables, key features, efficiency, and specifications.
The unboxing experience is not on par with other PSUs we have reviewed before. I would have appreciated a separate pouch for the accessories and cables. Right now, it feels like they were just shoved into the box next to the power supply, which, thankfully, is in a protective foam.
Design
As far as the design goes, ASRock has done a very good job of making the PSU stand out with its beautiful design. The top has a big grill, and the side has a rather aggressive-looking sticker.
The grill design follows the power side, but this time, the holes are bigger for more ventilation than the top. There is also the iCOOL button, which is ASRock’s way of integrating a hybrid fan mode.
Cable & Connectors
There are no braided cables, but this is not a big deal, especially considering the price. Overall, the cables and connectors are plenty and shouldn’t cause any issues in building a standard ATX PC.
| Connector Type | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Motherboard cable (24-pin) | 1x |
| EPS 12V CPU connectors (4+4-pin) | 2x |
| PCIe5.1 connectors (12+4-pin) Dual Color | 1x |
| PCIe connectors (6+2-pin) | 3x |
| 4-pin Peripheral connectors | 3x |
| SATA 5-pin connectors | 9x |
Here is the modular bay of the power supply. Since it is an ATX 3.1 PSU, we see a 12V-2×6 power connector instead of the 12VHPWR, which was introduced in ATX 3.0
With the ongoing debate and safety for the new 12VHPWR GPU connector where we saw many users end up with burnt 12VHPWR connectors (when the connector is not fully plugged in), ASRock seems to follow what MSI did a while back by painting the 12VHPWR cable a green (MSI painted it yellow). This simple but clever approach helps users figure out whether they have properly inserted the cable into the GPU’s 12V-2×6 connector or not.
Teardown & Component Analysis
ASRock went with HEC for its Steel Legend series PSUs. HEC is the OEM that offers a blend of quality and cost-effectiveness combined. I have seen a similar-looking platform from HEC in Corsair’s RMe PSU lineup which was targeted towards budget cautious gamers. But ASRock with its SL1000GW, didn’t seem to compromise on any of the components and went all-in by opting for 100% Japanese Electrolytic and Polymer capacitors from Nippon Chemi-Con and Rubycon.
Overall the platform seems to have adequate spacing among each section which is always a good sign for better cooling.
A single bulk electrolytic capacitor from Nippon Chemi-Con having only 680uF of capacity in a 1000W PSU is something I have seen for the very first time. New intel ATX 3.1 specifications now have a slight decrease in the allowed hold-up time duration which simply lets OEMs use bulk electrolytic capacitors of much lesser capacity.
Even being a 1000W brick, we don’t see a big pile of aluminium heatsinks. ASRock & HEC must be confident at this point for the efficiency figures (which we will see in our test). There’s a separate heatsink for the bridge rectifier that converts the main AC to DC which later gets boosted to around 390V DC via an APFC boost circuit consisting of 3 MOSFETs, a single boost diode along with a huge Inductor.
There’s an ASRock branded main Transformer responsible for generating 12V rail via LLC resonant converter coupled with two MOSFETs that make Half-Bridge topology. Weirdly enough the ASRock branding can not be seen through the top fan grills of the PSU, maybe this is just an easter egg for us reviewers?
A flat heatsink adjacent to the transformer soaks the heat of surface-mounted MOSFETs that generate 12V.
There’s a vertically mounted PCB that holds DC-DC converters for 5V and 3.3V minor voltage rails, a fan controller, as well as a supervisor IC which provides safety and protection features such as OPP (Over Power Protection), OVP (Over Voltage Protection), OCP (Over Current Protection) etc.
ASRock SL1000GW uses a 135mm HDB (Hydro Dynamic Bearing) fan which ASRock calls Scythe-shaped Striped Blades for enhanced air flow. ASRock Steel Legend PSU lineup also offers the “iCool” feature which is a fancy name for Hybrid Fan Mode which if turned on, only makes the fan spin when the load exceeds a specific threshold (405W to be exact in our test).
PSU Load Testing
Here are the test results.
Voltage Regulation
| Load in % | 12V Rail | 5V | 3.3V |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20% | 12.4 | 5.13 | 3.3 |
| 50% | 11.99 | 5.12 | 3.3 |
| 70% | 11.95 | 5.12 | 3.3 |
| 90% | 11.93 | 5.12 | 3.3 |
| 100% | 11.94 | 5.11 | 3.29 |
Though voltage regulation looks good, dropping 12V rail to 11.94V only which is well within the ATX 3.1 spec of 11.2V. However, our test focuses mainly on how well the 12V rail maintains its regulation, where a well-designed PSU should have the least amount of voltage delta from 20% to 100% load. ASRock SL1000GW performs decent in this test, but I have seen better results in many recent PSUs that I have tested.
It is also important to note that this test (as long as it remains within the specified specification) doesn’t have any negative impact on the user’s end. It’s only for the keen reviewers who have to nitpick even smaller details for the comparison’s sake.
PSU Efficiency
| Load in % | Efficiency | Power Factor |
|---|---|---|
| 20% | 92.59% | 0.925 |
| 50% | 94.00% | 0.964 |
| 70% | 93.86% | 0.972 |
| 90% | 93.16% | 0.978 |
| 100% | 92.76% | 0.98 |
Voltage Ripple & Efficiency (which we’ll be looking at right after) are the two very important factors that dictate how well-designed and well-tuned a PSU really is, and in these two fields specifically, I have been observing OEMs putting great effort these days.
Exceptional result in voltage ripple performance makes a PSU work exceptionally well and stable for extreme OCing scenarios. Though I won’t call 26.4mV an exceptional result because, again, I have seen much better outcomes in some of the recently launched PSUs, it is still decent to satisfy your inner OCing enthusiasm quite well.
Voltage Ripple Performance
| Load in % | 12V Ripple |
|---|---|
| 20% | 16.8mV |
| 50% | 19.2mV |
| 70% | 23.2mV |
| 90% | 24.8mV |
| 100% | 26.4mV |
This is the test where ASRock SL1000GW throws every competition in the 80 Plus Gold category out of the window and even goes to challenge contenders from the 80 Plus Platinum arena, with its massive average efficiency of 93.27%. HEC & ASRock has built a rock-solid platform when it comes to achieving higher efficiency levels.
Temperature
Thanks to ASRock SL1000GW’s higher efficiency levels, temperatures throughout the test have been well controlled even at max 1000W load. The 135mm FDB Scythe-shaped Striped Blades fan has been decently quiet throughout different load variations.
Should You Buy it?
Buy It If
✅You are after rock-solid efficiency: The ASRock SL1000GW is the most efficient PSU in the 80 Plus Gold category I have had the chance to test as of yet, so if you are after efficiency, it is worth considering.
✅You want a great investment for future-proofing: With its ATX 3.1 spec and 1000W of rated power, the SL1000GW is a great value for future upgrades.
✅You prefer a lengthy warranty: ASRock is offering a whopping 10-year warranty with the SL1000GW, making it a very good choice for those who prefer peace of mind.
Don’t Buy It If
❌You want the absolute bang for the buck: The SL1000GW performs decently well in our tests (and exceptionally well in efficiency), and this surely can be more than enough for many gamers’ needs, but because since late 2024, we have been seeing even better overall performance PSUs from several different brands with the same or similar pricing, ASRock SL1000GW seems to be slightly lacking behind.
My Final Thoughts
ASRock, with its recent entry into the PSU market, wants to grab the attention of every Gamer by offering four different PSU lineups that cover every single budget segment. ASRock’s commitment to superior quality, performance and reliability can surely be seen in SL1000GW just like in their other offerings such as motherboards which ASRock is more famous. I am now more intrigued to get my hands on ASRock’s high-end Taichi PSU to be able to conclude how well ASRock is committed to stretching its muscles and challenging some big names in this industry.
Overall, the ASRock Steel Legend SL1000GW is a solid addition to the power supply market, bringing good efficiency, strong performance, and the ATX 3.1 standard to the table. The power supply has enough power up its sleeves to handle the latest, power-hungry graphics cards while maintaining stable, reliable performance. The 10-year warranty is a nice bonus, showing ASRock’s confidence in the PSU’s durability. Although the packaging and unboxing could be improved, the PSU itself delivers where it counts.
When it comes to performance, the SL1000GW does a good job, especially in efficiency, where it beats many other PSUs in the 80 Plus Gold category. Voltage regulation and ripple control are decent, though not top of the class. However, with competitors offering slightly better overall performance at similar prices, it might not be the best fit for everyone. Still, if you want a well-built, future-proof PSU from a reliable brand, the ASRock Steel Legend SL1000GW is definitely worth a look.
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[Errors Troubleshooting Expert]
Arsalan Shakil (aka GuyThatDoesEverything on YouTube) is a PC Tech Enthusiast and Electronic Geek. With over 10+ years of experience in Electronics, he then decided to explore Software Engineering to design embedded products and automate existing hardware solutions.
When he started tearing down old cameras to understand how they worked, he was shocked (literally, when he got zapped by a flash discharge capacitor), giving him the power (debatable) to fall in love with videography/photography. He also started making some fun videos that later became YouTube tech reviews.
Skills:
- 10+ years of experience in Electronics design, embedded solutions, and prototyping
- Majored in Software Engineering
- Research paper publication in IEEE for Embedded Military Uniform & LoRa WAN wireless technology
- Specialized in IoT Solutions
- PC Enthusiast & PC Modder
In his local region, he’s known to expose cheap PSU brands, often claiming fake certification or false claims on the box. He’s a true nerd and needed some friends in his life. Then he met some guys who work at Tech4Gamers, and they also came out to be equal nerds who suggested he join Tech4Gamers as a Hardware Expert.
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