Power Supply Testing Methodology

In order to efficiently test a power supply unit's electrical performance we must first be able to deliver specific load quantities. Simply connecting a PSU to a PC doesn't reproduce reliable, repeatable results as the load varies depending on the system state. It is also near impossible to gather accurate voltage readings from bundled software or the BIOS.

At HardwareHeaven we strive to provide you with useful and thorough reviews and for that reason in 2007 we built a custom power supply testing station which allows us to efficiently analyse any consumer and industrial AC to DC power supply unit available. In 2010 this testing unit went through a small refresh, bringing it up to the standard required to test the latest PSUs more effectively, increasing reliability and accuracy at the same time.

Added to this unit is a selection of tools including multi-meters, infra-red temperature probes, industry standard PSU testers, power meters, Mastech PC software and an oscilloscope which ensure we can effectively measure each aspect of a products performance in an accurate and repeatable manner.

Starting in August 2010 we have streamlined some of the results we publish and added others, aiming to make them clearer and more useful to those reading. Should you wish to see any additions or omissions in future reviews, please drop by our forums via the discuss link above to give your input on why you find a particular aspect useful/useless.