NZXT C1200 Gold power supply in test – Gold sometimes beats platinum, and not just on price

1 - Introduction, technical data and test report 2 - Unboxing, cables and protective circuits 3 - Teardown: topology, components, processing 4 - Load Regulation, Ripple Suppression, Transient Resonse 5 - Hold-Up Time, Timings, Inrush-Current 6 - Average Efficiency and PF 7 - Noise and Fan Speed 8 - Summary and conclusion

The NZXT uses a CWT platform that offers high efficiency, quiet operation and ATX v3.0 and PCIe 5.0 compatibility. Only the large version is being tested today, as in addition to the 1200 watt model, there is also a 1000 watt version and one with 850 watts. However, although these two smaller power supplies look like a series, the 2022 model is based on the CSZ platform from CWT (the 202o models were still Focus Gold from Seasonic) without ATX 3.0 features, so the comparison is not worthwhile. And although, I can already spoil it, that the C1200 can even hold its own against supposedly better power supplies.

Reason enough for me to adapt the test and the results of my friend Aris from Hardwarebusters on our site, as he has not only tested this power supply intensively, but has also officially certified it through his company Cybenetics. As it will certainly be of interest to you too, I am happy to offer him the platform to share his findings with you here on a case-by-case basis.And don’t forget, his website and YouTube channel also offer real gems of really well-founded reviews!

The NZXT C1200 achieves high overall performance and is also ATX v3.0 and PCIe 5.0-capable. Thanks to its 600W 12VHPWR connector, it will also have no problems running NVIDIA’s power-hungry RTX 4090, even with overclocking and a maximum power limit of 600 watts. With a bit of luck, the C1000 still offers the right reserves, but is not designed for ATX 3.0. NZXT has worked together with CWT (Channel Well Technology) for the powerful C1200 Gold, as have many other companies in the meantime.

The C1200 also has the required 600W 12VHPWR connection, which the C1000 does not offer. The current street price of 199 euros is reasonable in view of the product’s technical data and is also at the lower end of the price scale compared to power supply units that are sometimes classified significantly higher. At Cybenetics, the power supply unit achieves an efficiency rating of Gold and a noise rating of Standard. With a depth of just 150 mm, this is also a compact device, which should appeal to many. And finally, the ten-year warranty is in line with most of the competition. The C1000 costs significantly less at around 160 euros, but together with the C850 for 113 euros, it only offers the ATX 2.52 standard. However, the older models from 2022 can also be interesting if you don’t need the 12V 2×6 connection and want to use radeon graphics cards, for example.

The NZXT C1200 has a selectable semi-passive mode, and the built-in fan uses a hydro-dynamic bearing (FDB) for lower noise and higher reliability. The problem with FDB fans is that they are heavily loaded during the start-up phase until the lubricant has reached the shaft, which is why they are not suitable for frequent start and stop operation. In addition, double ball bearing fans offer greater reliability at high operating temperatures above 40°C. Well, you can’t have everything.

Powenetics Report

NZXT C Series 2023 C1200 Gold 1200W ATX 3.0 (PA-2G1BB-EU)

	Lagernd, Lieferung 1-2 WerktageStand: 09.12.24 15:03	148,99 €*Stand: 09.12.24 15:10
	Auf Lager, 1-2 Werktage	156,15 €*Stand: 09.12.24 14:56
	Auf Lager	159,90 €*Stand: 09.12.24 15:11

*Alle Preise inkl. gesetzl. MwSt zzgl. Versandkosten und ggf. Nachnahmegebühren, wenn nicht anders beschriebenmit freundlicher Unterstützung von geizhals.de

NZXT C Series 2022 C1000 Gold 1000W ATX 2.52 (PA-0G1BB-EU)

	ab Lager	167,95 €*Stand: 09.12.24 14:18
	ca. 2 Wochen	218,33 €*Stand: 09.12.24 14:56
	Onlineshop: lagernd, 24-h Service möglich, Lieferung 2-3 WerktageHannover/Laatzen: lagernd (keine Online-Reservierung möglich)Berlin, Dortmund, Düsseldorf, Hamburg, München, Stuttgart: nicht lagerndStand: 09.12.24 14:58	1415,86 €*Stand: 09.12.24 14:58

*Alle Preise inkl. gesetzl. MwSt zzgl. Versandkosten und ggf. Nachnahmegebühren, wenn nicht anders beschriebenmit freundlicher Unterstützung von geizhals.de

NZXT C Series 2022 C850 Gold 850W ATX 2.52 (PA-8G1BB-EU)

ca. 2 Wochen

179,02 €*Stand: 09.12.24 14:56

*Alle Preise inkl. gesetzl. MwSt zzgl. Versandkosten und ggf. Nachnahmegebühren, wenn nicht anders beschriebenmit freundlicher Unterstützung von geizhals.de