FSP Twins 500W Get 4 Star In PC & Tech Authority

This is a rather interesting component aimed at SOHO users FSP has managed to squeeze not one, but two power supplies into a single ATX chassis. This makes it the perfect PSU for those who need to ensure their system is running 24/7, but sadly the cable confi guration means it's incapable of powering two separate power supplies.

The way they've done managed to include two PSUs into one box is rather unique. Rather than each PSU being permanently mounted inside the main ATX case, they're both discrete units that slot into the ATX-sized cage. There are no tools required; just slide it in until the latch clicks into place, and you're good to go. Both PSUs include digital monitoring, so you can check effiency and heaith via the included FSP Guardian software. The software is extremely easy to use, with a clean, clear interface showing all of the most important information at a glance. Each drive is also hot swappable, so if one dies you can pull it out without having to switch the entire system off.

In normal case scenarios, both PSUs are active, sharing the workload to ensure the best possible effiency. However, if the system notices that one PSU fails, the other will automatically take the full load, so you won’t lose power at all. This is crucial for users who need 100% uptime, which means it’s targeted more towards the file serving/data centre environment, yet the price means its suitable for those on a tighter budget. We were hoping it would be suitable for cases like Thermaltake’s W200 series, which can house two motherboards, effectively allowing two PCs to built into a single box. However, the cable connections on this PSU don’t allow this; there’s just the usual cables for a single PC, such as a single 24-pin ATX plus 4+4 pin power connectors for the motherboard. They’re all permanently attached as well, with no modular design, but at least they use a flat ribbon design for each cable to make it easier to hide the cables behind the motherboard. In standard mode, the PSU is 80+ Gold certified, but there’s no mention of effiency if one of the two PSUs dies; we’d assume that this would decrease somewhat.

If you need your PC to remain online all the time, this is the perfect solution for any unplanned PSU woes. It’s a little pricey, but when your business and income relies upon guaranteed power supply, that cost could make the difference between a day of earning or not.