Hiper Type R 730W

Flexible power in the shiniest of shiny cases, at the quietest of quiet volumes.

Here in our hot little hands is the second revision of Hiper’s super shiny power supply. The mirror finish has been retained, making it a huge attraction for fingerprints and reflecto-porn zealots alike. There are a few differences – for example it’s longer, there’s a 75mm fan at both ends instead of one, and the whopping huge fan on the bottom has been replaced with the modular connectors that used to be on the side – and it’s this change that’s makes it a stroke of genius, no matter which way you think about it. If the PSU sits on the bottom of your case, then the power cables go straight up; if at the top they hang down – no need to route everything that little bit further any more because the damn things are sticking out the side. Unfortunately, the main power connector is still there.

The modular system has been improved, too. The cables only needing to be pushed in with the key oriented in the correct direction, where it automatically click locks into place. To remove, you just have to pull the securing click lock ring away from the power supply. Very cool.

It somehow manages to be just as quiet as its predecessor, which is to say quieter than the grave of a legless mouse with cut vocal cords in the middle of an anechoic chamber exposed to the vacuum of space. That’s quiet, for those not into bizarro analogies.

Under idle the 12V, 5V and 3.3V rails managed 12.53, 5.03 and 3.34 respectively. Hit with a load of 3DMark06 SM3.0 at 1920x1200 8xAA 16xAF on a Gigabyte 965P-DS3P with an 8800GTX, X6800 and 2GB worth of Corsair PC2 8500, this shifted a tiny amount to 12.50, 5.03 and didn’t even bother with the 3.3V, with it staying at 3.34.

Hiper has carried on the excellent impression made with its first effort, while refining even further. With one of these in your case, you won’t be disappointed.