Lian Li SP1000P SFX power supply review: Exceptional power density in compact form

Lian Li Industrial Co., Ltd., founded in 1983, is a Taiwanese company renowned for its premium computer cases, power supplies, and PC accessories. As one of the oldest players in the PC hardware market, Lian Li is recognized for its commitment to high-quality craftsmanship, innovative aluminum-based designs, and solutions tailored to both industrial and consumer markets. Their product lineup includes mid-tower and full-tower cases, compact enclosures for smaller builds, and cutting-edge PSUs, all acknowledged for their modularity, durability, and forward-thinking features. Among PC enthusiasts, Lian Li's reputation for blending functionality with aesthetics has established them as an industry leader.

This review examines the SP1000P, representing Lian Li's entry into the high-wattage SFX market segment to see if it belongs among the best power supplies in the market. The SP1000P delivers 1000 watts from the standard 100mm SFX form factor, representing exceptional power density achieved through advanced circuit topology and premium components. The unit employs a flat copper strip transformer rather than conventional wire-wound designs, improving electrical performance and reducing its footprint. ATX 3.1 certification confirms transient handling capability, critical for modern graphics cards. The implementation targets small form factor enthusiasts requiring maximum power output without compromising system dimensions.

Specifications and Design

In the Box

The Lian Li SP1000P arrives in compact cardboard packaging befitting its SFX dimensions. A predominantly black theme with blue accents establishes brand identity. The unit image dominates the front panel, communicating form factor clearly. Protection proves adequate, with the PSU enclosed in a protective pouch and foam inserts providing shock absorption during transport.

The bundle exceeds typical expectations. Beyond the standard AC power cable and mounting screws, Lian Li includes an SFX-to-ATX mounting plate adapter enabling installation in standard ATX chassis. An AC power cable extension features an integrated power switch, addressing cases where PSU mounting renders the unit’s rear switch inaccessible. Cable combs arrive in quantity, permitting organizational customization. Finally, there is a small number of traditional cable ties included.

All cables employ an all-black aesthetic with black connectors and wires. Individual sleeving creates visual cohesion while maintaining flexibility. The cable configuration proves conservative for a 1000W unit, providing one 12V-2x6 connector and three 6+2 pin PCI Express connectors. Five SATA connectors represent minimal provision for storage-intensive builds. The 12V-2x6 connector features thin sense wires with stiff insulation that behave like stranded hair, requiring extra care if aesthetics are important. Partial coloring on 12V-2x6 connectors provides visual feedback confirming correct insertion. The connector count suggests a platform optimized for compact, focused builds rather than maximum peripheral expansion.

External Appearance

The Lian Li SP1000P measures precisely 100mm in length, conforming exactly to standard SFX specifications. Achieving 1000W output from this form factor represents extraordinary power density. The matte black chassis paint job demonstrates excellent finishing quality, with smooth surfaces free from manufacturing imperfections.

The design conforms to conventional SFX architecture. The bottom features horizontal ribbed ventilation forming a parallel bar finger guard for the 92mm fan. Decorative stickers with series and company logos occupy the left and right sides. A comprehensive electrical specifications sticker covers the entire top surface.

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The front hosts the normal AC power cable receptacle alongside a compact power switch. The rear presents the modular cable connectors which are complemented by a subtle legend, even though the connectors are keyed and it is not possible to insert them wrong.

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Internal Design

The Lian Li SP1000P employs a Hong Hua 92mm fan utilizing a fluid dynamic bearing engine. FDB designs represent optimal acoustic-to-reliability balance, maintaining low operational noise at elevated speeds while delivering strong mean time between failure figures. The fan specification indicates an extremely high 2900 RPM maximum speed. The unit implements zero-RPM mode, permitting fanless operation during light loads.

We could not indisputably verify the OEM behind this PSU. The design resembles Helly Technology platforms but there are distinct characteristics that lead us to believe they are not behind this platform. The origin is likely to be one of numerous OEMs that emerged over the past decade around Guangdong, sharing R&D and often human resources as well. Regardless of uncertain lineage, build quality proves very good with no manufacturing imperfections evident despite the extremely compact design.

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The input filtering stage provides adequate protection with two Y capacitors, two X capacitors, and two filtering inductors. Portions of the filtering stage occupy a daughterboard attached to the AC receptacle rear. Two rectifying bridges mount on the unit's sizable primary heatsink.

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The APFC circuitry employs two Oriental Semiconductor 60R017HT4Z MOSFETs and a diode, positioned on the primary heatsink. One encased inductor and two Rubycon 420 μmicroF capacitors comprise the passive components.

The primary stage employs two Oriental Semiconductor MOSFETs, forming a half-bridge inversion topology. These mount on the primary heatsink alongside the APFC and input bridges. The heatsink proves fairly large with ample dissipation area, though it must handle multiple component groups with only modest airflow from the 92mm fan. The main transformer represents the platform's engineering highlight. Rather than conventional wire windings, its flat copper strips reduce losses, improve power quality, and permit higher operating frequencies that minimize transformer footprint.

The secondary stage utilizes six Oriental Semiconductor SFS04R007UGNF MOSFETs on the PCB underside, generating the primary 12V rail through synchronous rectification. These are industrial-grade MOSFETs that typically target commercial applications rather than consumer electronics. Their cooling depends on the chassis itself and small heatsink around the main transformer. DC-to-DC converter circuits generate the 3.3V and 5V rails.

Secondary side capacitors originate from Nippon Chemi-Con and Nichicon, both premier Japanese manufacturers. This represents premium component selection supporting the ten-year warranty period.

Cold Test Results

Cold Test Results (25°C Ambient)

For the testing of PSUs, we are using high precision electronic loads with a maximum power draw of 2700 Watts, a Rigol DS5042M 40 MHz oscilloscope, an Extech 380803 power analyzer, two high precision UNI-T UT-325 digital thermometers, an Extech HD600 SPL meter, a self-designed hotbox and various other bits and parts.

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The Lian Li SP1000P achieves average nominal load efficiency of 90.9% with 115 VAC input and 92.3% with 230 VAC input, measured across the standard load range. These results satisfy 80 Plus Platinum certification requirements with 115 VAC input. With 230 VAC input, the unit approaches but cannot quite achieve the 94% efficiency at 50% load required for Platinum certification, missing by approximately 0.4%. Efficiency proves quite high across the nominal load range. The unit lacks Cybenetics or PPLP certifications at review time.

Efficiency peaks at approximately 50% load and maintains stability across most operational ranges. Low load efficiency proves very good. The fan remains inactive until load exceeds approximately 370 watts, then increases speed linearly with load. The unit becomes audibly loud at loads beyond 60 to 70% capacity though the fan never reaches maximum speed even at 100% load during ambient temperature testing.

Hot Test Results

Hot Test Results (~45°C Ambient)

During elevated ambient temperature testing, the Lian Li SP1000P exhibits fairly significant efficiency degradation. Average nominal load efficiency drops to 88.2% with 115 VAC input and 89.5% with 230 VAC input. Clear signs of thermal stress appear at maximum load. We cannot say this was unexpected for a very compact unit rated for operation at 40°C, regardless of its component quality. Maintaining maximum power output even briefly under these conditions demonstrates capable thermal design despite evident stress.

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Fan behavior shifts considerably under thermal stress. Activation occurs earlier, engaging at just 200 watts load. Fan speed increases to meet escalating cooling demands. The fan reaches maximum speed at 90 to 95% load and becomes very loud even before that threshold. Internal temperatures prove very high under these conditions. Given the extremely compact form factor and 40°C rating, maintaining full power output even temporarily under >45°C ambient temperature represents remarkable capability despite the audible strain.

PSU Quality and Bottom Line

Power Supply Quality

The Lian Li SP1000P demonstrates outstanding power quality performance. Maximum ripple measured 24 mV on the 12V rail, 16 mV on the 5V rail, and 16 mV on the 3.3V rail. These figures prove outstanding despite the very compact design and adverse operating conditions. Exceptional filtering and, possibly, the transformer keep voltage ripples extremely low. Voltage regulation proves excellent, maintaining 0.8% on the 12V rail, 1.3% on the 5V rail, and 1.5% on the 3.3V rail. Regulation on the primary 12V line proves particularly good. These figures confirm exceptional power quality across all outputs.

During our thorough assessment, we evaluate the essential protection features of every power supply unit we review, including Over Current Protection (OCP), Over Voltage Protection (OVP), Over Power Protection (OPP), and Short Circuit Protection (SCP).

OCP activates at 132% on the 3.3V and 5V rails, and 116% on the 12V rail. OPP triggers at 118% during hot testing. Protection circuit responses prove very sharp, especially for an ATX 3.1 certified unit designed to handle transient loads.

Bottom Line

The Lian Li SP1000P represents exceptional engineering achievement in power supply miniaturization. Delivering 1000 watts from a standard 100mm SFX form factor requires advanced topology and premium components. The flat copper strip transformer, industrial-grade MOSFETs, and Japanese capacitors demonstrate serious engineering rather than corner-cutting. Build quality proves very good with no manufacturing imperfections evident despite the extremely compact and densely populated internal design. The ten-year warranty period reflects confidence in component selection and thermal management capabilities.

Cable configuration is conservative for a 1000W unit, but is not unwarranted considering its SFX size. The individually sleeved cables create attractive aesthetics, though the stiff sense wires on the 12V-2x6 connector present a minor cosmetic concern. The AC power extension cable with integrated switch demonstrates thoughtful attention to special case and custom build installation challenges where PSU mounting renders the rear switch inaccessible. The included SFX-to-ATX mounting bracket expands compatibility to standard ATX chassis, but keep in mind that the cables of the SFX unit are quite short and will not work with the unit placed any further than right next to the motherboard.

Electrical performance proves exceptional across all metrics. Voltage regulation maintains 0.8% deviation on the primary 12V rail with slightly higher but still good figures on minor rails, demonstrating precise control under varying loads. Ripple suppression achieves outstanding results, exceptional considering the very compact form factor and adverse testing conditions. Protection circuits respond with sharp precision. Efficiency results merit recognition. Cold testing efficiency of 90.9% with 115 VAC and 92.3% with 230 VAC achieves 80 Plus Platinum certification with 115 VAC input. The unit approaches but narrowly misses Platinum certification with 230 VAC input. Hot testing reveals fairly significant efficiency degradation to 88.2% and 89.5% respectively, with clear thermal stress signs at maximum load, though figures remain within acceptable parameters for a unit rated at 40 degrees Celsius.

Thermal management proves adequate for specification compliance though acoustic performance suffers under sustained high loads. The 100mm form factor paired with a 92mm fan operating at extremely high maximum speed creates inherent cooling challenges. The fan remains inactive until approximately 370 watts load, contributing to excellent low-load acoustics. Loads exceeding 60 to 70% capacity produce significant noise levels. Under elevated ambient temperatures, the fan reaches maximum speed at 90 to 95% load and becomes very loud. Internal temperatures prove very high under maximum load hot testing conditions. The thermal control circuitry responds appropriately to cooling demands but this clearly is not a unit designed to be seriously stressed in a very adverse environment.

Component selection demonstrates premium positioning. Rubycon APFC capacitors and Oriental Semiconductor industrial-grade MOSFETs represent solid choices. Nippon Chemi-Con and Nichicon secondary capacitors confirm commitment to reliability. The flat copper strip transformer represents advanced engineering reducing losses and permitting higher operating frequencies that allowed for the unit’s very compact size. Component selection supports the ten-year warranty period convincingly.

The Lian Li SP1000P succeeds in delivering remarkable power density without compromising electrical performance quality. Pricing positions the SP1000P at approximately $185, representing reasonably high positioning for an SFX unit with 80 Plus Platinum efficiency. The market segment for users requiring such massive power output from such compact dimensions remains very niche. Competition exists from other high-wattage SFX units, though few match the SP1000P's power density. Value assessment depends heavily on small form factor requirements and willingness to accept high-load acoustic compromises. Those prioritizing silence should consider lower-wattage alternatives or builds that rarely approach maximum capacity.

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