INTRODUCTION
Modern PC hardware continues to push performance boundaries, but none of it can function reliably without a solid power supply at its foundation. Whether you're building a compact gaming machine, a workstation packed with high-end components, or a system designed to handle the latest graphics cards, the PSU remains one of the most important yet often overlooked parts of any build. Beyond simply delivering power, today's units are expected to provide high efficiency, stable voltage regulation, quiet operation, and support for increasingly demanding hardware standards. As compact form factor systems become more popular, smaller power supply formats have gained significant attention. SFX and SFX-L units allow enthusiasts to build powerful PCs inside space-constrained Mini-ITX and Small Form Factor cases without sacrificing performance. In particular, the SFX-L form factor offers a balanced approach, retaining the compact footprint of SFX designs while providing additional room for larger cooling solutions and higher wattage capabilities, making it an attractive choice for performance-focused builders. In today's review, we're taking a closer look at the DAGGER PM 1200W, an ambitious SFX-L power supply by FSP.
FSP Group is one of the global leading power supply manufacturers. Since its establishment in 1993, FSP Group has followed the management conception “service, profession, and innovation” to continuously fulfil its responsibilities as a green energy resolution supplier. With the combination of its leading role in power supply technology and the cultivation of green energy field, FSP Group now provides more competitive quality products and makes itself the most reliable partner for customers, consumers, and suppliers with joint creation of maximized values.
The DAGGER PM line of ATX 3.1 & PCIe 5.1 power supply units includes 850/1000/1200W output models all of which are fully modular and 80 PLUS Platinum certified (up to 92% electrical efficiency). The 1200W top of the line model features a single 12V-2x6 power connector (600W), three 6+2 pin PCIe power connectors, single strong +12V rail (100A) capable of delivering 100% of the units’ total power output (1200W) and a maximum power output of no less than 1338W (peak should now be around 2.7KW for up to 100ms - once again however this is not something i can test). Other features include full-bridge & LLC resonant converter with synchronous rectification and DC to DC design, active PFC, semi-fanless mode for its 120mm fan (starts spinning at 30% load), high-quality primary Japanese capacitors certified for use up to 105 degrees Celsius, dual gas tube lighting protection and a full array of electrical protections including over-current (OCP), over-voltage (OVP), under-voltage (UVP), short-circuit (SCP), over-temperature (OTP), surge and in-rush (SIP), no-load operation (NLO) and over-power (OPP). Finally, as with past models FSP covers the entire DAGGER PM line of power supply units with generous 10-year limited warranty.
SPECIFICATIONS AND FEATURES
PACKAGING AND CONTENTS
A large product picture surrounded by the company logo and the main product features is what’s at the front of the box.
The available power cables are listed on the left side of the box.
On the right side we find the power connector design (region).
At the rear we find the product pictures in 10 languages just over the electrical table.
The entire bundle is placed between pieces of cardboard.
Contained inside the package alongside the DAGGER PM 1200W and its power cord are the modular cables, PSU tester, cable straps, 7 mounting screws, SFX-L to ATX rear PSU mount and the user manual.
THE DAGGER PM 1200W EXTERIOR
FSP has equipped the Dagger PM line of power supply units with black embossed modular cables.
The Dagger PM 1200W is an SFX-L form factor PSU and so it measures just 125mm in width, 125mm in length and 63.5mm in height.
The model features an low-profile 11-bladed 120mm fan.
Typically, the model name is printed on both sides of the housing.
The electrical table is printed on a sticker located at the base of the unit.
All 10 modular ports are tagged and different in shape.
The on/off power switch and the power port are located at the rear (no semi-fanless mode button).
THE DAGGER PM 1200W INTERIOR
The 120mm fan is manufactured by Hong Hua and even though its specifications are nowhere online after testing it myself it can reach speeds of 2100-2400RPM with around 60-65CFM airflow and 2.5-3.0mmH2O static pressure.
Things are always a bit crowded when it comes to high-wattage SFX-L models but you can always count on FSP when it comes to quality.
The two primary capacitors are manufactured by Nippon Chemi-Con and are certified for use up to 105 degrees Celsius.
Secondary capacitors are manufactured by Rubycon and Elite.
TEST BED
TESTING METHODOLOGY
Using a dedicated measurement instrument such as a Chroma or a SunMoon to test power supply units is without doubt the most ideal and accurate way (not to mention the fastest) to do that currently. However, it's certainly not the only way there is and so pretty much anyone can test a power supply unit just by using a test rig. Certainly, limitations do apply and so you can't really push a 1000W power supply to its limits if your system only uses 500W at peak loads and that's why over the years we saved certain hardware components for the purpose of building a dedicated PSU test rig. True it may not be as accurate as the above-mentioned solutions, but it comes really close and is in fact much closer to real world usage. So as always, we ran several games with maximum graphic options enabled at a resolution of 2560x1600 in order to stress every hardware component and increase the overall power demands of the system. The Passmark BurnIn Test was also used to overstress the components in an effort to provide the most accurate results possible. As a final test we also used the latest OCCT software and its dedicated PSU testing suite since it can really bring a power supply to its knees after inside a few minutes.
Rail stability was checked/measured with the CPUID Hardware monitor and a Metex multimeter which also recorded the system load in idle and in load. As always try to remember that the power consumption numbers listed in the graph are the highest (Peak) ones recorded during the entire duration of the tests and not the average ones. Noise levels coming from the fan were recorded using the high precision HD600 ExTech Sound dBA Meter from the rear of the unit and at a range of no more than 5-10cm. Readings under load are recorded the exact moment we manually switch the fans of all graphics cards from full speed to almost zero, that way the fan of the power supply does not have enough time to slow its RPM and so by doing this we get very accurate noise level readings. Needless to say, in order to get 100% accurate readings, you need to have a noise isolated room for that exact purpose, something which is quite impossible unless you are working inside a real lab (some people use very small noise insulated boxes but due to their size both heat and noise exceed normal levels and so the results can't really be considered to be 100% accurate, nor realistic for that matter). Also do take into account that since all noise measurements take place from just 5-10cm away the final noise levels to reach your ears will be considerably less.
* After well over 10 years of testing PSUs the Intel Core i7-920 CPU of this rig failed and so we replaced it with a Xeon X5660 (we also swapped the GA-X58A-UD7 for the G1. Assassin).
TEST RESULTS
CONCLUSION
The FSP DAGGER PM 1200W leaves a strong impression as one of the most capable SFX-L power supplies currently available in the global market. Packing an enormous 1200W output into a remarkably compact chassis, it combines excellent build quality, superb electrical performance, and very good rail stability with the benefits of 80 PLUS Platinum efficiency. Despite its high-power density, noise levels remain well controlled for the majority of workloads, making it a compelling choice for enthusiasts building powerful Small Form Factor systems (higher power consumption than that of my test rig will result to higher noise levels, alas not by much). The fully modular design, modern ATX 3.1 and PCIe 5.1 support, and premium internal components further reinforce its flagship positioning. As for drawbacks, there is little to criticize beyond the fact that the cooling fan can become more noticeable when the unit is pushed towards higher loads, a compromise that is hardly surprising given the amount of power being delivered from such a compact enclosure. Overall, the DAGGER PM 1200W successfully demonstrates that builders no longer need to sacrifice power, efficiency, or reliability when opting for an SFX-L form factor PSU.
The DAGGER PM 1200W doesn’t seem to be available on most places just yet and so I can only post its MSRP (manufacturer’s suggested retail price) which is set at USD259/240Euros and is thus is priced more or less what one would expect for such a model. At the end of the day, you can’t go wrong with an PSU manufactured by one of the leading companies in the field. Rail stability is almost excellent, 1200W in such a form factor should be more than plenty, build quality leaves very little to be desired and as for noise levels, it does well here too (at least as long as you don’t get very close to its rated output). Yes, it’s not quite perfect but it’s still a very good SFX-L power supply unit and for that it gets the Golden Award.
PROS
- Very Good Build Quality
- Near Excellent Rail Stability
- ATX 3.1 & PCIe 5.1 Compliant
- 80 PLUS Platinum Certified
- 1200W Output
- Electrical Protections (OCP/OVP/SCP/OPP/UVP/OTP/SIP/NLO)
- 10 Year Limited Warranty
CONS
- Availability (Current)
- Noise Levels (Close To Rated Output)
