Fractal Ion 3 Gold 1000W PSU Review

1. Introduction2. Bundle & Cabling3. External4. Internal5. Testing Methodology and Results6. Closing Thoughts7. View All Pages

If you are in the market for a quality, high power supply with a strict budget of £150, then the Fractal Ion 3 Gold 1000W should be right at the top of your shortlist. The design is minimalist and Fractal offer both a white and black version of this supply to suit a variety of builds.

First impressions are positive, the Fractal packaging is very modern, with little waste, and the bundle includes a little tester, as well as colour matched cable ties, with white ribbon cables, and a white power cable to keep it all uniform.

Technically, the Ion 3 performed well in our testing, as we would expect from a Seasonic-based OEM part. The Ion 3 Gold really excels in regards to noise output, the inclusion of a noise tuned Fractal Momentum 14 fluid dynamic bearing fan has really helped improve the overall performance of this supply. Most of the time you wouldn't even know it was turned on, and it's only in the last 25% of total power output that the fan spins up enough that you can hear it. It never is intrusive, and it's one of the finest power supplies in regards to fan-tuning that I have tested this year.

Noise suppression, load regulation and cross loading all delivered solid results with no real issues I can report. The unit is populated with quality Japanese capacitors from Rubycon and Nichicon and the build quality and soldering is very good across the board.

The pricing in the UK means this is going to be a very high value unit, at £139.99 inc. VAT. Scan have them currently listed for preorder (HERE), and we have been told that they will become available for sale sometime in December, with a date to be confirmed in the coming weeks. If I get an update, I will append this page.

The Fractal Ion 3 Gold 1000W is supported by a full 10-year warranty and we know that Fractal do tend to support their customers better than many other manufacturers based on reader feedback.

Pros:

• Fully modular.
• Quality 105C-rated Japanese capacitors.
• White and black options available.
• Great design.
• Technically solid.
• Very quiet under all conditions.
• Tight ripple suppression.
• Gold-rated efficiency levels.
• High build quality.

Cons:

• Fractal really should work with Cybenetics to get their certifications. They mean a lot in today's market.

KitGuru says: We really rate the new fully modular Fractal Ion 3 Gold 1000W power supply. It has performed exceptionally well in our testing over the last week. The power supply is very quiet, and delivers high quality power for almost any gaming system on the market today. The use of high grade 105C-rated Japanese capacitors and a 10-year warranty bring peace of mind.

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