Fractal Design Ion+ 860P review: An older gen, but still premium quality, PSU
Is this platinum-rated, whisper-quiet power supply still worth the money?
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Fractal Design aren’t a well known name in the PSU space these days, chiefly being known for their PC cases (which we’re big fans of), but the company are coming back to the market with some new offerings which are a welcome sight indeed, such as the ION+ 2 Platinum 860W. We thought this was a good opportunity though to finally review the older-gen Ion+ 860P, which still performs very well, and, in the unlikely event you can get hold of one, is cheaper than the newer version. Primarily though this review will serve as a resource for those who currently have one and are wondering if it’s worth upgrading (probably not).
An 860W power supply may be a fairly non-conventional Wattage, but it fits nicely among competing 850W and 800W offerings from companies like Seasonic and Corsair. Read on to see how well the PSU performed in our testing.
- Wattage: 860W
- Modularity: Fully modular
- Efficiency Rating: 80+ Platinum, Cybenetics Platinum
- Compliance/compatibility: ATX
- Fan: 140mm
- Dimensions : 325 x 110 x 210mm
- Weight: 3.68lb / 1.67 kg
The Fractal Design Ion+ 860P offers high efficiency and substantial wattage for your build. With its Platinum rating, it ensures that most of your electricity is used effectively. The power supply operates very quietly, thanks to the design of its large and efficient fan. The 860W power capacity is ample for most medium-to-high-end modern graphics cards, though unlike the latest models it also doesn’t have ATX 3.0 features to improve stability with very high power draw components, so do bare this in mind before you buy. Additionally, if you have to buy this PSU second hand (which is likely) the warranty is non-transferable.
- Runs very quietly
- Platinum-rated efficiency for cheaper than a newer model
- Semi-passive mode switch
- No ATX 3.0 support
- Typically now only available 2nd hand, which means no warranty
Design
When it comes to PSU designs, the Fractal Design Ion+ 860P keeps it simple and functional. It forgoes flashy lights and focuses on high-quality internals. The two-tone design between the top and bottom is sleek and understated, though as with all PSUs you’re unlikely to see it much anyway once it’s installed.
The connector setup is fairly standard, though somewhat limited in variety. However, for a 860W PSU, the number of connectors should suffice for most builds. It combines the ATX 12V and PCIe connectors in the same range, providing adequate connections for both the CPU and GPU. The Ion+ 860P includes two 4+4 pins and six 6+2 pins, which should be ample for most standard builds.
There are ample SATA and peripheral options with four individual connection ports. Additionally, the side of the PSU features a ‘zero RPM mode’ / semi-passive mode switch, allowing you to further reduce noise levels, though noise is generally minimal anyway; this mode isn’t suitable for all builds anyway, so the option to turn it off or on is welcome.
On the side of the PSU with the power socket, you’ll find a simple off-on switch and extensive ventilation to help exhaust heat from your system. The excellent cooling system is a standout feature, with a large 140mm fluid dynamic bearing fan that ensures efficient airflow, keeping temperatures low for optimal performance.
Size & compatibility
The sizing of the Ion+ 860P follows a standard ATX form factor and has broad compatibility, making it straightforward to incorporate into your build if your case meets the ATX requirement. Just remember to connect all the modular cables you need before securing the PSU, as reaching into the case later can be tricky.
If you’ve got a smaller-sized case then there’s a good chance it won’t fit, so check the specs of your case to make sure it does support ATX before buying.
Specifically the PSU comes with the following dimensions: 150 x 150 x 86mm.
Sound & efficiency
The Ion+ 860P excels in both sound and efficiency, making it an excellent choice for quiet and cost-effective operation. Cybernetics have given it an A+ rating for noise, meaning it operates almost silently, this is in large part thanks to the counter-balanced magnets used in the fan mechanism, notched blade edges on the fans themselves, and other little design techniques.
Cybernetics also gave the PSU a Platinum rating for efficiency, meaning that ≥89% & ＜91% of the electricity you pay for is effectively used to power your PC. The Cybernetics testing results provide detailed insights into the Ion+ 860P’s award-winning performance. At 115V, it achieved an average efficiency of 89.952%, with the 5VSB efficiency slightly lower at 76.311%. The average noise output was impressively low at just 18.05 dB(A). At 230V, the efficiency improved further, averaging 91.727%, with the 5VSB efficiency at 76.109%, and the noise level slightly reduced to 17.99 dB(A).
Warranty & Support
Fractal Design usually gives a nice lengthy warranty for its power supplies, a testament to the build quality of their designs. When bought new the Ion+ 860P came with a 10-year warranty, however you’ll likely have to pick one up second hand these days, and the warranty is unfortunately non-transferable.
Fractal Design Ion+ 860P PSU
