SF1000 Platinum ATX 3.1 vs SF1000L – What are the differences?

Depending on your small form factor case compatibility, you may have a choice between two types of small form factor power supplies. There are SFX and SFX-L, and if you have the luxury of being able to fit one or the other into your next build, you will have a choice between two options. Let's compare our new SF Platinum ATX 3.1 SFX power supply series with the SFX-L series. In this article we will compare the 1000W variants of both units to help you make an informed decision on which one to choose. If you want to learn more about our SF Platinum ATX 3.1 SFX power supply, we have prepared an Everything you need to know article for you. And here is another article for you to read about the size difference between SFX and SFX-L power supplies

The power supply uses a single +12V rail and comes with all the necessary protections for safe operation. You may have noticed that the +5V and +3.3V rails on the SF1000L have a higher combined maximum output. Since the most important rail is the +12V rail, the difference will most likely not be a deciding factor for your build. However, if you are using a lot of components such as SATA powered hard drives, you may need to consider it.

All cables are individually sleeved and for graphics cards you have the option to use either PCIe 6+2 or 12V-2x6 aka 12VHPWR straight out of the box. The connectors on the power supply are only compatible with CORSAIR Type-5 Micro-Fit connectors.

Do not use cables that are not 100% compatible with these units, as this could result in catastrophic failure.

CORSAIR SF Platinum ATX 3.1 power supplies are equipped with a 92mm PWM controlled zero RPM fan that only starts spinning when the power supply load reaches 40% or more. As there is more space available in the SF1000L model due to its longer housing, you will find a 120mm PWM controlled zero RPM fan in that unit. The following applies to each model:

SF1000 & SF1000L – Zero RPM up to 400W load

To further ensure quiet operation even after the fan starts spinning, we have tuned the fans in these units accordingly. You can expect carefully tuned noise performance even when the fan starts spinning.

It is important to note that the spinning of the fan is not only related to the load of the power supply, but also kicks in when the temperature inside the unit reaches a certain level. This is important to ensure that the units are operating well within their specifications.

The CORSAIR SF Platinum ATX 3.1 power supplies have an 80 PLUS Platinum efficiency which ensures lower energy consumption, noise, temperatures, and your power bill. In comparison the SF-L models have a lower rating of 80 PLUS Gold.