The Montech Titan Gold 1200W PSU Review: A Capable Contender for the ATX 3.0 Club

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. For a thorough explanation of our testing methodology and more details on our equipment, please refer to our How We Test PSUs – 2014 Pipeline post.

Taking into consideration the 80Plus Gold certification of the Montech Titan Gold 1200W PSU, the energy conversion efficiency is exceptional. The unit almost reaches 80Plus Platinum standards when powered via an 115 VAC source but cannot meet the 89% limit under maximum load. Powering the Titan Gold from an 230 VAC outlet will increase its overall efficiency by 0.7% but it will still not meet the 80Plus Platinum certification requirements, as the requirements also depend on the input voltage. The average nominal load efficiency (20% to 100% of the unit’s capacity) is 91.1% with the unit powered from a 230 VAC source, and drops down to 90.4% if the unit is powered by a 115 VAC source.

We performed our testing with the “Smart Zero Fan” mode of the unit disabled, forcing the fan to spin regardless of the load. The large heatsinks and good efficiency of the Titan Gold allow it to operate with its fan spinning at very low speeds while the load is relatively low. Still, for a 1200W PSU, this means that it will operate almost inaudibly with a load up to 500 Watts. After that point, the speed of the fan increases quickly, especially when the load is greater than 900 Watts, making the Montech Titan Gold a very loud PSU when heavily loaded.

The Montech Titan Gold 1200W PSU displayed good resistance to high ambient temperatures, especially considering its efficiency certification. We calculated an average efficiency degradation of 0.7% across the nominal load range. The degradation is very high while the unit is heavily loaded, peaking at 2% when the unit operates under maximum load, suggesting that the components are getting thermally stressed.

With its massive 1200W power output in mind, the aggressive cooling profile of the fan keeps the internal temperatures of the Titan Gold PSU relatively low while the unit operates at low-to-medium loads. When the unit is heavily loaded, the very high thermal losses (which peak at about 160 Watts at maximum load) are becoming a bit too much for the cooling system to handle and the temperatures rise sharply. The temperatures do not get high enough to force the unit to shut down but they are uncomfortably high and definitely not good for the longevity of the unit. The high component temperatures also cause a significant efficiency drop at very heavy loads due to component stress.

The speedy 135 mm fan does a good job keeping the internal temperatures of the massive 1200W PSU relatively low – however, when the ambient temperature is high, the fan reaches its maximum speed when the load is about 950 Watts. After that point, the temperatures will rise sharply, as the cooling system cannot do anything more to combat the high thermal losses. When the Titan Gold 1200W unit is operating inside a very hot environment, it will stay relatively quiet only while the load is lower than 300 Watts. As the load increases beyond 300 Watts, the fan’s speed will increase linearly and will reach its maximum speed when the load is between 900 and 1000 Watts, at which point it will be generating more than 57 dB(A).

As part of our testing, we also check output parameters are within specifications, as well as voltage ripple and line noise.

The power quality of the Titan Montech Gold 1200W PSU is excellent for a product of this price range and of that efficiency certification. It has exceptional filtering on all voltage lines and a regulation lower than 1% on the primary 12V line. The maximum ripple on the 12V line is just 26 mV, a spectacular figure for a 1200W PSU. Montech also implemented exceptional filtering on the 3.3V/5V lines as well, where we recorded a maximum ripple of just 16 mV.

As part of our standard testing, we test the primary protections of all PSUs we review (Over Current, Over Voltage, Over Power, and Short Circuit). We tested all of the protections of the Montech Titan Gold 1200W PSU and they all operate as intended. However, as seems to be the trend with ATX 3.0 units that are upgrades/updates of older platforms, both the OCP and OPP protections of the unit seem to be set very high. The OCP protection of the 12V rail kicked in instantly, as intended, when the current was almost 35% above the unit’s maximum rating. Likewise, we could draw almost 200 Watts above its rated capacity for relatively long time periods before the unit’s OPP protection decided it should shut the unit down. All quality PSUs are designed with overheads for the OPP/OCP protections but we suspect that these very high figures are the side effect of gaining ATX 3.0 compliance, as the engineers have to ensure that the PSU will not be shutting down due to short-term power excursions.

The Titan Gold 1200W marks a significant milestone for Montech, as it is their first entry into the ATX 3.0 market and one of the first units to be released under this new standard. With a focus on delivering a good price-to-performance ratio, the Montech Titan Gold 1200W aspires to be a top contender in the crowded power supply market.

The Montech Titan Gold 1200W is a high-performance computer power supply that delivers excellent power quality with very low voltage ripple and good regulation. This power supply is highly efficient, especially at lower loads, but its performance drops slightly at higher loads. The build quality of this power supply is exceptional, featuring Japanese capacitors and construction by a reputable OEM. Additionally, the competitive retail price of the Montech Titan Gold 1200W makes it a great value for those in need of a powerful and reliable power supply.

However, it is important to note that the power supply can get thermally stressed if it is kept running heavily loaded for prolonged periods of time, which must be considered for some applications. Home users and gamers need not worry about this, as regular PCs will not be running at maximum capacity for considerable periods. However, it will also generate very high noise levels if heavily loaded, which can be a potential drawback for some users.

In conclusion, the Montech Titan Gold 1200W power supply is a good, cost-effective option for high-end gaming and workstation builds. Its 1200W output makes it a great choice for all but the most power-hungry of systems, more than easily accommodating a GeForce RTX 4090 and overclocked CPU, and the 80 Plus Gold certification assures good efficiency and passable thermal losses. The build quality is solid and the unit is well designed, and the 12VHPWR connector ensures its compatibility and usefulness going forward. The only downside is the noise level under heavy loads which might be an issue for some users. However, for those who are looking for a top-performing power supply, the Montech Titan Gold 1200W is a great option, and its $220 retail price makes it highly competitive in the market.