Introduction

Are you tired of reading reviews of high output power supply units? It's true that 99% of personal computers out there do not require something capable of outputting more than 500-550 Watts, and even that may be overkill for quite a few people. Even though high output units are often the most interesting in terms of the technologies being used and their potential audience is very demanding, we understand that the bulk of any company's revenue comes from the low-budget and mainstream units.

Today we have something different for you, as we are going to look at the Silverstone Nightjar 520W power supply, a PSU with a moderate power output but a very distinct feature: it's completely fanless. Fanless PSUs are not a new idea, with models appearing as early as the 90's, but the early models still had to rely on massive heatsinks, usually in conjunction with heatpipes -- sometimes even using their entire body as a heatsink as well. This obviously gave them a fair share of disadvantages and increased their cost significantly. The Silverstone Nightjar 520W retails for about $139.99 including shipping (after rebate), a steep price for a 520W unit, even for an 80Plus Platinum certified model. The price is obviously due in large part to its fanless nature. Does it perform well enough to justify such a price? We will find out in this review.

Power specifications (Rated @ 40 °C)
AC INPUT 100 - 240 VAC, 50 - 60 Hz
RAIL +3.3V +5V +12V +5Vsb -12V
MAX OUTPUT 20A 20A 43A 2.5A 0.5A
100W 516W 12.5W 6W
TOTAL 520W

Packaging and bundle

We received the NightJar NJ520 inside a standard cardboard box with a somewhat understated and straightforward aesthetic design, with the unit's major features printed on the front side of the box in English and on the rear side of the box in nine other languages. Inside the box, the PSU is protected by polyethylene foam pieces.

Alongside with the unit, the user will also receive a black and white manual, an AC power cable, a few cable straps, and five high quality Velcro cable ties.

The NJ520 is a fully modular power supply. Its cables come supplied inside a dual nylon pouch and they are all black. Silverstone went with ribbon-like, "flat" cables, with the exception of the 24-pin ATX cable, which is comprised of only black wires covered by black sleeving.

The SilverStone Nightjar NJ520 PSU
Comments Locked

44 Comments

View All Comments

  • versesuvius - Thursday, July 10, 2014 - link

    That is: "... a 1600 watt unit, which almost always uses no fan above 600 watts and you ..."
  • versesuvius - Thursday, July 10, 2014 - link

    Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooops!!!!!!!
    That is: "a 1600 watt unit, which almost always uses no fan below 600 watts and you ..."
  • Dr.Neale - Friday, July 11, 2014 - link

    Why not buy the genuine SeaSonic SS-520FL2 with a known seven (7) year warranty, listed on NewEgg.com for the exact same $139.99 price, and also 80+ Platinum certified, single 12V rail, fanless, 520W, etc. etc.
  • Haravikk - Monday, July 14, 2014 - link

    I have one of the Seasonic units that this is very similar to, and I have to say I've been really pleased with it; the total absence of a fan is invaluable for a quiet build.

    I also wanted to note, while the stickers and instructions tell you to mount this right way up, I've been running mine vertically (AC outlet aimed down) in a customised case on feet, but the airflow from the rest of the case keeps the PSU nice and cool. So with careful positioning and consideration of airflow there should be no issues, the instructions are really just for general use (pop it in, plug everything in and go).

Log in

Don't have an account? Sign up now