Verdict:

Keep your fingers and wires well clear of this PSU's modular sockets.

A Tagan PSU won the first Custom PC PSU Labs test way back in the distant mists of 2004, although more recent models have suffered from overly noisy cooling fans.

The TG-900BZ sports a completely new in-your-face feature - the PipeRock cabling system. This is a fancy name for what comprises screw-in 5-pin and 6-pin modular sockets that light up when a cable is connected. The reasonably quiet, temperature-controlled 135mm fan also provides illumination via a blue LED. The TG-900BZ has six 12V rails, each rated at 20A, but the combined output can't exceed 70A. Alternatively, all the 12V rails can be combined into a single rail by flicking the switch on the rear to 'Turbo'.

The two green PCI-E sockets are powered by 12V6, while 12V3 powers the two red PCI-E sockets. The blue sockets are for the Molex, S-ATA and FDD cables, and are divided equally between 12V4 and 12V5. The CPU is the sole responsibility of 12V2, while 12V1 powers the motherboard and captive Molex cable. However, we're extremely concerned that the PipeRock sockets don't shield the power pins from stray cables or fingers and, although the voltages aren't enough to kill you, we certainly wouldn't recommend straying too close to the exposed pins.

In both its default multiple 12V rail and 'Turbo' modes, the TG-900BZ proved completely stable. However, at full load, its efficiency dropped to just 79 per cent, well below what we'd expect from a high-quality PSU. As such, despite the visually distinctive (but arguably dangerous) PipeRock cabling, we can't recommend the TG-900BZ.

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