Verdict:

If you need 1.5kW of power, don't buy this PSU.

If you thought that a 1kW PSU was overkill then prepare to be shocked: this PSU is rated by Xigmatek as capable of producing a titanic 1.5kW.

Most of the 1.5kW of power on offer is produced by four 12V rails, the first two of which are rated at 20A, with the third and fourth each at 40A and 36A respectively. Together, the 3.3V rail, 12V1 and 12V4 have a maximum combined output of 750W, as do the 5V rail, 12V2 and 12V3 rails combined.

With so much power on offer, you'd expect the NRP-HC1501 to have lots of cables, and you'd be right. The rails are divided so that 12V1 powers the motherboard, Molex and FDD ports, 12V2 powers CPU1 and half of CPU2 (there are two 8-pin EPS12V connectors), 12V3 powers the second half of CPU2, two of the modular 6-pin and one of the modular 6+2-pin PCI-E sockets, while 12V4 powers the remaining modular 6-pin PCI-E socket and two modular 6+2-pin PCI-E sockets. The crowded interior is cooled by a loud 140mm intake fan.

Due to the limitations of our test equipment, we were only able to draw 1.36kW from the NRP-HC1501, a fair way short of its 1.5kW rating. However, even at this load, the output of the 3.3V rail dropped below the minimum required by the ATX spec, while the PFC circuit started clicking loudly like an angry frog. After five minutes and 53 seconds, the PSU became so hot that it shut down.

Although the NRP-HC1501 didn't blow up and would power up again, it's a travesty that it can't produce 1.36kW, let alone 1.5kW. If you want a high-wattage PSU we'd strongly suggest buying a stable 1kW model instead.

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