Lian Li
SP850
AUTHOR:Onie T.
TESTED BY:Lucas N.
Published:

The Lian Li SP850 is an 850W, fully modular, SFX form factor ATX power supply that features a single hybrid fan mode. As of the publication date, it is priced at an average of $129.49 USD from various online retailers.

Despite its compact SFX design, tests on two units revealed major reliability issues. The first unit completed all tests, but sustained significant damage along the way, leading to a high voltage ripple in subsequent runs. The second unit shut down and failed partway through testing under non-demanding conditions. Although Lian Li has been contacted regarding these failures, there has been no update at the time of this writing.

Given these issues, the results presented are based on the first unit, but due to the unreliability of both units, we cannot recommend the SP850. Additionally, it's worth noting that the marketing materials failed to specify which version of the ATX standard this power supply conforms to.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

THE GOOD

  • Cables

    The included cables are flexible and, in the white colorway, feature white connectors, offering a visually cohesive design.

  • Efficiency

    The PSU demonstrated efficiency levels closer to 80PLUS Platinum than its advertised Gold rating at low to medium loads.

THE BAD

  • Failed Testing

    Both units malfunctioned during and after testing, raising concerns about the reliability of the PSUs. Labs tested two samples, and both encountered issues during the testing phase.

THE REST

  • Overall

    We do not recommend this PSU. The first unit completed the tests but appears to have sustained damage. The second unit failed completely. We cannot guarantee the power supply’s performance under high loads or its potential impact on your system.

LINKS
Where to buy*
AmazonNewegg

*This website uses affiliate links. Purchases made through these links may provide compensation to Linus Media Group.

Hardware
HardwareNotes

The Lian Li SP850 is a compact SFX form factor power supply, notably smaller than a typical ATX form factor unit. It is available in both White and Black colorways, with the white model featuring flexible white cables and connectors. In the Box, it includes minimal accessories, with only a fabric cable bag, and mounting screws.

Although it is not an ATX 3.0 power supply, Lian Li includes a 12VHPWR connector cable.

The power supply is cooled by a 92 mm hydraulic bearing fan, though it is unclear if a fluid dynamic bearing is used. Lian Li does not specify an Operating Temperature and we cannot verify this through testing.

In the Box

1 of 4

Front of the box.

Construction

1 of 2

Power input side of the PSU.

Case Format
Cable Form
Colour
Colour Theme
Case Width
Case Height
Case Length
Case Effective Length
Mass
Fan & Cooling
Top of the PSU displaying the fan.

Top of the PSU displaying the fan.

Cooling Method
Fan Diameter
Specifications
Side of the PSU displaying the specifications.
ATX Version
80PLUS Rating
Cybenetics ETA
Cybenetics Lambda
Input Frequency Range
Input Voltage Range
Operating Temperature Range
Storage Temperature Range
Cables
1xMotherboard
24-pin Motherboard:
2xCPU / PCIe
4+4-pin CPU:
1xCPU / PCIe
12VHPWR (600W):
1xCPU / PCIe
6+2-pin PCIe:
1xCPU / PCIe
6+2-pin PCIe:
6+2-pin PCIe:
1xPeripheral / SATA
Molex:
Molex:
Molex:
Molex:
2xPeripheral / SATA
SATA:
SATA (Right Angle):
SATA (Right Angle):
SATA (Right Angle):
Power Ratings
+12 V+5 V+3.3 V+5 Vsb-12 V
CURRENT70 A20 A20 A2.5 A0.3 A
WATTAGE840 W100 W12.5 W3.6 W
850 W

Please note that the above ratings are manufacturer advertised specifications.

Features & Software
Features & SoftwareNotes

The SP850 features a single hybrid fan mode, with the fan remaining off until the unit reaches approximately 340W (or 40% load). The power supply includes all standard protections and is backed by a 5-year warranty, which is shorter than average for power supplies of this class.

Modes
Protections
Over Current Protection (OCP)
Over Power Protection (OPP)
Short Circuit Protection (SCP)
Over Temperature Protection (OTP)
Over Voltage Protection (OVP)
Under Voltage Protection (UVP)
Performance
PerformanceNotes

In terms of performance, the SP850 demonstrated average ripple for the 5V, 3.3V, and 5Vsb rails. However, the 12V rail showed a high voltage ripple compared to other power supplies tested, though still within ATX specifications.

Toward the end of testing, the output ripple became extremely noisy, and on retesting, the results were excessively high, particularly for the 115V input. The 12V rail's ripple noise reached 270 mV at full load, while the 5V rail hit 170 mV, and the 3.3V rail spiked at 370 mV. It's evident that something broke during testing, causing these anomalies. It demonstrated average load regulation, and if the samples did not malfunction or die, it would be an alright power supply.

While this power supply does not specify an ATX version, it is advertised to include a 12VHPWR connector cable. Therefore, we conducted tests as if it was an ATX 3.0 power supply. Unfortunately, it failed to perform well in power excursion testing, only passing a few excursions at the lowest load increases. For this reason, we do not recommend this power supply for high power or newer GPUs that tend to have load spikes.

Voltage Ripple
Load Regulation
Power Excursion

1 of 6

Productivity & Efficiency
Productivity & EfficiencyNotes

The SP850 is 80PLUS Gold certified but displayed efficiency closer to 80PLUS Platinum at low to medium loads. However, the efficiency dropped at higher loads for the 115V input, though this was balanced by the higher-than-expected efficiency at lower loads where most users would spend the majority of time.

In brownout tests, the power supply survived 10 ms brownouts at full load for both 115V and 230V inputs, a performance that is average but not ideal for systems prone to power interruptions.

OCP was satisfactory for the 12V rail, but was excessively high for other rails, including the 5V and 3.3V rails, which could pose issues. The 230V test on the 3.3V rail produced an unusual result, though this could have been due to another protection feature engaging or simply the power supply shutting down.

Efficiency
Brownout
Brownout/Hold-Up Duration 115 V 60 Hz 20°C
Over Current Protection (OCP)
Test Configuration
Video Overview
Test Bench
AC Source
Automated Test Software
DC Load Mainframe
Dual Channel Loads
Chroma 63610-80-20
Environmental Chamber
Microphone
Multimeter
ON/OFF Controller
Chroma 80613
Power Meter
SC/OVP Tester
Chroma 80612
Thermocouple Scanner
Noise Analyzer
Single Channel Loads
Chroma 63640-80-80

FREQUENTLY COMPARED POWER SUPPLIES