Thermaltake has sent along the updated version of their popular power supply tester, this one being the Dr. Power II. The Dr. Power II has been completely redesigned with the inclusion of a  LED screen and additional power lead connection options. Follow along as we explore this handy gadget and it functions and features!

As is the case with most Thermaltake products the box is made up of a black and red stripe theme. The front of the box has a cutout section so you can see the LED screen when inspecting the package. The box front also makes mention of the product supporting every power supply available today and some of the features it offers. The 3-Year warranty logo also appears on the front of the box.

The back of the box has a paragraph about the usefulness of the product and pictures of all the different power lead connections available. There is also a chart on the back of the box explaining the Intel standard voltage range and the minimum and maximum measuring ranges of the Dr Power II.

Opening the box reveals the Dr.Power II enclosed in a plastic clam shell and protected with peel off film strips in strategic locations such as the LED screen. Also included is a very detailed instruction/operation manual.

Features

• Designed from the ground-up, it supports every ATX power supply available today up to ATX12V v2.3.
• Oversized LCD panel that accurately shows the value of each specific power rails (within one-tenth of a volt).
• Accurate voltage indicating for +12V/+5V/+3.3V/5VSB/-12V.
• Built-in output connectors diagnostic system, low-voltage, high-voltage, no voltage, PG alarm systems.
• Easily troubleshoots system failure due to unstable power supply.
• Built-in alarm system to identify user when the power supply demonstrates abnormal characteristic.

Specifications

The last chart above shows you the Intel standard for voltage rails and the measurement range the Dr. Power II considers acceptable during testing. Should any of the voltages be read below the minimum or above the maximum, you will get red screen with a big “F” displayed meaning the test of that voltage has failed.

Now that we have the Dr. Power II un-boxed, lets have a closer shall we? Starting at the front face you get a good look at the size of the LED screen which measures approximately 1-3/8″ tall X 1-7/8″ wide. Some Thermaltake branding is also present on the face of the unit.

The back side of the Dr. Power II has the unit’s name, part number and a notice telling the user to make sure and plug the 20/24 pin connector into the unit for it to power up and function correctly.

The back of the Dr. Power II also has some raised molded wording to show the user where each type of connection should be made.

Moving along to the top of the Dr. Power II we see the power lead connection points for the PCI-e (red) 6 or 8 pin, 4 pin Molex, 4 or 8 pin CPU AUX power and SATA. The bottom of the tester is where the main 20/24 pin connector is located.

The two sides of the unit do not have much to show or talk about other than the power-on button which is located on the left side.

Read on as we show you how to operate and use all of the functions of the Thermaltake Dr. Power II !!!

We decided to publish a quick video to explain how you actually use the Thermaltake Dr. Power II to test a power supply. It really is an easy to understand and use product as you will see by watching the video below. About the only thing we can be a little critical of is that while using the “B” operating mode, which automatically cycles through the different power lead connection readings, if a bad voltage rail is detected the tester stops cycling. This means in order to test all the voltage rails presented by the different power leads connected to the unit, you will need to be in the manual “A” mode.

As you can see by the video, the simplicity of operation is every apparent. You can literally do a complete test of any power supply in just a few minutes.

Pros

• Ease of use.
• Tests any PSU on the market today.
• Connection points for any current power lead type.
• “B” mode test cycling requires no user interaction.
• Large LED screen.

Cons

• “B” mode stops cycling through remaining power connection readings should a bad reading occur during the process.

Available for just under $40.00 USD ($37.95 last we checked), the Thermaltake Dr. Power II power supply tester is truly a very handy item to have in your PC tools arsenal. It will quickly and efficiently identify any bad voltage rail and identify which power lead the fault is coming from. The Dr. Power II can save you a lot of time diagnosing a troublesome computer. The “B” mode function is very handy as it cycles through all the rails without any user interaction needed, unless you encounter a bad voltage reading. The red screen and accompanying alarm when a bad voltage is detected leaves no doubt you have a problem with the power supply you are testing. If you are a PC repair technician or a DIY’er that likes to do things themselves then this is a must have item! If you are in the market for a Power Supply Tester that is easy to use, will test any power supply on the market today and has the ability to connect any currently available power lead, then the Dr. Power II is exactly what you are looking for.

We are proud to present the Thermaltake Dr. Power II a 9/10 score and the accompanying gold award!

Dino DeCesari (Lvcoyote)

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