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be quiet! Pure Power 12 M 1000W (BN506) PSU: features, specs and who it suits

A 1000W fully modular ATX 3.1 power supply, 80 Plus Gold certified, with a 12V-2x6 connector for PCIe 5.x graphics cards and a 120mm fan. What the specs mean.

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The be quiet! Pure Power 12 M 1000W (model BN506) is a fully modular ATX power supply with 1000W of output. It is built to the ATX 3.1 standard and includes the newer 12V connector used by recent graphics cards, as well as traditional 6+2 pin connectors, so it works with both.

What 80 Plus Gold means

80 Plus is a certification for efficiency, showing how much of the power drawn from the wall reaches your components. Gold is a mid-to-high tier. be quiet! says this unit reaches up to 93.0% efficiency. Higher efficiency typically means less heat from the power supply itself, which can mean quieter fan behaviour and lower energy waste.

ATX 3.1 and the 12V-2x6 connector

ATX 3.1 is an updated PC power supply standard that covers how a unit handles short spikes in demand from modern GPUs. The listing mentions a PCIe 5.1 12V-2x6 connector rated at 600W, and four PCIe 6+2 connectors. A 12VHPWR cable is included. This 12V connector is used on many recent high-end graphics cards, while the 6+2 pin plugs serve older or other cards. Check your graphics card's manual to see which it uses.

The description text elsewhere says "ATX 3.0" and "PCIe 5.0", while the features say ATX 3.1. The title and the bullet points agree on ATX 3.1, so confirm the version on the box if it matters.

Power delivery and transient spikes

be quiet! says it provides 1000W of continuous power with dual 12V rails, and handles transient spikes of up to 2000W. Transients are very brief jumps in power draw, which modern graphics cards can produce. A dual-rail design splits the 12V output into two separately regulated lines. Which components share a rail is set out in the manual, so follow its guidance when connecting power-hungry parts.

Fully modular cables

Every cable detaches, so you connect only what the system needs. This tidies the case, helps airflow and makes fitting easier, particularly in a build with few drives.

The fan

A 120mm be quiet! fan cools the unit, with temperature-controlled speed and airflow-optimized blades. be quiet! describes this as near-silent even under heavy loads. At low loads, many such units run the fan slowly.

Size

The listing gives dimensions of about 6.3 x 5.9 x 3.4 inches (16 x 15 x 8.6 cm) and a weight of 7.0 lb. Check this against your case's PSU compartment.

Who it suits

It suits builders of gaming or workstation PCs with a high-power graphics card, or those wanting a modular unit with the newer 12V connector and room to expand.

What to check before you buy

  • Total power need: add up CPU and GPU requirements and leave headroom.
  • GPU connector: confirm whether your card needs the 12V-2x6 or the 6+2 pin plugs, and that the cables supplied match.
  • Case fit: check space for a unit about 6.3 inches (16 cm) long, plus cable room.
  • Cable count: make sure there are enough SATA, Molex and CPU connectors for your build.
  • Standard version: the listing mentions both ATX 3.0 and 3.1.
  • Mains supply: check the voltage range in the manual.

The short version

  • 1000W fully modular ATX 3.1 power supply, 80 Plus Gold, up to 93.0% efficient.
  • A 12V-2x6 connector (600W) and four PCIe 6+2 connectors, with a 12VHPWR cable included.
  • Dual 12V rails and transient handling up to 2000W, as be quiet! states.
  • A 120mm temperature-controlled fan.

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