The Megawatt Mandate: Test Systems Built to Scale

ower demand is climbing rapidly across AI data centers, aerospace and defense, energy storage, microgrids, and research, and test systems bought today risk obsolescence before their service life ends. This application note reviews the market trends behind the shift, including 800 VDC data center architectures and GPU loads that change in microseconds. It sets out the requirements of the megawatt era: scalability, modularity, high-speed response, energy efficiency, power density, reliability, safety, and service. It then shows how Tektronix high-power DC racks meet them, scaling to 3.84 MW and beyond with up to 3000 V headroom, regenerative recovery above 95% efficiency, and Share-Bus load balancing. A worked DC-DC converter test design completes the guide.