Configuration
| AC Source | Chroma Programmable AC Source 6530 |
|---|---|
| Power Meter | Yokogawa WT210 Digital Power Meter |
| Loads | 4x 600 W Chroma 63306 for 12 V Testing 4x 300 W Chroma 63306 for 5 and 3.3 V Testing Using Chroma High Speed DC Load Mainframes 6334 |
| Oscilloscope | Tektronix DPO3034 Digital Phosphere Oscilliscope (300 MHz) |
Methodology
| Voltages | 110 and 230 V |
|---|---|
| Standby Power | 0.25 A Fixed Current to Simulate PC Standby Power on 5 Vsb |
| 80 PLUS Efficiency Testing | 100/50/20% Load, Relative to Specified Total Output Load Distribution Across 12/5/3.3V Rails at the Same Proportion as Specified for 100% Testing at 110 V According to ATX 2.3 Specification |
| Efficiency at Fixed Loads | 25, 50, 85, 300, 500 W Loads Load Distribution across 12/5/3.3 V Rails at the Same Proportion as Specified for 100% |
| Peak Load Test | 110% Overload Testing at Maximum Combined 12 V |
| Temperature Test | Air Intake vs. Outtake Temperature Difference Tracking Highest Difference During All Tests |
Results
More measurement results for the PSUs in this round-up, as well as other PSUs, can be found in our Power Supply Charts.
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Enermax Revolutio...
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CoolerMaster V4505
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Corsair RM450
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Seasonic S12G 450W
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Ask a Category Expert
Readers have been begging for you guys to do a proper PSU test for years. I'm glad to know Tom's has taken the time to listen.
/sarcasm
It would have also been nice to see one of Seasonic's TFX units included.
I lol'd at the operational noise graph because it tells you nothing. What rail(s) are they testing? Who knows? Who cares...
You are welcome to continue to defend the article, but the truth is that nobody takes a Tom's Hardware PSU review seriously. This review doesn't do anything to change that perception. Compared to the depth of analysis that goes into other PC components, it is disappointing to see Tom's continue to ignore the requests of its readers to bring a thorough, full-featured PSU review to the table.
Yes, these are supposedly made by top-tier manufacturers, but just because they have a reputation in the past doesn't mean they have a clean slate the entire way through.
"In order to keep prices within reason, we settled on an 80 PLUS Gold rating as sufficient to meet our second demand."
I'm also happy with my 80+ Bronze P/S. Frankly, when you're buying smaller output P/S, I really don't know why anyone would need to get a Gold-rated one.
I paid like 70$ for a top of the line 660W seasonic platinum PSU after MIR. Needless to say I was patient and waited for a good deal, but I see high quality 650-750W PSUs for 80$ after MIRs regularly.
True, PSUs typically operate most effeciently at 80% load. I build gaming rigs though, so 400W is always too small.
I just expected smaller PSUs to be cheaper, that's all.
This review feels like useless. There's no ripple testing, whatever the second comment user says. Get some review from Guru3D and you'll see.
Based on words I can't compare with other products on other reviews, so this is quite a fail.
Haha... well I can beat you on your own games from my cell phone.
I agree. If I am buying a gold rated 450w unit, I am not buying any of these. I will go and get a Capstone 450w for $60.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817182066
Haha... well I can beat you on your own games from my cell phone.
Hahahaha yup, given a micro HDMI port. But I'm speaking of a machine capable of challenging the PS4. My old NES 8 bit is going to be revived with the KFA2 750Ti and an i5S processor. Actually I badly wanted the Broadwell architecture but I can't wait 2015...
The three most important things to review on a power supply are regulation, ripple suppression, and hot box stability.
My suggestion for Patrick is to go look at CRMARIS and Oklahoma Wolf's PSU reviews to see how a real review is done.
The only way to verify true quality is with hot box torture. That's how you separate the elite PSUs from the turds wrapped in a box.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139010
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139056
Unless they buy it for the rating and know nothing else about a PSU, but if you checked out the price links to Amazon, no one is that dumb to spend that much on a small wattage PSU. The CM one is sold by some unknown vender with a $44 dollar shipping! Corsair has some reviews, but that's not for the 450w, they're reviews for higher wattage models.