Enermax Digifanless 550W Power Supply Review

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Packaging, Contents, Exterior And Cabling

Packaging

On the front of the box, there's a photo of the product, along with the series description and several icons depicting the most interesting features, including the Platinum efficiency rating, five-year warranty, digital control and the corresponding software. Next to the icons is the capacity description in a large, white font.

On the back of the box, Enermax provides many details about the product, including a long feature list, the power specification table, a description of the available cables and connectors, and a mention of the unit's control software. In addition, two small photos depict the individually-sleeved cables and the Japanese capacitors that equip the APFC converter and the unit’s secondary side. We are always happy to see some photos of a PSU’s internals on its box, since this usually means that the manufacturer wants to show off the quality parts that were used.

Contents

Inside the packaging, the PSU is protected by bubble wrap; we would have liked to see some foam spacers as well. The contents are neatly arranged, and the manuals for both the PSU and the software are located at the top. They're the first things you'll see after opening the box.

This is a passive cooled PSU, so you should install it with the top exhaust grille facing upward. If you don’t follow this advice, hot air will be trapped inside the PSU, leading to higher operating temperatures and, ultimately, functionality problems that will shorten the PSU’s life.

The bundle is pretty rich, and includes a case badge along with a set of fixing bolts, two Velcro straps and a pouch to store the modular cables. There’s also an AC power cord, the clip that ensures the AC cord won’t be pulled off accidentally, a USB header cable for connecting the PSU to the system’s mainboard and the modular cables.

Exterior

The unit features a nice matte finish that appears to be scratch-resistant. On the front of the unit, the small on/off switch is located right next to the AC receptacle, and there are ventilation holes on the sides to improve airflow. The large power specifications label is placed on the bottom of the PSU.

The modular panel includes seven sockets: two for the 24-pin ATX and the EPS connectors, three for the peripheral cables and two for the PCIe cables. Finally, there is an additional four-pin socket for the ZDPMS cable to allow the PSU to communicate with the system’s motherboard. 

The overall design is nice, and the unit’s dimensions are quite large for its capacity. On the front of the unit, the exhaust grille covers almost the entire PCB, allowing hot air to exit the PSU freely.

Cabling

The cable quality is good, and the individually-sleeved cables will surely please enthusiasts going for a unique look. In some cases, it might be harder to route this type of cable since they take up more space, even when compared to the conventional round, braided sleeve cables.

We strongly believe that these cables play a key role in the unit’s increased price, as their production cost is high. It seems that Enermax wanted something special and eye-catching for this PSU. Nonetheless, we would like to see a version of this unit with plain sleeved cables and a lower price for users who simply don’t want to pay a premium for individually-sleeved cables.

Contributing Editor

Aris Mpitziopoulos is a Contributing Editor at Tom's Hardware US, covering PSUs.

  • blackmagnum
    If you think buying a mid-range PSU that costs as much as an enthusiast gaming CPU or graphics card, then you have more money than sense.
    Reply
  • PaulBags
    Why'd my commented get deleted? "This is a passively-cooled PSU, so you should install it with the top exhaust grille facing downward." is totally wrong advice, if you don't believe me read the warnings in the picture YOU took.
    Reply
  • Calculatron
    Ironically, I have yet to try an Enermax PSU, although I really like their other products; I have an ETS-T40-TB, a whole myriad of their fans, and the Ostrog Pink case.
    Reply
  • uglyduckling81
    "This is a passively-cooled PSU, so you should install it with the top exhaust grille facing downward. If you don’t follow this advice, hot air will be trapped inside the PSU"

    Hot air rises. If you have the opening facing down you will be trapping hot air inside. Read your own comment "top exhaust". 'Top' means on top, 'exhaust' means expulsion of air not intake.
    The PSU clearly has vents on the back and sides so I think it's a moot point either way but it's clearly a better idea to install it with the top opening facing upwards.
    Reply
  • nukemaster
    15875927 said:
    Why'd my commented get deleted? "This is a passively-cooled PSU, so you should install it with the top exhaust grille facing downward." is totally wrong advice, if you don't believe me read the warnings in the picture YOU took.
    I think your post got lost(forum bug maybe), not removed. I would see if it was removed and it was not.

    I think this would depend on the case you are using to be honest.

    System air will cool it.

    If the power supply is at the top of your system putting its vent up will cause heat to have no place to go in many cases. Power supplies in the bottom of the case would be better served with the power supply vent face up.

    The power supply has software to let you see the temperatures anyway so you can test. Tom's tests in a hotbox so it is not an actual case.
    http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/how-we-test-psu,4042.html
    Reply
  • Aris_Mp
    guys sorry for this mistake. It is with the fan grill facing upwards and not down. This is how a single word can bring doom!
    Reply
  • Blueberries
    These are solid! I'd take a SeaSonic SS-520FL2 for $140 over this any day, though!
    Reply
  • PaulBags
    These are solid! I'd take a SeaSonic SS-520FL2 for $140 over this any day, though!
    I have the seasonic, I love it. I prefer the modular connector layout on it too, this emermax only offers a few oddly placed plugs by comparison. The cables arn't as good though, and you don't even get enough to populate all the plugs, although it's sufficent for most scenarios for a 520w PSU.

    I'd very much like to see AC cable clips become standard, I've had the ac work loose on me before when I turned a case slightly to plug something in, glad I didn't have anything important up at the time.


    To anyone who _would_ want the enermax over the seasonic I'm genuinely curious as to why. It's always good to learn and/or gain perspective.
    Reply
  • eklipz330
    i just realized my 7 year warranty for my corsair hx750 expires this year QQ
    Reply
  • f-14
    15875927 said:
    Why'd my commented get deleted? "This is a passively-cooled PSU, so you should install it with the top exhaust grille facing downward." is totally wrong advice, if you don't believe me read the warnings in the picture YOU took.
    I think your post got lost(forum bug maybe), not removed. I would see if it was removed and it was not.

    I think this would depend on the case you are using to be honest.

    System air will cool it.

    If the power supply is at the top of your system putting its vent up will cause heat to have no place to go in many cases. Power supplies in the bottom of the case would be better served with the power supply vent face up.

    The power supply has software to let you see the temperatures anyway so you can test. Tom's tests in a hotbox so it is not an actual case.
    http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/how-we-test-psu,4042.html

    page 2 second set of pictures picture number 5 what does it specifically say? where does hotair go, where does cold air go, in a fanless case your argument is excellent advice on how to waste money and start a fire. if you are running an antec 1200 with all the fans unless this psu is mounted at the top with the vents down and all the other fans are set to intake into the case you are in great shape, however that mitigates the point of having a fanless psu, you go fanless because you don't want there to be any noise, much less a hoover vacuum for a case.

    i haven't read the warranty card, but i am sure it says something about keeping the psu vents facing up when mounted at the bottom of the case, when mounted on the side that would be interesting.

    nice psu, i will keep it in mind for the next time a customer wants a zero or low noise build.

    someday there will be a liquid cooled PSU, i laugh because of water conduction electricity, but where there is a will, there is a way to circumvent conductivity and deal with all that heat i am sure.
    Reply