Why you can trust Tom's Hardware Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.
Packaging, Contents, Exterior, And Cabling
Packaging
A model number is written in extra-large fonts on the box's front, while the 80 PLUS Gold badge is quite small. These days, that logo isn't the mark of honor it used to be.
On one side, the cooling fan's speed curve is shown with the semi-passive, or ECO as EVGA calls it, mode enabled. The power specifications table is right beneath it.
Around back, a number of photos depict the bulk cap, the LLC resonant converter circuit, and the specially-designed fan blades.
Contents
The first thing that greets you among the nicely-arranged box contents is a user's manual. Most companies put it on top in an effort to encourage your to read it. Most of us don't, though. The truth is that, in a PSU with a single +12V rail, there isn't much reason to look at the manual. You connect the cables to your components and you don't have to pay attention to the connectors you use. After all, there's just one +12V rail. Power distribution isn't a concern.
Along with the PSU and its modular cables, the box contains a pouch, several Velco straps, a set of fixing bolts, and an ATX plug you can use to jump-start the PSU without using a mainboard. We wish more manufacturers would include one of these plugs in their bundles.
Exterior
The G3s look much nicer than the G2s. Then again, we're a little biased after seeing so many different G2, P2, and T2 models. The new fan grille is more interesting than the old punched one, and the compact dimensions add some points as well.
Up front, an on/off switch is installed next to the AC receptacle, while the smaller switch is for toggling the PSU's ECO mode on or off.
Stickers on the side depict the model number and power specifications table.
The modular panel is large enough to host a dozen sockets. You'll notice that the PCIe cables use different sockets than the EPS ones, so you don't need to pay extra attention during the installation process. We like to see this.
The compact dimensions are a tremendous advantage since they make the 850 G3 compatible with a majority of cases (even the smaller ones).
Cabling
The cables use black wires and are round instead of ribboned, which we prefer in high-capacity PSUs with loads of connectors. Unfortunately, the ATX, EPS, and PCIe cables use capacitors to help with ripple suppression performance. Those cables are naturally bulkier. In the event you have to replace them with ones that lack filtering caps, ripple performance will take a small hit. It would be great if Super Flower could get rid of those extra capacitors in its Leadex II platform and keep ripple at the same low levels.
The modular cables use Teapo SC caps; we were expecting Japanese caps here.
