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Load Regulation, Hold-Up Time & Inrush Current
To learn more about our PSU tests and methodology, please check out How We Test Power Supply Units.
Primary Rails And 5VSB Load Regulation
Load Regulation testing is detailed here.
Hold-Up Time
Our hold-up time tests are described in detail here.
The hold-up time we measure is less than 17ms. However, the power-good signal is accurate. Still, we'd like to see a >17ms hold-up time, as the ATX spec requires.
Inrush Current
For details on our inrush current testing, please click here.
The inrush current readings that our equipment measures are very low with both voltage inputs.
Load Regulation And Efficiency Measurements
The first set of tests reveals the stability of the voltage rails and the AG-850M’s efficiency. The applied load equals (approximately) 10 to 110 percent of the PSU's maximum load in increments of 10 percentage points.
We conducted two additional tests. During the first, we stressed the two minor rails (5V and 3.3V) with a high load, while the load at +12V was only 0.1A. This test reveals whether a PSU is compatible with Intel's C6/C7 sleep states or not. In the second test, we determined the maximum load the +12V rail could handle with minimal load on the minor rails.
| Test # | 12V | 5V | 3.3V | 5VSB | DC/AC (Watts) | Efficiency | Fan Speed | PSU Noise | Temps (In/Out) | PF/AC Volts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5.241A | 1.964A | 1.970A | 0.991A | 84.836 | 83.911% | 1675 RPM | 44.0 dB(A) | 37.94°C | 0.980 |
| 12.071V | 5.078V | 3.350V | 5.045V | 101.102 | 40.90°C | 115.10V | ||||
| 2 | 11.518A | 2.960A | 2.964A | 1.191A | 169.675 | 88.683% | 1795 RPM | 45.5 dB(A) | 38.63°C | 0.981 |
| 12.052V | 5.060V | 3.338V | 5.028V | 191.328 | 41.83°C | 115.09V | ||||
| 3 | 18.184A | 3.467A | 3.486A | 1.396A | 254.887 | 90.052% | 1835 RPM | 47.4 dB(A) | 38.96°C | 0.986 |
| 12.033V | 5.048V | 3.324V | 5.007V | 283.044 | 42.43°C | 115.09V | ||||
| 4 | 24.852A | 3.975A | 3.980A | 1.600A | 339.725 | 90.438% | 1915 RPM | 48.0 dB(A) | 39.49°C | 0.990 |
| 12.013V | 5.033V | 3.314V | 4.988V | 375.646 | 43.40°C | 115.08V | ||||
| 5 | 31.204A | 4.980A | 4.999A | 1.810A | 424.659 | 89.940% | 1985 RPM | 49.3 dB(A) | 40.05°C | 0.992 |
| 11.992V | 5.015V | 3.299V | 4.969V | 472.160 | 44.25°C | 115.07V | ||||
| 6 | 37.579A | 6.007A | 6.026A | 2.021A | 509.636 | 89.436% | 2030 RPM | 49.5 dB(A) | 41.40°C | 0.994 |
| 11.970V | 4.996V | 3.287V | 4.947V | 569.832 | 45.92°C | 115.07V | ||||
| 7 | 43.984A | 7.032A | 7.055A | 2.231A | 594.591 | 88.747% | 2050 RPM | 49.7 dB(A) | 42.43°C | 0.995 |
| 11.948V | 4.975V | 3.273V | 4.928V | 669.983 | 47.18°C | 115.10V | ||||
| 8 | 50.408A | 8.076A | 8.101A | 2.445A | 679.483 | 87.849% | 2050 RPM | 49.7 dB(A) | 43.42°C | 0.995 |
| 11.924V | 4.957V | 3.258V | 4.905V | 773.465 | 49.00°C | 115.09V | ||||
| 9 | 57.302A | 8.602A | 8.655A | 2.445A | 764.547 | 86.981% | 2050 RPM | 49.7 dB(A) | 44.02°C | 0.996 |
| 11.901V | 4.943V | 3.246V | 4.901V | 878.980 | 50.28°C | 115.08V | ||||
| 10 | 63.944A | 9.137A | 9.184A | 3.095A | 849.293 | 85.834% | 2050 RPM | 49.7 dB(A) | 44.20°C | 0.996 |
| 11.879V | 4.927V | 3.233V | 4.844V | 989.457 | 51.74°C | 115.09V | ||||
| 11 | 71.200A | 9.154A | 9.208A | 3.092A | 934.057 | 85.036% | 2050 RPM | 49.7 dB(A) | 44.82°C | 0.996 |
| 11.859V | 4.918V | 3.222V | 4.854V | 1098.425 | 52.85°C | 115.07V | ||||
| CL1 | 0.100A | 18.030A | 18.002A | 0.005A | 149.488 | 79.040% | 1925 RPM | 48.1 dB(A) | 40.21°C | 0.982 |
| 12.035V | 4.941V | 3.287V | 5.123V | 189.129 | 45.29°C | 115.10V | ||||
| CL2 | 69.962A | 1.003A | 1.004A | 1.002A | 845.392 | 86.848% | 2050 RPM | 49.7 dB(A) | 43.95°C | 0.996 |
| 11.893V | 4.997V | 3.266V | 5.032V | 973.416 | 50.28°C | 115.08V |
Load regulation is average on the +12V rail, fairly loose on the minor rails, and very loose at 5VSB.
More troubling perhaps is the fan profile, which is the most aggressive we've ever encountered in an 850W PSU. Apexgaming and Solytech need to improve this as soon as possible, since the combination of a powerful fan spinning quickly is a killer when it comes to noise.
Efficiency-wise, the 80 PLUS Gold spec's requirements are met at 20% load. Under 50% load, the PSU falls just shy of the 90% threshold. At full load, however, it's more than 1% away from the needed 87% mark. But we test at very high ambient temperatures, whereas the 80 PLUS organization only tests at 23°C (±5°C).
Finally, the PSU switched off at the end of our overload test. More than likely, over-temperature protection kicked in. After a few minutes, we switched it back on and didn't encounter any problems.
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