Join for quick access. Enter your email below and we'll send confirmation plus sign you up to our newsletter.
By submitting your information, you confirm you are aged 16 or over,
have read our
Privacy Policy
and agree to the
Terms & Conditions. Geographical rules apply.
The major problem in this unit is the fan profile, which makes the fan spin at very high speeds from almost zero load. The second problem are the low quality electrolytic caps on the secondary side, which along with the sleeve bearing fan have no place in a PSU that costs 110 bucks. On the other side the AG-850M is supported by a ten-year warranty, which shows Apexgaming's confidence on this platform, the soldering quality is good and has low EMI emissions. We are troubled though about the 10-year warranty which looks highly optimistic given the Chinese electrolytic caps and the sleeve bearing fan with the aggressive speed profile.
Reasons to buy
+
Price
+
Full power at 45°C
+
Ripple suppression in sample #1 (+12V, 5V & 3.3V rails)
+
Transient response (+12V)
+
Turn-on transient response
+
Accurate Power Ok signal
+
Inrush current
+
Fully modular
+
6x PCIe connectors
+
EMI
+
Ten-year warranty
Reasons to avoid
-
Fan profile
-
Sleeve bearing fan
-
Secondary side electrolytic caps
-
Hold-up time
-
Load regulation
-
3.3V rail's transient response
-
5VSB ripple problem in the first sample
-
1x EPS
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.
Features & Specifications
Solytech has been in the PSU business for a long time, manufacturing mostly low-end and mid-range models that typically get relabeled and sold under other brands. Apexgaming's AG-850M is the first Solytech-made power supply to make its way through our lab though, so we're eager to see what it can do.
So far, Apexgaming's AG line consists of six members ranging from 650W to 850W. Three sport fully modular cabling (the AG-M series), while the rest employ a semi-modular configuration (AG). All Apexgaming PSUs sport a 10-year warranty, demonstrating Solytech's faith in its platform. But as we've mentioned previously, we're not necessarily fans of such long guarantees because they open the door to other issues, particularly with cryptocurrency mining being as popular as it is.
Again, Apexgaming's flagship AG-850M is our subject today. Besides 850W of capacity, it employs a single +12V rail and is 80 PLUS Gold-certified. On the Cybenetics scale, it achieves ETA-A- efficiency, but fails to earn a badge for acoustics since it outputs more than 45 dB(A). Frankly, it's weird to encounter such a noisy 850W PSU. This is a major weakness that'll no doubt affect sales. Apparently, the fan profile is badly tuned. In combination with a powerful fan, we end up suffering through loud operation in every situation.
The sleeve bearing fan is unnecessarily potent for an 850W power supply with 80 PLUS Gold efficiency. However, given Apexgaming's long warranty and the secondary side's capacitors, an aggressive fan profile is probably a good idea.
According to Apexgaming's claims, the AG-850M includes all necessary protection features and is rated for full, continuous output at 50°C. On paper, if this PSU's noise wasn't so bad it'd stand a good chance of competing against compelling alternatives like Corsair's RM850x, Seasonic's Focus Plus Gold 850, and EVGA's 850 G3.
Power Specifications
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Rail
3.3V
5V
12V
5VSB
-12V
Max. Power
Amps
25
25
70
3
0.5
Watts
150
840
15
6
Total Max. Power (W)
850
The minor rails are more powerful than they need to be for a modern PC, reminding us of older times when the +5V rail was heavily used instead of the +12V rail.
Speaking of the +12V rail, it's able to output 70A, easily supporting enthusiast-oriented gaming systems. And the 5VSB rail offers up to 15W capacity. That's usually plenty for today's needs.
Stay On the Cutting Edge: Get the Tom's Hardware Newsletter
Get Tom's Hardware's best news and in-depth reviews, straight to your inbox.
Cables & Connectors
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Modular Cables
Description
Cable Count
Connector Count (Total)
Gauge
In Cable Capacitors
ATX connector 20+4 pin (600mm)
1
1
18AWG
No
4+4 pin EPS12V (650mm)
1
1
18AWG
No
6+2 pin PCIe (600mm+150mm)
3
6
18AWG
No
SATA (520mm+110mm+110mm)
2
6
18AWG
No
SATA (500mm+110mm+110mm+110mm)
1
4
18AWG
No
Four-pin Molex (450mm+100mm+100mm+100mm)
1
4
18AWG
No
FDD Adapter (+100mm)
1
1
22AWG
No
AC Power Cord (1420mm) - C13 coupler
1
1
18AWG
-
There is only one EPS connector, which we consider to be a shame for an 850W PSU. The number of PCIe connectors is enough though, and there are plenty of SATA connectors as well. All of the cables are sufficiently long. However, the distance between connectors (especially the four-pin Molex ones) is too small. Finally, Apexgaming also provides a floppy disk adapter that still might come in handy for some folks.
The AG-850M's cables are shown in the photos below.
Hopefully they will take what was criticized for this unit, and learn from it, to make an even better product down the line. Some more competition in PSU land would be nice.
