Bang For Your Buck: Four 500 W Power Supplies Reviewed

Features
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Enthusiasts often say that you can never have too much performance. However, a 500W power supply is perfectly ample for a majority of mid-range PCs. This is one of those cases where a solid ratio of performance to price is preferable to gross excess.

Test Configuration, Hold-Up Time, Inrush Current, Peak, And Short Circuit Tests

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Test Hardware
AC SourceChroma Programmable AC Source 6530
Power MeterYokogawa WT210 Digital Power Meter
Loads4 x 600W Chroma 63306 for 12 V testing
Row 3 - Cell 0 4 x 300W Chroma 63303 for 5 V and 3.3 V testing
Row 4 - Cell 0 using Chroma HighSpeed - DC Load Mainframes 6334
OscilloscopeTektronix DPO3034 Digital Phosphore Oscilloscope (300 MHz)
Test Procedure
Voltages110 V and 230 V
Standby Power0.25 A fixed current to simulate PC standby power on 5 Vsb
80 PLUS Efficiency Testing100/50/20% load, relative to specified total output Load distribution across 12/5/3.3 V rails at the same proportion as specified for 100% testing at 110 V according to ATX 2.3 specification
Efficiency at Fixed Loads25, 50, 85, 300, 500 watt loads Load distribution across 12/5/3.3 V rails at the same proportion as specified for 100%
Peak Load Test110% Overload Testing at maximum combined 12 V
Temperature TestAir intake vs. outtake temperature delta tracking highest delta during all tests