Cooler Master Silent Pro M500
Perhaps best known as a manufacturer of enthusiast-class computer cases, Cooler Master has played an important role on the PSU market for several years. The Silent Pro M500 we received for this roundup has been available in stores for several weeks, but that's no reason not to take a closer look at this power supply, especially considering its 80 PLUS certification.
As soon as you unpack the PSU, it becomes clear that the "Silent" added to the product name is not idle boasting. Silicon-covered mounting frames are included to stop vibrations from transferring to the computer case. This is a simple but effective tactic. In general, the housing of the Cooler Master Silent Pro M500 is very well made. No sharp edges or imperfect fit ruin the impression. A large 135 mm fan covers the entire base of the power supply.
The cables are flat in order to provide improved airflow inside the case, and while the lengths are sufficient, you might need some luck (Ed.: alternatively, you could do some research on component placement) to reach everything in large chassis. The ATX (20 + 4 pins) and CPU (4 + 4 pins) cables are firmly attached to the PSU, but all other cables are modular. You get plenty of cables as well: two PCIe, six SATA, and five four-pin Molex connectors.
| Cooler Master Silent Pro M500 | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AC Input | 100-240V, 50-60 Hz | |||||||
| DC Output | +3.3 V | +5 V | +12 V (#1) | +12 V (#2) | +12 V (#3) | +12 V (#4) | -12 V | +5 Vsb |
| 20 A | 20 A | 34 A | Row 2 - Cell 3 | Row 2 - Cell 4 | Row 2 - Cell 5 | 0.5 A | 2.5 A | |
| Individual Output | Row 3 - Cell 1 | Row 3 - Cell 2 | Row 3 - Cell 3 | Row 3 - Cell 4 | Row 3 - Cell 5 | Row 3 - Cell 6 | 6 W | 12.5 W |
| Rail Utilization | Sys | Sys | CPU & VGA | |||||
| Combined Output | 145 W | 408 W | ||||||
| Total Continuous Output | 500 W | |||||||
| Peak Output | 620 W |
