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Packaging, Contents, Exterior & Cabling
Packaging
The MasterWatt Maker 1200 MIJ's box is the largest and heaviest we've ever received. At first, you might even think that there's more than one power supply inside.
The front of the packaging clearly states that this is an analog platform designed and manufactured in Japan. With a majority of today's PSUs designed in Taiwan and built in China, a 100% Japanese PSU is definitely something new.
One of the two sides hosts technical details and a power specification tables. The most interesting information on the back is a cut-away diagram of the MasterWatt Maker 1200 MIJ's internals. With a quick look, we spot two large bulk caps and a pair of cylindrical PFC chokes. The design looks really interesting, and we're eager to break apart the PSU to identify all of its components.
Contents
Inside the box, you'll find two small cases and the gigantic PSU. A piece of paper in the middle informs you that Cooler Master teamed up with Murata for this project. The last line says, "We hope you will enjoy this product for years and years to come." Given a $1000 price tag, Cooler Master will be in trouble if that's not the case.
You get so many modular cables that they're spread across two cases. Cooler Master spared no expense on its MasterWatt Maker 1200 MIJ, and this is reflected in the high-quality enclosures as well. The user's manual is small, and along with it you also get a warranty leaflet.
Exterior
The external design is identical to the plain MasterWatt Maker 1200. The top cover looks restrictive and will surely affect airflow negatively. Up front, a classic honeycomb exhaust grille is used and the power switch is quite small.
A C14 inlet is used instead of a heavy-duty C20 one. For such a high-efficiency PSU, even under full load and with 115V input, you won't see more than 12A drawn from the AC socket. That's easily within reach of a C13 connector. Still, we'd like to see a C19/C20 coupler combination similar to what's found on the Enhance-made MasterWatt Maker 1200.
The PSU's sides are illustrated with a power specification table and several icons corresponding to its various certifications.
Some of the sockets on the modular board are installed too close to each other. This can cause headaches when you try to attach/detach them. It looks like there was plenty of room to place them farther from each other (at least the ones that are too close).
This is a huge PSU, no doubt about it.
Cabling
The cables are ribboned and consist of black wires, offering the desired stealth effect in cases with dark interiors and windowed side panels.
These connectors can handle increased amperage compared to normal Molex ones. The plugs are also upgraded, offering increased functionality. We would like to see similar connectors in other high-end PSUS as well.
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