Cooler Master MasterWatt Maker 1200 PSU Review

Reviews
By Aris Mpitziopoulos
published

Cooler Master finally released its MasterWatt Maker PSU, which was designed for true enthusiasts. Sporting Titanium-class efficiency, a digital interface, and other exotic features, we didn't expect an affordable price. But $450 looks insane!

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Performance, Performance Per Dollar, Noise & Efficiency Ratings

Performance Rating

The following graph shows the MasterWatt Maker 1200's total performance rating, comparing it to other PSUs we've tested. To be more specific, the tested unit is shown as 100 percent, and every other unit's performance is shown relative to it.

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Performance is quite good, though it could be much better with some design improvements.

Performance Per Dollar

The following chart may be the most interesting to many of you because it depicts the MasterWatt Maker 1200's performance-per-dollar score. We looked up the current price of each PSU on popular online shops and used those prices and all relative performance numbers to calculate the index. If a specific unit wasn't available in the United States, we searched for it in popular European Union shops, converting the listed price to USD (without VAT). Note that all of the numbers in the following graph are normalized by the rated power of each PSU.  

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The super expensive MasterWatt Maker 1200 naturally ends up in last place.

Noise Rating

The graph below depicts the cooling fan's average noise over the PSU's operating range, with an ambient temperature between 28 °C and 30 °C (82 °F to 86 °F).

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Even in its default mode, the MasterWatt features quiet operation for a 1.2 kW PSU.

Efficiency Rating

The following graph shows the PSU's average efficiency throughout its operating range, with an ambient temperature between 28 °C and 30 °C.

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Efficiency in the 10%-100% range is high. However, under very light loads it's very low. This affects the MasterWatt Maker 1200's overall efficiency score, of course. Enhance tried to pull a little trick by tuning the PSU to only comply with the 80 PLUS Titanium certification's requirements; however our methodology is much stricter.

Aris Mpitziopoulos
Contributing Editor

Aris Mpitziopoulos is a Contributing Editor at Tom's Hardware US, covering PSUs.

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11 Comments Comment from the forums
  • LFCavalcanti
    Holy toaster!
    Reply
  • Onus
    Shades of the GX line; Coolermaster swings for the fences, but a competitor (pick one) in the outfield snags it and throws this one out trying to stretch a single to second base.
    Reply
  • MasterMace
    CM doesn't get to put a $450 price tag on something that isn't in the same park. That voltage regulation is disappointing.
    Reply
  • turkey3_scratch
    A lot of hype and little delivery for that price tag of course. Lower that price down to $200 and then we may be talking. The efficiency under low loads was quite poor. I'd like to bash the 5VSB regulation, though that's going to be unimportant and unrealistic with the majority of consumers, having load changes on that rail. Though if you are charging multiple devices I'd rather have it at 5V than 4.75V.

    At least the transient response performance was really good. The PWR_OK signal, eh. Aris, do you think that transient filter is really enough? I have a feeling it would fail EMI testing, only 4 y caps, 4 x caps, and 2 cm chokes on the unit.

    Overall, Cooler Master paired with the wrong OEM.
    Reply
  • Aris_Mp
    the transient filtering stage looks complete since it has more than the required X caps, however you can never know unless you actually test it. I have the equipment and knowledge but I lack the time to do it :)
    Reply
  • turkey3_scratch
    What are the exact requirements? I know what the ATX spec says but you have units like the FSP Hydro G 750 that failed by a good margin with 4 y caps, 2 x caps, and 2 cm chokes. So when talking about a 1200W unit with 4 y caps, 4 x caps, and 2 cm chokes, those 2 extra x caps are enough to do the trick?
    Reply
  • Aris_Mp
    it doesn't have to do with the Wattage but with the design.
    Reply
  • Nuckles_56
    The performance per dollar chart was great, it showed how badly overpriced this unit is and that there is a lot which could be improved on for the money spent on the unit
    Reply
  • Andi lim
    It's seem like the solid polymer caps on front side modular PCB's not from Nichicon, I think it belongs to Unicon taiwan ( UPT series ).
    Reply
  • jimmysmitty
    18352433 said:
    CM doesn't get to put a $450 price tag on something that isn't in the same park. That voltage regulation is disappointing.

    Sadly it is more than the AX1500i, lower efficiency and specs overall and a lower warranty (7 year vs 10 year).

    If someone is going to spend that much on a PSU It would be better to go for the Corsair.
    Reply