Cooler Master V850 Platinum Power Supply Review

Tom's Hardware Verdict

The Cooler Master V850 Platinum power supply is too expensive for what it has to offer. It might have top build quality but with less money you can find better performing units.

Pros

  • +

    Full power at 47 degrees Celsius

  • +

    Silent operation

  • +

    Fully modular

  • +

    Enough connectors: 10-year warranty

Cons

  • -

    Expensive

  • -

    Bad transient response at 3.3V

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Specifications and Part Analysis

The Cooler Master V850 Platinum power supply performs well enough, and its build quality is top-notch. The major downside is the high price tag, $199 (£153), which makes it more expensive than better performing units with some of them having a quieter operation. For instance, the similar capacity Seasonic Prime Ultra Platinum is better in all areas but noise output, since its overall noise output is 12 dB(A) higher than Cooler Master's offering. Another strong opponent of the V850 Platinum is the Corsair HX850 which has a much lower price tag, yet it offers better performance and is quieter by almost 5 dB(A) overall. Things look tough for the V850 Platinum, given its strong competitors. Cooler Master should proceed on lowering its price, by at least 30-40 bucks (23 to 31 pounds), if it wants to boost its performance per dollar/pound ratio.

Cooler Master's new V Platinum line consists of three members with capacities ranging from 850 to 1300W. We have already evaluated the strongest member of the line, so we decided to take a look at the smallest as well, since its lower capacity and price make it more interesting to the majority of users.

The Cooler Master V850 Platinum is based on an older Delta platform, which we've last seen several years ago, in the Antec HCP-850. This is a highly capable design, but it counts many years in production so naturally, it will have a hard time facing fierce competition. In the efficiency section, the V850 meets the requirements of the 80 PLUS Platinum and Cybenetics ETA-A standards, while its noise output is kept low. All cables are modular, the cooling fan uses double ball-bearings which will easily cope with high operating temperatures and the provided warranty is long at ten-years.

Specifications

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Manufacturer (OEM)Delta Electronics
Max. DC Output850W
Efficiency80 PLUS Platinum, *ETA-A (88-91%)
Noise*LAMBDA-A- (25-30 dB[A])
Modular✓ (Fully)
Intel C6/C7 Power State Support
Operating Temperature (Continuous Full Load)0 - 50°C
Over Voltage Protection
Under Voltage Protection
Over Power Protection
Over Current (+12V) Protection
Over Temperature Protection
Short Circuit Protection
Surge Protection
Inrush Current Protection
Fan Failure Protection
No Load Operation
Cooling135mm Double Ball Bearing Fan (AFB1312M)
Semi-Passive Operation✓ (Selectable)
Dimensions (W x H x D)152 x 87 x 192mm
Weight2.13 kg (4.7 lb)
Form FactorATX12V v2.4, EPS 2.92
Warranty10 Years

* The V850 Platinum is not certified by Cybenetics, yet. The provided ratings are based on our own measurements.

Power Specifications

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Rail3.3V5V12V112V25VSB-12V
Max. PowerAmps252535.235.230.5
Watts130844156
Total Max. Power (W)850

Cables & Connectors

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Modular Cables
DescriptionCable CountConnector Count (Total)GaugeIn Cable Capacitors
ATX connector 20+4 pin (650mm)1118-22AWGNo
8 pin EPS12V (750mm)1118AWGNo
4+4 pin EPS12V (680mm)1118AWGNo
6+2 pin PCIe (650mm+120mm) 3616-18AWGNo
SATA (560mm+120mm+120mm+120mm)1418AWGNo
SATA (520mm+120mm+120mm+120mm)2818AWGNo
4-pin Molex (500mm+120mm+120mm+120mm)1418AWGNo
FDD Adapter (+120mm)1122AWGNo
AC Power Cord (1360mm) - C13 coupler1117AWG-

This is a fully modular power supply, and it is equipped with lots of cables, as you can see in the table above. All cables are long, but the distance between the peripheral connectors should be 150mm, instead of only 120mm. Finally, there are no in-line caps, and only the PCIe cables use thicker 16AWG gauges, up to the first connector.

Power Distribution

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Power Distribution
12V1ATX, PCIe, Peripheral
12V2CPU

Component Analysis

We strongly encourage you to have a look at our PSUs 101 article, which provides valuable information about PSUs and their operation, allowing you to better understand the components we're about to discuss.

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General Data
Manufacturer (OEM)Delta Electronics
PCB TypeSingle Sided
Primary Side
Transient Filter6x Y caps, 2x X caps, 2x CM chokes, 1x MOV
Inrush ProtectionNTC Thermistor & Relay
Bridge Rectifier(s)2x Vishay GSIB2560 (600V, 25A @ 98°C)
APFC MOSFETS3x Alpha & Omega AOTF27S60 (600V, 17A @ 100°C, 0.44Ohm @ 150°C)
APFC Boost Diode1x CREE C3D08060A (600V, 8A @ 152°C)
Hold-up Cap(s)2x Rubycon (450V, 470uF, 2000h @ 105°C, MXH)
Main Switchers4x STF25NM60ND (600V, 13A @ 100°C, 0.16Ohm)
APFC ControllerChampion CM6802SNX & CM03X Green PFC Controller
Resonant ControllersChampion CM6901X
TopologyPrimary side: Full-Bridge & LLC converter Secondary side: Synchronous Rectification & DC-DC converters
Secondary Side
+12V MOSFETSUnknown number of FETs
5V & 3.3VDC-DC Converters:3x Infineon BSC0904NSI (30V, 49A @ 100°C, 3.7mOhm), 1x Infineon BSC052N03LS (30V, 36A @ 100°C, 5.2mOhm)
Filtering CapacitorsElectrolytics: 11x Rubycon (6-10,000h @ 105°C, ZLH), 2x Nippon Chemi-con (1-5,000h @ 105°C, KZE), 10x Nippon Chemi-con (5-6,000h @ 105°C, KZH) Polymers: Nichicon, Nippon Chemi-con, NIC
Supervisor ICTexas Instruments DWA103N-A (OCP, OVP, UVP, SCP, PG)
Fan ModelDelta AFB1312M (135mm, 12V, 0.38A, Double Ball Bearing Fan)
5VSB Circuit
Rectifier1x STMicroelectronics STPS20L60CT SBR (60V, 20A @ 140°C)
Standby PWM ControllerPower Integrations TNY280PG

All new V Platinum power supplies are made by Delta Electronics, which is the largest PSU manufacturer and one of the best. The platform might count several years in production, but it uses all contemporary tricks including a full-bridge topology along with an LLC resonant converter on the primary side, for restricted energy loses.

The main transformer uses a unique design that allows it to be extra small. On top of that, the board that hosts the +12V FETs is directly attached to the main transformer, to increase efficiency and minimize EMI noise. The +12V rail is mostly filtered by polymer caps, which are much more tolerant to high operating temperatures than electrolytic ones. Finally, the build quality is excellent; something expected given that Delta is well known for its top-notch production lines and the strict quality control.

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Aris Mpitziopoulos
Contributing Editor

Aris Mpitziopoulos is a contributing editor at Tom's Hardware, covering PSUs.