Deepcool PQ850M Power Supply Review

The Deepcool PQ850M achieves decent performance and it is silent.

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Deepcool PQ850M
(Image credit: © Tom's Hardware)

Tom's Hardware Verdict

The Deepcool PQ850M achieves good but not competitive overall performance. It is silent though, and it is covered by a long warranty.

Pros

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    + Full power at 47 degrees Celsius

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    + Tight load regulation at 12V

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    + Good build quality

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    + Efficient

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    + Good enough ripple suppression

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    + Silent operation

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    + Long hold-up time

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    + Low inrush current with 115V

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    + Low conducted EMI

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    + Fully modular

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    + Enough connectors for its capacity

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    + Compatible with the alternative sleep mode

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    + Compact dimensions

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    + 10-year warranty

Cons

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    Lacks a 12+4 pin (12VHPWR) connector

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    High inrush current with 230V

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    Mediocre transient response at 3.3V

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    Not so efficient 5VSB rail

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    Small distance between peripheral connectors

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    Weird exterior design

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The Deepcool PQ850M uses a pretty good and reliable Seasonic platform, which has started to show its age, though. Thanks to its terrific CWT platform, the Corsair RM850x (2021) remains the performance king in the 850W Gold category. The weird exterior design of the PQ850 doesn't help, either. Another decent option with similar specs from Deepcool is the DQ850-M-V2L, which achieves better performance than the PQ850M, using a budget CWT platform. A revision of the PQ850M is required, featuring a 12+4 pin connector, to give it a chance for inclusion in our best PSUs article. 

Deepcool enriched its PSU lines with the PQ-M series, including four models with 650W to 1000W max power. All are fully modular and use the trendy Seasonic Focus Gold platform. They have compact dimensions and are equipped with a 120mm diameter fluid dynamic bearing fan provided by Hong Hua. The exterior design looks weird because of the square holes of the fan grille. The design definitely stands out from the crowd, but not in a good way, according to our taste, at least. 

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Aris Mpitziopoulos
Aris Mpitziopoulos
Contributing Editor

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

5 Comments Comment from the forums
  • Co BIY
    This category seems to show all the competitors neck-and-neck. Are they all using the SeaSonic Gold Platform ?

    I don't mind the grid pattern and perhaps it's excellent airflow allowed for less fan.

    I think it looks particularly sharp on the back.
    Reply
  • drajitsh
    It is not ideal to buy a PSU right now because we are in a transition phase from the previous ATX spec to the new one. I am likely going to be forced to buy 2 systems for my office. They will have integrated graphics to start with and will be upgraded to low end discrete graphics in 1-2 years. Does your recommendation still stand?
    Reply
  • Co BIY
    drajitsh said:
    It is not ideal to buy a PSU right now because we are in a transition phase from the previous ATX spec to the new one. I am likely going to be forced to buy 2 systems for my office. They will have integrated graphics to start with and will be upgraded to low end discrete graphics in 1-2 years. Does your recommendation still stand?

    I don't think low end cards will be requiring the new connectors in the short term. This is a necessity only for the high end cards with crazy peak power draws.

    The makers of the low end cards will also build them to match the likely customer , you and the other 500 million people running machines without the ATX3.0 PSU upgrades.

    Question: Why are PSU's built with fan grills ? None of the other fans in PCs have grills and PSU fans aren't bigger or faster . Also readily replaceable fans could be a great selling point because users want to mod.
    Reply
  • Co BIY
    Tom Sunday said:
    The old story...eveyone wants a piece of the pie! Deepcool once dedicated exclusively for PC cooling now into PSU's as well. Next we have Seasonic making memory. I wish that companies would perfect their originally intended product line and giving us those results, instead of just plastering their nane on products made by others. I have no respect for this as it is a quick fix to make more money and even having some people believe that they have a better product when this is absolutely not the case .

    I agree with you if they just slap their "Premium" name and a few RGB's to something of below average quality and then throw it out there at a Premium price.

    In this case they started with a very solid platform, executed it competently and it delivers the goods quietly.

    This PSU doesn't seem like it's worth getting the pitchforks out for.
    Reply
  • Co BIY
    Tom Sunday said:
    Yes you are on the point as always!

    Thank You for the compliment!

    Tom Sunday said:
    My other 'Deepcool' thought and great hope was that someday perhaps air-cooling products will equal the thermal performance of AIO’s. In part many users even with extensive experience sometimes have trouble installing AIO’s into their case.

    I agree with you that the simplicity, reliability and cost advantages of air cooling justify continued development. Lenovo has an interesting offset stacked air cooler design on their new Threadripper workstations that I would like to see make it to the DIY market .


    Lenovo Thinkstation P620 Review (at Anandtech)
    Reply