Enermax D.F. 500W PSU Review

The Enermax D.F. 500W is a fully modular PSU featuring high efficiency, quiet operation, and individually sleeved cables. But are those enough to justify its premium price tag?

By Aris Mpitziopoulos
published

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Performance, Performance Per Dollar, Noise, And Efficiency Ratings

Performance Rating

The following graph shows the EPF500AWT's total performance rating, comparing it to other units we have 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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The EPF500AWT achieves a good relative performance score. However, lower-priced PSUs offering similar capacity, such as the RM550x and SuperNOVA 550 G2, take a significant lead. With better ripple suppression and tighter load regulation on the minor rails, Enermax's offering would be much closer to its competition.

Performance Per Dollar

The following chart may be the most interesting to many of you because it depicts the EPF500AWT'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 the 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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Individually sleeved cables aren't cheap, and this is reflected in the EPF500AWT's premium price, which cripples its performance per dollar ratio.

Noise Rating

The graph below depicts the cooling fan's average noise over the PSU's operating range, with an ambient temperature between 30°C and 32°C (86°F to 89.6°F).

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The EPF500AWT is nearly silent. Only Corsair's RM550x manages to beat it thanks to an aggressive semi-passive mode.

Efficiency Rating

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

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In this section, the EPF500AWT easily beats the other PSUs. They achieve lower efficiency certifications, so the results are expected.

Aris Mpitziopoulos
Aris Mpitziopoulos
Contributing Editor

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

10 Comments Comment from the forums
  • skoalreaver
    Sleeved cables are not justification for poor build quality and that crazy price.
    Reply
  • eglass
    I'd probably buy it. I like those cables and I'm running a 500W Enermax Liberty that is now 11 years old.
    Reply
  • Anathemata
    How well does the dust-removal feature work? I mean, Van der Waals force is still a thing, and you need more than just a simple fan to blow out dust. Wouldn't a simple filter suffice?

    The sleeved cables are a nice touch. It'll be cheaper than buying a different power supply and separate sleeved cables.
    Reply
  • daddywalter
    Build quality isn't bad but could be better; lack of OTP is troublesome; and I'll agree with the reviewer that sleeved cables would be better offered as an option for modders. 80 Plus Platinum rating is a plus, of course; and 500 watts is adequate for most general-purpose computers that don't require multiple GPUs -- this PSU would probably outlast most SOHO builds, but then the initial price becomes more of a factor. Nice PSU, but IMHO not worth $140 with only a five-year warranty; at ten years I might consider it since then it should be good for at least three builds.
    Reply
  • dstarr3
    19274544 said:
    I'd probably buy it. I like those cables and I'm running a 500W Enermax Liberty that is now 11 years old.

    11 years is plenty of time for a company to have since dropped an amount of build quality.
    Reply
  • Robert Cook
    I'll add my voice, that auto play video needs to go. It is obnoxious, and adds lag to weaker devices.

    I like that cable pattern, it reminds me of the cables on my Enermax revolution 85+ 850W. (a great PSU despite its lower efficiency and age.)

    How are poorly trimmed leads going to cause shorts if everything is locked inside a case? I only see that as an issue if you go dropping screws in there.
    Reply
  • Aris_Mp
    they aren't poorly trimmed only, some of them are really long and only a hair away from the other. Under extreme conditions this can cause problems (shorts) and there can be of course an EMI issue when leads are so close to each other. Also with such long leads the plastic shield under the PCB can get punctured or during the PCB's installation into the chassis, which applies pressure to the leads, the long ones will bend and probably get shorted; this means that some PSUs might be already broken. I don't think that every PSU that leaves the production line is tested, but only a percentage of them.

    There is a purpose behind the proper trimming of excessively long leads in every PCB that is installed into a metallic chassis. The use of a plastic shield under the PCB doesn't automatically solves all possible problems.
    Reply
  • WFang
    I'm hoping for a resurgence in power supply choices in the 500W and *LESS* category!

    I would rather see something like the amazing Seasonic Prime supplies in a 400W flavor than 600W and over...

    Before I go on, I realize that if you run two GPU's or you really like to OC, obviously you need more and want more.. Great.. you already have a ton of great choices for those use-cases... I just wonder why we don't have more great quality choices in the lower Wattage ranges where probably a good 75% of even the enthusiast group could live comfortably.

    I also realize that TDP - Thermal Design Power is NOT the same as power consumption, but it is easy to find TDP numbers, and a part that is designed to deal with e.g. 100W TDP is likely to consume around 100W (or less) even in peak. As such it becomes a handy metric for back of the envelope power budgeting that still ends up being fairly conservative.

    With CPU's now more often in the lower half of 45W, 65W, and 95W TDP and the more recent GPU's all sitting at 300W or less in TDP, I'd argue that for non-OC'ed systems with one GPU and 1 or 2 HDD's and maybe an SSD, a great high efficiency 350W to 400W PSU will be a great choice. Feeling like that is pushing it? Fine, go 500W... but I don't see why you'd shop higher than that (for this use-case). Yet, good quality Titanium, Platinum, or Gold efficiency PSU's seem so hard to find in the sub 500W range. :(

    On a side note, since I'm here complaining anyway: A looong time ago I heard Tom's mention the Seasonic Prime 600W fanless PSU, anyone know if/when that will become available in the US? (Or anywhere?)???
    Reply
  • Aris_Mp
    I am informed that the Prime 600W fanless will be available somewhere in 2017.
    Reply
  • Marcus52
    19274544 said:
    I'd probably buy it. I like those cables and I'm running a 500W Enermax Liberty that is now 11 years old.

    Enermax was my favorite PSU maker when they made their own, but unfortunately they've chosen OEMs that are "adequate" not "great" to replace their manufacturing facility. I've paid their premium in the past, but right now EVGA is on the top of my list. Super Flower makes their top-of-the-line PSUs and build quality is superb, as are test bench results.

    Seasonic is also on my list of "will buy", and several other brands use Seasonic or Super Flower, so I wouldn't be opposed to buying one from someone like Corsair - as long as it tested well on reputable hardware sites.

    Never buy a PSU that doesn't review well. I've learned that the hard way. Build quality matters.
    Reply