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Final Analysis
Despite its lackluster efficiency, EVGA's 650 B3 achieves a high overall performance score thanks to tight load regulation, very good ripple suppression, and controlled voltage drops under transient load scenarios. Compared to other 80 PLUS Bronze-rated power supplies, this one isn't particularly noisy, either. In fact, our acoustic measurements looked like they came from a 650W PSU with an 80 PLUS Silver or Gold rating. The inclusion of fully modular cabling and a semi-passive fan mode that can be toggled off are two more attractive features.
Then again, at $75, EVGA's asking price is a bit steep for 80 PLUS Bronze efficiency. For only a few dollars more, you can get a higher-rated PSU that'll save money on your power bill over the life of your PC. It is truly odd to see an 80 PLUS Bronze PSU that should be super affordable priced alongside some of our favorite 80 PLUS Gold-rated models. Moreover, we think it's absurd that the 650 B3 uses a sleeve bearing-based fan. It should at least employ a rifle bearing fan, though a fluid dynamic bearing would have been even better.
There are other power supplies that cost about the same and give EVGA's 650 B3 a run for its money. Some of them include the Bitfenix Whisper M 650, which is fully modular with 80 PLUS Gold efficiency, and Corsair's TX650M, which is semi-modular and also 80 PLUS Gold-rated. If you're willing to spend about $15 more, Seasonic's excellent Focus Plus Gold (SSR-650FX) serves up higher performance and is covered by a hefty 10-year warranty. Another notable alternative is Riotoro's Onyx 650, based on a Great Wall platform. The Onyx is more affordable and uses high-quality Japanese capacitors. However, it employs semi-modular cabling and only gives you two PCIe connectors. While the OnyX 650's ripple suppression is absolutely fine for the standards of this category, it doesn't allow for a high overall performance score.
In the end, EVGA's 650 B3 is a solid performer, although it should sell at a lower price in order to compete more aggressively against PSUs with similar efficiency ratings. We're excited that the 650 B3 lived through our benchmark suite, since the 450 B3, 750 B3, and 850 B3 all died prematurely before we could finish testing them. EVGA must have fixed the over-power protection setting that plagued those other models. Apparently, all of EVGA's B3s are now manufactured by Super Flower and not RSY, meaning that their build quality is higher. But we'd need to retest new versions of the B3 PSUs that failed before absolving the whole family of its prior trespasses.
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Disclaimer: Aris Mpitziopoulos is Tom's Hardware's PSU reviewer. He is also the Chief Testing Engineer of Cybenetics, and developed the Cybenetics certification methodologies apart from his role on Tom's Hardware. Neither Tom's Hardware nor its parent company, Purch Media, are financially involved with Cybenetics. Aris does not perform the actual certifications for Cybenetics.
