EVGA SuperNOVA 1000 G5 Power Supply Review

Load Regulation, Hold-Up Time, Inrush Current, Efficiency and Noise

To learn more about our PSU tests and methodology, please check out How We Test Power Supply Units. 

Primary Rails And 5VSB Load Regulation

The following charts show the main rails' voltage values recorded between a range of 40W up to the PSU's maximum specified load, along with the deviation (in percent). Tight regulation is an important consideration every time we review a power supply because it facilitates constant voltage levels despite varying loads. Tight load regulation also, among other factors, improves the system’s stability, especially under overclocked conditions and, at the same time, it applies less stress to the DC-DC converters that many system components utilize.

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The load regulation is tight on all rails. Nonetheless, the 1000 G3 achieves higher performance.

Hold-Up Time

Put simply; hold-up time is the amount of time that the system can continue to run without shutting down or rebooting during a power interruption.

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The hold-up time is very long. The G5 performs better than the similar capacity G3 in this area.

Inrush Current

Inrush current, or switch-on surge, refers to the maximum, instantaneous input current drawn by an electrical device when it is first turned on. A large enough inrush current can cause circuit breakers and fuses to trip. It can also damage switches, relays, and bridge rectifiers. As a result, the lower the inrush current of a PSU right as it is turned on, the better.

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The inrush currents are low, with both voltage inputs.

10-110% Load Tests

These tests reveal the G5’s load regulation and efficiency levels under high ambient temperatures. They also show how the fan speed profile behaves under increased operating temperatures.

The 1000 G5 can deliver full load at high ambient temperatures without any problems, besides the loud operation. With more than 51 dB(A) noise output at full speed, even your neighbors will probably complain.

20-80W Load Tests

In the following tests, we measure the G5's efficiency at loads significantly lower than 10% of its maximum capacity (the lowest load the 80 PLUS standard measures). This is important for representing when a PC is idle with power-saving features turned on.

We would like to see >70% efficiency with 20W load and above 80% with 40W.

2% or 10W Load Test

Intel plans on raising the ante at efficiency levels under ultra-light loads. So from July 2020, the ATX spec will require 70% and higher efficiency with 115V input. The applied load is only 10W for PSUs with 500W and lower capacities, while for stronger units we dial 2% of their max-rated-capacity.

With 2% load the efficiency is high, but the ATX spec will require for more than 70% from July 2020.

Efficiency

Next, we plotted a chart showing the G5’s efficiency at low loads, and loads from 10 to 110% of its maximum-rated capacity. The higher a PSU’s efficiency, the less energy goes wasted, leading to a reduced carbon footprint and lower electricity bills.

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High enough efficiency levels in all load regions (normal, light and super-light).

5VSB Efficiency

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The 5VSB rail has low efficiency.

Power Consumption In Idle And Standby

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Fan RPM, Delta Temperature, And Output Noise

All results are obtained between an ambient temperature of 37 to 47 degrees Celsius (98.6 to 116.6 degrees Fahrenheit).

The fan profile is aggressive and gets even more aggressive at high operating temperatures.

The following results were obtained at 30 to 32 degrees Celsius (86 to 89.6 degrees Fahrenheit) ambient temperature.       

The passive operation goes up to around 210W load. With >760W load the fan gets too loud, exceeding 50 dB(A), so you will probably need earplugs if you plan to stress this PSU.

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