EVGA SuperNOVA 650 GM PSU Review: Big Power In A Small Form Factor

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Load Regulation, Hold-Up Time and Inrush Current

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

Primary Rails And 5VSB Load Regulation

Load Regulation testing is detailed here.

Hold-Up Time

Our hold-up time tests are described in detail here.

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The hold-up time we measured is long enough. However, the power-good signal lasts less than 16ms. At least it's accurate, which matters the most.

Inrush Current

For details on our inrush current testing, please click here.

Inrush current is on this high side, especially with 230V input.

Load Regulation And Efficiency Measurements

The first set of tests reveals the stability of the voltage rails and the 650 GM’s efficiency. The applied load equals (approximately) 10 to 110 percent of the PSU's maximum load in increments of 10 percentage points.

We conducted two additional tests. During the first, we stressed the two minor rails (5V and 3.3V) with a high load, while the load at +12V was only 0.1A. This test reveals whether a PSU is compatible with Intel's C6/C7 sleep states or not. In the second test, we determined the maximum load the +12V rail could handle with minimal load on the minor rails.

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Test # 12V 5V 3.3V 5VSB DC/AC (Watts) Efficiency Fan Speed PSU Noise Temps (In/Out) PF/AC Volts
1 3.592A 1.965A 2.006A 0.987A 64.876 87.236% 0 RPM <6.0 dB(A) 48.39°C 0.850
12.049V 5.090V 3.287V 5.066V 74.368 40.56°C 115.05V
2 8.175A 2.952A 3.018A 1.187A 129.348 90.877% 0 RPM <6.0 dB(A) 49.26°C 0.925
12.043V 5.082V 3.278V 5.056V 142.333 41.07°C 115.05V
3 13.164A 3.450A 3.516A 1.388A 194.466 91.722% 1118 RPM 14.0 dB(A) 41.53°C 0.956
12.037V 5.075V 3.271V 5.044V 212.016 50.80°C 115.05V
4 18.160A 3.948A 4.043A 1.590A 259.684 91.873% 1195 RPM 16.3 dB(A) 42.28°C 0.972
12.031V 5.068V 3.263V 5.032V 282.656 52.51°C 115.05V
5 22.834A 4.943A 5.070A 1.793A 325.040 91.566% 1528 RPM 23.5 dB(A) 42.88°C 0.980
12.023V 5.059V 3.254V 5.021V 354.977 53.64°C 115.05V
6 27.439A 5.940A 6.103A 1.996A 389.522 91.153% 1543 RPM 24.0 dB(A) 43.38°C 0.985
12.016V 5.052V 3.245V 5.011V 427.327 55.65°C 115.05V
7 32.124A 6.940A 7.137A 2.200A 454.823 90.556% 1664 RPM 26.0 dB(A) 43.84°C 0.987
12.007V 5.044V 3.237V 5.001V 502.256 57.53°C 115.05V
8 36.817A 7.946A 8.179A 2.406A 520.144 89.727% 2248 RPM 34.8 dB(A) 44.13°C 0.988
11.998V 5.035V 3.228V 4.989V 579.695 59.13°C 115.04V
9 41.921A 8.457A 8.695A 2.408A 585.061 88.799% 2959 RPM 42.1 dB(A) 45.04°C 0.988
11.988V 5.027V 3.220V 4.984V 658.862 60.70°C 115.04V
10 46.965A 8.968A 9.249A 2.513A 649.779 87.897% 3291 RPM 45.7 dB(A) 45.85°C 0.988
11.978V 5.020V 3.212V 4.976V 739.248 62.07°C 115.04V
11 52.423A 8.981A 9.269A 2.517A 714.613 86.940% 3286 RPM 45.7 dB(A) 46.54°C 0.987
11.968V 5.012V 3.204V 4.968V 821.964 64.09°C 115.04V
CL1 0.143A 12.003A 12.000A 0.000A 101.733 84.595% 1552 RPM 24.4 dB(A) 42.23°C 0.910
12.045V 5.068V 3.265V 5.129V 120.259 53.19°C 115.05V
CL2 54.102A 1.002A 0.999A 1.000A 661.252 88.458% 3281 RPM 45.7 dB(A) 45.74°C 0.988
11.977V 5.035V 3.228V 5.003V 747.528 62.29°C 115.04V

Load regulation on the +12V rail is tight enough, but it's nowhere near what the SF600 Gold and SF600 Platinum units achieve. While deviations on the minor rails are notably higher, they aren't far from the SF600's performance. The more expensive SF600 Platinum is on another level entirely.

Subjected to high operating temperatures, the passive mode doesn't last long. Fortunately, once the fan engages, its speed is kept low. Up until the 70% load test, noise stays below 30 dB(A). At 80% of the PSU's maximum-rated capacity, fan speed increases notably, taking acoustics with it. You'll hear lots of noise with the fan running at full speed. However, it takes an especially taxing workload to make this happen.

The efficiency levels and PF readings we observe easily satisfy the 80 PLUS Gold standard's requirements. Still, our power factor measurements are notably lower than what we've seen from competing PSUs. This is why the 650 GM loses one level on the Cybenetics scale. Apparently, the 650 GM's APFC converter needs some fine tuning to provide better PF readings.

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Aris Mpitziopoulos
Contributing Editor

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