EVGA SuperNOVA 850 P2 Power Supply Review

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EVGA recently enriched its P2 line with three new members, featuring 650W, 750W and 850W capacities. All three, like the other P2 models, are made by Super Flower and feature Platinum efficiency. Today we're testing the 850 P2.

Pros, Cons And Final Verdict

EVGA has a very powerful advantage in the PSU space: its relationship with Super Flower, one of the best OEMs out there. Along with Seasonic, Super Flower pushes the performance of analog circuits to levels that we couldn't imagine a few years back. The SuperNOVA 850 P2 is an amazing PSU featuring tight load regulation on all rails, high efficiency under light and normal loads, excellent response to transient loads and, on top of that, it boasts impressive ripple suppression.

The cherry on top is quiet operation, especially with ECO mode enabled. Although EVGA uses a powerful fan on this unit, its profile is relaxed. And with the semi-passive feature activated, the fan won't spin at all under moderate loads and normal operating conditions. Given the high-quality capacitors this PSU hosts on its main PCB, we believe that prolonged passive operation doesn't pose a reliability threat. Even if it did, you don't have anything to worry about thanks to the 10-year warranty. EVGA is the only company that dares to offer such a long endorsement of its quality. The competition tops out at seven years.

If you can't spend the amount of money EVGA is asking for its 850 P2, then the company's Gold-rated 850 G2 remains an excellent choice. However, if you want the top 850W PSU (at least until we test the Titanium-rated 850 T2), then the Platinum SuperNOVA is the way to go. It packs all the necessary features for a PSU that deserves our Editors' Choice award: top performance, compact dimensions, silent operation, loads of cables and connectors and fully modular cabling. The not-so-efficient 5VSB rail and the slightly lower-than-required hold-up time aren't enough to spoil the good overall picture.

We do expect Super Flower and EVGA to address the few issues we spotted, though. Slightly boosting the hold-up time won't be a problem, although this could hit efficiency a bit since more energy will be lost on the larger bulk capacitors needed in the APFC converter. On the other hand, a stronger 5VSB rail with increased efficiency won't affect the unit's performance elsewhere. To the contrary, it'll help achieve a higher overall performance score. There's room for improvement in every product, and when you're a well-educated enthusiast, you'll always find something that could have been done better.

MORE: Best Power Supplies
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MORE: How We Test Power Supplies
MORE: All Power Supply Content

Aris Mpitziopoulos is a Contributing Editor for Tom's Hardware, covering Power Supplies.

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Aris Mpitziopoulos
Aris Mpitziopoulos
Contributing Editor

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

17 Comments Comment from the forums
  • QuangT
    Why can't US use 220v, man so much more efficient.
    Reply
  • JQB45
    Why can't US use 220v, man so much more efficient.
    Tradition... There is nothing (I believe) stopping you from running a 220v circuit. I know we have one 20amp NEMA circuit in this house specificity for the computer room. Its not common to see those in house holds either.
    Reply
  • JQB45
    Tier-1 but on the low end of Tier-1 due to its hold up time.
    Reply
  • cliffro
    17550218 said:
    Tier-1 but on the low end of Tier-1 due to its hold up time.

    Scores a 9.7 on Jonnyguru, but is low end of tier 1 got it.


    I like Tom's in general, been coming here since Tom was actually doing reviews, but I'll take JonnyGuru's(or Oklahoma Wolf) word that this is an awesome PSU, it scored 10 of 10's in all but Value, where a couple of similar quality PSU were a tad cheaper.

    I've got the G2 model(thanks to their review of it) and couldn't be happier with it. Well other than they now have Platinum and Titanium versions and would prefer one of those. But 80+ Gold is still good enough for me.
    Reply
  • powernod
    17550218 said:
    Tier-1 but on the low end of Tier-1 due to its hold up time.

    Scores a 9.7 on Jonnyguru, but is low end of tier 1 got it.


    I like Tom's in general, been coming here since Tom was actually doing reviews, but I'll take JonnyGuru's(or Oklahoma Wolf) word that this is an awesome PSU, it scored 10 of 10's in all but Value, where a couple of similar quality PSU were a tad cheaper.

    I've got the G2 model(thanks to their review of it) and couldn't be happier with it. Well other than they now have Platinum and Titanium versions and would prefer one of those. But 80+ Gold is still good enough for me.


    Well, i think that you don't pay that much attention to Jonnyguru.com, as much as you claim.
    Look here, at Jonny's tier list, and notice what tier is the EVGA's P2 line :
    http://www.jonnyguru.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12947
    Reply
  • dstarr3
    Why can't US use 220v, man so much more efficient.

    The same reason so many regions have different plug types. They all designed these things before anyone had the idea to standardize these things across regions, and by now it's an incredible amount of work to have to redesign the infrastructure of entire countries.
    Reply
  • Adhmuz
    Why can't US use 220v, man so much more efficient.
    "Technology, current at the time of US electrification, locked the US into 110, then 120 volt outlets. Europe's electrification came later, and proceeded in response to advanced technology. The US was too deep into the 110/120 volt infrastructure to upgrade."
    Gotta hand it to the Americans for inventing the concept of the grid and power distribution to the masses, they did it first, and Edison's equipment at the time ran best on 110v so it was the obvious choice. Currently it's at 120v, this was changed in the 50s. Don't forget houses are supplied with 240v, this is what runs our hot water heaters, ovens and air conditioners. Just the old way is still too set in stone to be changed, not to mention 120v is safer for human exposure (a shock from a 120v outlet is much less dangerous than that of a 240v outlet, having experienced the 120v shock I can't imagine how painful a 240v would be)
    Reply
  • 10tacle
    17552491 said:
    Just the old way is still too set in stone to be changed, not to mention 120v is safer for human exposure (a shock from a 120v outlet is much less dangerous than that of a 240v outlet, having experienced the 120v shock I can't imagine how painful a 240v would be)

    Yep...I was popped by a 220v 3-prong washing machine plug wire that arced some two decades ago (when it was still known as a 220v power connection) and it knocked me on my butt. It makes getting hit by 120v (used to be 110v), which I've also experienced more recently, seem like carpet static electricity.

    Reply
  • cliffro
    17552081 said:
    17550218 said:
    Tier-1 but on the low end of Tier-1 due to its hold up time.

    Scores a 9.7 on Jonnyguru, but is low end of tier 1 got it.


    I like Tom's in general, been coming here since Tom was actually doing reviews, but I'll take JonnyGuru's(or Oklahoma Wolf) word that this is an awesome PSU, it scored 10 of 10's in all but Value, where a couple of similar quality PSU were a tad cheaper.

    I've got the G2 model(thanks to their review of it) and couldn't be happier with it. Well other than they now have Platinum and Titanium versions and would prefer one of those. But 80+ Gold is still good enough for me.


    Well, i think that you don't pay that much attention to Jonnyguru.com, as much as you claim.
    Look here, at Jonny's tier list, and notice what tier is the EVGA's P2 line :
    http://www.jonnyguru.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12947

    This is the summary for my EVGA 850 G2 (Tier 2 according to his list, a WIP according to the post)
    Performance
    10
    Functionality
    10
    Value
    10
    Build Quality
    9.5
    Total Score
    9.9

    Summary

    Buy one. Do I really need to say anything else at this point? Once again, EVGA has something awesome here the competition can't seem to touch price wise. Performance? There are better units, yes. Not very many, but they exist. The real story here is how EVGA keeps managing to offer this kind of performance and still be more affordable than nearly everything else out there, and they have pretty much found perhaps the only OEM on Earth capable of doing it for them. It's got to be real nice being EVGA right now.

    The Good:

    outstanding ripple suppression
    excellent voltage regulation
    fully modular
    semi-fanless mode
    nice blacked out cabling    The Bad:
    nothing at all
    The Mediocre:
    reviewing awesome units is getting dull... where's that gutless wonder in my pile? Second in line? Well, at least I'm guaranteed something interesting in all the wrong ways in a couple weeks...
    It scores a 9.9 of 10, and is somehow a Tier 2 according to that list. I have no clue as to what he is doing with his list on the forums. I cannot explain HOW a unit that scores 9.9 of 10 is anything less than Tier 1. There are some Corsair units that scored perfect 10's that are also listed as Tier 2 on it as well.

    If it's scoring that close to 10, or an actual 10 (his highest score), it's a Tier 1 to me. And I'd never second guess buying one regardless of brand.
    Reply
  • Amdlova
    you guys cry like a baby. i use 227v on the computer no ground. with a multimeter can see about 45v on chassis its nice to touch it. i use a ps3 power supply to drive a 400w car amplifier and the psu barely get warm, no fan only passive cooler. 127v as no good use anymore on non days.
    Reply