PowerSpec PSX 850GFM PSU Review: Micro Center's House Brand Scores A Hit

Final Analysis

High Power is a favorite OEM for a number of house brands. Not only does the manufacturer offer fair pricing, but it also accepts the smaller orders needed by lower-volume companies like Micro Center. The PSX 850GFM uses a modern platform equipped with mostly top-notch parts. Only its fan disappointed us. It would be so much better if High Power simply ditched the RGB lighting and spent that money on a proper FDB-based fan. We are pretty sure that the BaoDiKai fan it's using now won't last through this PSU's 10-year warranty. Moreover, it's troubling that the PSX 850GFM seems to lack over-temperature protection. Combined, those two shortcomings could lead to unpleasant situations.

At least the PSX 850GFM performs well. It might not set records or keep up with the sublime Seasonic Focus Plus Gold and Corsair RM850x v2 PSUs, but thanks to a lower price tag it achieves a higher value score than both of those notable competitors. Moreover, the Seasonic and Corsair models don't feature RGB lighting, while the PowerSpec PSU is even compatible with motherboards able to control/sync lighting effects between various other components. Frankly, we'd rather do without RGB lighting in favor of higher-quality components at any given price point. But we also know that some enthusiasts want to make an aesthetic impact with their PCs, so PowerSpec is simply satisfying this market.

The days of house brands offering markedly inferior products are long gone, and Micro Center's PowerSpec PSU is a clear example of competitive performance from a lesser-known name. Still, we'd like to see some improvements in the next revision, including an NTC thermistor for lowering inrush current, a higher-quality fan, properly-configured over-current protection on the 3.3V rail, over-temperature protection that actually works, and different PCIe/EPS connectors on the modular board (the existing one are mechanically identical, but incompatible electrically). Of course, we know that a price tag above $100 makes it harder for PowerSpec to compete, so High Power needs to figure out how to improve this platform without breaking the budget.

In sum, the PSX 850GFM is a decent power supply selling at a good price. Although we're dubious of its fan's quality, a 10-year warranty should protect anyone who runs into a problem. We look forward to seeing more from PowerSpec.

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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.