Example 3: The Enthusiast’s System
Test Case 3: The Enthusiast’s PC
And now for our high-end configuration
This time around, we choose from the following candidates:
| Manufacturer | Model | Certificate | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Super Flower | Golden Green 450W | 80 PLUS Gold | $83 (£N/A / €59.00) |
| Raptoxx | RT 600 SPL | None | $88 (£N/A / €62.00) |
| Aerocool | VT12XT 600W | 80 PLUS Bronze | $115 (£N/A / €82.00) |
| Enermax | Modu 82+ II ErP 525W | 80 PLUS Bronze | $145 (£N/A / €102.00) |
| Corsair | AX 750 | 80 PLUS Gold | $198 (£N/A / €140.00) |
A Big System Draws Big Power
This time, all of our PSUs survived. We purposely chose a wide spread of models for this scenario, covering the gamut in terms of price and capacity. Here are the results from this mixed batch of power supplies:
Conclusion
Again, we purposely pushed some of our candidates to their limit and beyond. And yet Super Flower's Golden Green 450W remained surprisingly stable throughout, behaving more like a solid 500W model.
At idle, Corsair's brawny AX 750 is at a bit of a disadvantage compared to the other contenders. However, as the system’s power consumption rises, so does this model’s efficiency. The Enermax Modu 82+ II ErP 525W has no apparent strengths or weaknesses, and it ends up in the middle of the pack. It is pleasantly quiet, though. Corsair also demonstrates exceptional acoustic performance. It's definitely not cheap, but you can certainly be confident in it.
Raptoxx's RT 600 SPL, on the other hand, is cheap and does decently enough if you can tolerate its noise level. While the extra 15 to 20W it tends to consume compared to the rest of the field add up over time, none of the more expensive models would amortize their higher price through power savings. Aerocool’s VT12XT 600W costs more than Raptoxx's entry, but is also quieter and a little more frugal when it comes to power use. Again, though, you probably won't recoup the higher price by saving a few watts over time.
