9-Way 850W Power Supply Roundup

Conclusions

If anything, this roundup provided a broad cross section of the 850W power supply and showed us that you don’t have to pay top dollar for optimal performance. Considering the broad range of prices these units covered, it was definitely interesting to see some of the lower priced units competing head to head with products that cost up to $100 more.

To make matters even better for consumers, there isn’t a single power supply here that provided what we would call abysmal results. Sure, some didn’t give us optimal performance while others were simply overpriced but there wasn’t a single failure in the group and all stayed within the ATX specified norms. PSU failure does make for an interesting article but it feels good to know that more and more companies are realizing that quality sells and are taking steps to provide users with products that provide clean, worry free power.

The 850W category is in or opinion one of the “sweet sports” within the current power supply market considering the output you can get for your money. Powering a high-end SLI or Crossfire system with these units isn’t a problem and even with a pair of HD 5870 cards and an overclocked i7 920 running full tilt, we still needed to add a 130W CoolIT Boreas TEC unit to really push things. Yes, there will always be higher end GPUs to power but if you buy a good 850W power supply now, you should have more than ample room to expand in the future.

Now, onto the individual conclusions.


Antec Signature 850W

The Antec Signature 850W is one of those products that come around every now and then which totally blow our socks off in some areas but is growing a bit long in the tooth in others. Its voltage regulation and ripple results are among the best we have ever seen and it stayed whisper quiet through all of the tests. Back when it was released, it simply destroyed the competition but now its efficiency is definitely not a redeeming quality. Nor were we fans of the decidedly unimpressive cable sleeving job. Price isn’t on its side either since the Signaute is one of the most expensive units we received for this roundup.

We should mention that while the Signature was introduced in 2008, it is still widely available and Antec doesn’t plan on replacing it in the foreseeable future. But, does it hold the test of time? With performance like we saw, we believe so but due to its 80Plus Bronze rating and high price it is very hard to recommend this unit over lower-priced 80Plus Silver-rated units. That being said, we struggled with the decision of whether to give the Signature an award for its performance or not but it just missed out.


Pros:

- Stunning voltage and ripple performance
- Quiet
- Relatively efficient


Cons:

- Expensive
- Inefficient compared to similarly priced units
- Cable sleeving isn’t all that well done




Cooler Master Silent Pro M 850W

Honestly, the Silent Pro M isn’t the greatest power supply that we have ever tested but it is far from the worst. When running at the normal loads one would put on an 850W power supply it is actually very well behaved and exhibits passable voltage regulation and good ripple suppression. Unfortunately, things start falling apart when more is asked of it. Its fan speed profile is far too mundane which allows temperatures to rise to worrying levels and thus causes a rapid degradation of performance as load increases. Remember, this Cooler Master unit is only rated at 40°C so things can and will fall apart when internal temperatures reach 50°C+ like we saw.

There are however some resounding qualities here. It carries one of the best warranties we have seen at 5 years and also shows some of the best efficiency of all the 80Plus Bronze rated power supplies in this roundup. Performance isn’t everything and the flat cables Cooler Master used are perfect; they are done perfectly and will help you immeasurably when setting up a clean system. Pricing is also extremely good, especially if you are buying it in the United States.

If you are looking for an extremely inexpensive 850W power supply which you won’t be pushing with an ultra high end dual GPU setup, the Silent Pro M could be an option for you. Otherwise, there are better performing units out there which don’t cost all that much more.

Pros:

- Efficient
- Very well priced
- 5-year warranty
- Quiet until high loads
- Great flat cables


Cons:

- Disappointing performance at higher loads
- Gets extremely hot




Enermax Revolution85+ 850W

If you are looking for the best of the best in this roundup, you need not look any further than the Enermax Revolution85+. The numbers it posted were simply awe-inspiring but the real star of this performance was efficiency. Considering the fact that there were other 80Plus Silver rated products being tested, we expected power consumption to be close and it was…up until the Extreme Load test where this Enermax PSU ate the competition for breakfast.

When it comes to functionality, the Revolution once again gets nearly everything spot on with suitably long cables and an adequate number of connectors. Unfortunately, our honeymoon with it came to a screeching halt after seeing the mess that results from cables being sleeved only to the first connector. Remember, this is coming from a power supply that costs over $200. Seriously Enermax, what the hell were you thinking?

Ribbing on the cable SNAFU aside, we have to say that the Revolution 850W’s somewhat high price isn’t even a factor here since people should be more than willing to pay a premium for a product of this caliber. This power supply is simply a god standing among men and as such, it gets a well deserved Dam Good Award. Also note that Enermax will be announcing shortly that all Revolution85+ power supplies will be receiving a retroactive 5 year warranty. This means if you bought your PSU a year ago, you will now have four remaining years of coverage.

Pros:

- Stunning performance
- Extremely high efficiency
- Quiet
- Long cables
- 5-year warranty


Cons:

- Cables only sleeved to the first connector