PSU

[IXL]

Hi fellas,

Im thinking of changing my PSU, simply because I want a more silent one.

I would be interested in what you have and how silient yours might be...

[LuckyCombatPotato]

Cooler Master M620W real power

Silent as a bird without any voice.

Bought it 3 month ago and very happy with it. 74€

Code: Select all

Compatible ATX12V version 2.3 & EPS 12V V2.91
90 - 264 V (Auto Range)
12A @ 115Vac / 6.3A @ 230Vac
100 - 500 ms
Silent Fan 120 mm
Efficience (load)
>80%
MTBF
> 100 000 hours
Protections
OVP / OCP / OTP / OLP / CC
Temp 0-40°C
Dimensions
150x86x150 mm

Constructor link :
http://www.coolermaster.com/product.php?product_id=2573

[Exibit]

Well

I like this question as I have 2, I have a Corsair 620w in my gaming rig and a Dark Power in my Media Centre PC

The Corsair is rock solid and quiet,

Introduction

Corsair is one of those names that every computer enthusiast would have heard of. Producing high performance memory modules since 1994, Corsair have always provided memory solutions for both the budget user and the extreme overclocker. However, today we're not going to be looking at any of Corsairs memory modules - but instead their newly released HX620 620w modular power supply.

Maybe it's just me, but there seems to be a strange phenomenon taking hold at present where every high-end PC component manufacturer is creating their own line of PSU's. This is certainly no bad thing, as it introduces new competition to the market, driving down the prices of high end power supplies, and forcing existing PSU manufacturers to improve the quality of their units and introduce new features.

Have Corsair done their homework with the HX620? Let's find out...


Packaging

When the HX620 arrived at my door, I must admit being surprised by the size of the box. Most ~600w units I've reviewed in the past have come in rather minimalistic packaging in an attempt to shave a vital few pence off manufacturing costs.





The HX620 features a 2-tone black and red theme throughout most of the packaging, with an up-close image of the units modular connector system spanning the front of the box. Overall the packaging is quite simplistic but does give the feeling of a very professional product.

I was extremely impressed to see Corsair providing a 5 year warranty with the HX620 as this is something often only seen on the most expensive server-based power supplies.

Turn the box around and we can see that Corsair have listed the HX620's specifications in English, French and German. Some of the most notable features include: Guaranteed to deliver specifications at 50°c, Supports latest EPS12v standards, Industrial grade capacitors, Compatibility with dual-GPU systems, Gold plated connectors. The first of these specifications (Guaranteed to deliver specifications at 50°c) is very commendable as many other PSU manufacturers rate their power supplies at 30-40°c, which is often below the operating temperature of the unit and leads them to giving the PSU inflated performance figures.





Corsair have taken extensive measures to ensure that your HX620 arrives at your door in perfect condition even at the hands of the most brutal courier. The unit has been placed in a double walled cardboard box and is sandwiched between two large foam mouldings that protect all corners of the unit.

Included in the HX620 package are the following items:
• 1x Standard power cord.
• 1x pack of black cable ties.
• 4x ATX case screws.
• 1x HX620 manual (B/W).
• 1x Velcro cable pouch containing modular cables.
• 1x Corsair HX620 620w power supply.

Supports the latest ATX12V v2.2 and EPS12V 2.91 standards and is backwards compatible with ATX12V 2.01 systems.
• Guaranteed compatibility with dual-GPU configurations.
• Double forward switching circuitry design offers high efficiency, up to 80% under wide load range.
• Active Power Factor Correction with PF value=0.99 provides clean and reliable power to your system.
• Universal AC input 90~264V automatically scans and detects the correct voltage. No more hassle of flipping that tiny red switch!
• Ultra quiet 120mm double ball-bearing fan delivers excellent airflow at an exceptionally low noise level by varying the RPM in response to temperature.
• Guaranteed to deliver rated specifications at 50ºC.
• Triple 12V Rails provide independent reliable power to the CPU, video card and other components with a combined rating of 50A (40A on 520W) maximum! Advanced circuitry design that automatically enables power sharing between the triple +12V rails in an event of overload on any single +12V rail.
• Powerful +5Vsb rail with 3A rating.
• Over Current/Voltage/Power Protection, Under Voltage Protection, and Short Circuit Protection provide maximum safety for your critical system components.
• 105ºC rated industrial grade capacitors provide uncompromised performance and reliability, delivering 4 times the lifespan of conventional 85ºC rated capacitors.
• Enhanced modular flexible cables enable easier cable routing and increased airflow in the system.
• Gold Plated connectors provide oxide free ultra low-resistance contact between the power supply and your critical components.
• 8 Serial ATA connectors (4 on 520W).
• Dimension: 5.9"(W) x 3.4"(H) X 5.9"(L) 150mm(W) x 86mm(H) x 150mm(L)
• MTBF: 100,000 Hours.

Appearance

As expected for a ~600w power supply, the HX620 is of standard ATX size. This means that there should be no problems for those of us planning on using the unit inside a case with little space around the PSU area. The HX620 also features an extremely rugged black powder coated finish that I found very resistant to minor knocks and scratches.





The bottom of the unit features a 120mm fan placed slightly off-centre to better cool the components contained within. The fan (and your fingers) is protected by a black wire fan grill that sits flush with the casing.

Around the back of the unit we can see that Corsair have gone for the standard honeycomb mesh grill as seen on most other power supplies that utilise a 120mm fan. You may also notice the abundance of a voltage selection switch. This is because the HX620 is able to detect the input voltage (110/240v) and switch accordingly.





They may only be stickers, but the design of the red and black labels placed on the top and sides of the HX620 make it look pretty beastly and certainly a great candidate for my latest case mod project. However, the specification sticker at the top of the unit serves a slightly more important purpose than just aesthetics - detailing the amperage output of the HX620's rails along with the usual warnings about opening the PSU cover.





The front of the unit sports 7 modular power connectors, 2 of which are dedicated to providing power to PCI-Express cards. The modular connector type and layout did look very similar to the ones used on the recently reviewed Seasonic M12 unit - lets hope it doesn't suffer from the same issues.

In their wisdom, Corsair have decided not to make the ATX and P4/EPS power cables modular. This is most likely due to problems that can arise if there is poor contact between the ATX/EPS connectors on the motherboard and power supply.
Conclusion

Entering the PSU market for the first time Corsair have certainly taken the bull by the horns with their HX620 unit. Managing extremely stable voltages on the +3.3v and +12v rails with only slight droop on the +5v rails, It was hard to find any negative issues to talk about.

The ribbon-style modular cables made a nice change from the nylon sleeving seen on almost other power supplies, and also proved to be more flexible. Corsair also seem to have avoided some of the major issues often found on other modular power supplies with the HX620, which was a great relief.

For a ~600w unit the sum of £96 may seem a little higher than most other competing products, however as the saying goes - "You get what you pay for", and this is certainly true for the HX620.




Pro's
• Good looks and rugged finish.
• High efficiency at full load.
• Excellent performance on +12v and +3.3v rails.
• Sturdy modular connector system.
• Flexible, ribbon-style cables.
• Well packaged.

[Exibit]

Be Quiet - Dark Power

Now this can not be heard it is that dam quiet



Founded back in 2002 by parent company Listan, Be Quiet! started life as a modest company, manufacturing items such as noise dampening mats. With one clear goal in sight: to reduce the level of noise output by the modern PC, it wasn't long until Be Quiet! decided to take on one of the biggest noise-makers of all - the power supply. While many of us, especially UK readers, will probably not have come across this slightly humorously named manufacturer until now, Be Quiet! has an extremely strong presence in the rest of Europe and indeed the world, with PSU sales figures often exceeding 30,000 units a month.

At present, Be Quiet! has two main PSU product lines, namely the Dark Power PRO and the Straight Power (no jokes please!). While the Straight Power series offers top performance with fixed cabling, the Dark Power PRO is now in its second edition, and offers modular units ranging from 450w to 1000w. Today we're going to be taking a look at the middle-road 650w Dark Power Pro model, and the specifications taken from Be Quiet's website can be seen below:

First Class Level
Dark Power Pro is the high-quality power supply for perfectionists: powerful due to its highly-developed technology and extremely high degree of efficiency - unique in terms of service and quality.

With its cable management system (18 cables), every user is ideally set up for the future. ECASO thermal technology protects the PC components from overheating and guarantees a long service life. The special be quiet! fan technology plays a decisive role in ensuring that the award-winning brand runs quietly.

Dark Power Pro is also a big winner in a small package - it fits into any standard case.

Top level convenience, top level performance, top level quietness. Dark Power Pro provides everything you expect from a first class device.

First Class Technology
• Powerful, with 650 Watt
• Top quality components
• ECASO thermal technology preserves and protects components, and controls up to 4 case fans connected to the power adapter
• Only small amount of heat development due to extremely high efficiency of up to 88%
• Exceptionally stable due to 4 12V cables assigned to the components
• Extremely quiet due to be quiet! fan technology

First Class Connectivity
• Future-proof cable management with the highest possible degree of compatibility with all mainboards and graphic cards
• 18 cable sets, of which 16 are removable
• 2 x PCIe 6+2-pin
• EPS 6-pin server board adapter
• No adapter needed. Non-interchangeable due to intelligent connection concept

First Class Service
• 3 year full guarantee and therefore 1 year more than the legal requirement
• Service hotline +49 40 736 76 86 - 44 (English speaking)
• Email Support service@be-quiet.com

Probably the most impressive specification listed is the 88% efficiency rating. While this is most likely only achievable under ideal conditions (240v mains, clean voltage and high load levels), only a small fraction of PSU's tested here at Overclock3D have managed to reach 85% efficiency - so 88% would be a new all-time record.

The Dark Power PRO also comes with a 3 year "full" warranty. While the website doesn't explicitly state what kind of warranty this is (return to base for repair, or swap-out), the inclusion of an English speaking service hotline and easily accessible support email address certainly makes it easy to arrange an RMA of your unit should it develop a fault.

A quick look at the specifications sticker on the side of the PSU reveals the distribution of power around the unit. Keeping in mind that we're looking at the 650w version here, the unit features a total of four +12v rails capable of delivering 20 amps each, with a maximum load across all rails of 52amps. The +3.3v and +5v rails are equally well equipped with 26amps and 30amps respectively.

There is no mention of peak power output on the unit or in the specifications, but after speaking with Be Quiet! we have been told that it is 680w.

Overall the specifications are actually quite respectable, considering the capacity of the rails actually exceeds that of a recently reviewed 700w unit here on Overclock3D.


Now that we've got the boring stuff out of the way, let's see what the Dark Power Pro has in store for us in other areas


Internal Components

While the weight and size of a PSU can often give us a rough idea of how the unit is likely to perform, many manufacturers are now turning to newer and more efficient methods of manufacture, resulting in smaller and often lighter power supply units. However, by looking inside the Dark Power PRO we should be able to identify some of the components used and get a good feel for the overall build quality of the unit.



Despite having to fit a rather bulky modular connector backplane inside the unit, Be Quiet! have managed to keep everything quite neat and tidy. All cables entering the unit are bunched together with cable ties, and there are minimal cables soldered to the modular connector circuit. Cooling of the mosfets is provided by three black aluminium arched heatsinks that span the length of the unit.





As we'd expect from a 650w unit, the Dark Power PRO features a single capacitor (top left). The capacitor is manufactured by Strategic Polymer Sciences (SPS) and is rated at 420v / 470uf with a maximum operational temperature of 85°C. While many manufacturers use caps capable of 105°C in their PSU's, the efficiency of the Dark Power PRO should ensure that the unit never gets anywhere near this temperature.

Also pictured above (top-right, bottom-left) are the two transformers used within the unit. In normal PSU configurations the larger of the two transformers is used to power the +12v rails, while the smaller is often used for +3.3v and +5.0v rails.

Finally, pictured bottom-right is a large heatsink attached to the units fan controller. While most PSU's we've tested previously at OC3D use PWM to control low wattage fans, it would almost seem that Be Quiet! have opted for a different fan control method which generates enough heat to necessitate dedicated cooling.



The 120mm fan used inside the Dark Power PRO is manufactured by Protechnic Electric and has a model number of MGT12012LR-A25. As we can see from the specifications below, the fan is able to push a reasonable 61CFM through the PSU with a noise output of 31dBA. These figures combined with a heat based fan control should result in an extremely quiet unit.

Model: MGT12012LR-A25
Dimensions (mm): 120x120x25
Airflow (CFM): 61
Speed 1800 RPM
Noise (dBA): 31


Cables & Connectors

While most manufacturers tend to hard-wire the ATX and 4/8-Pin CPU cables into their modular PSU's, Be Quiet! have decided to only hard-wire the 24-Pin ATX connector. This may seem slightly strange at first, but as the unit supports both P4-12v, P8 and EPS 6-Pin (Server style) motherboard connectors it helps to cut down on additional cable clutter.



To ensure that no mistakes are made during installation, Be Quiet! has colour coded every connector on the unit. This combined with the physically different size of each connector should help prevent graphics cards and motherboards from get fried by the incorrect insertion of the PCI-E cables into the 8-Pin motherboard connector.



Included in the box are no less than 16 modular cables. Granted that four of these are solely for powering 3-Pin style fans, but the remaining cables are all fully sleeved in black mesh and are each accompanied with their own paper tag that explains what the cable is for and how it should be connected. A full list of the included cables can be seen below:

1 x cable for peripherals 600+150+150+150+150mm( 2xSATA / 2xHDD / 1xFDD )
1 x cable for peripherals 600+150+150+150mm ( 4 x HDD )
1 x cable for SATA connector 600mm+100+100+100(4 x SATA) include 3.3V
2 x cable for PCIe connector 600mm with 8pin to 6+2pin
1 x cable for P8 connector ( 8 pins ) 600mm
1 x cable for P4 connector ( 4pin ) 600mm
1 x cable for Motherboard ( Molex 4pin ) 600mm
1 x cable for mainbord ( Dualboard ) EPS 6pin 600mm
4 x cable for case fans ( controlled by PSU ) 700mm ( 1 x Molex / 1 x 3pin )
1 x cable for peripherals 500mm ( 1x HDD )
2 x cable for SATA 500mm ( 1 x SATA )





The latest graphics cards are well supported on the Dark Power Pro, with the unit providing two 8-Pin PCI-E cables. As we can see from the image above (top-right) the connectors can also be reduced down to the "older" 6-Pin standard should you not be lucky enough to own a high-end power guzzling GPU.

Conclusion

Being a fairly new contender in the UK PSU market, the Dark Power PRO is up against some stiff competition. However, while most units from competitors are able to deliver fairly solid voltages and good overall performance, the 87% efficiency and insanely quiet operation of the Dark Power PRO puts it into a league of its own.

Unfortunately the cost of being in this league does seem to come with quite a high price tag, and at £99.88 for the 650w version over at Scan.co.uk, the unit clearly isn't aimed at those of us who are looking to save a few quid by avoiding the 1kw monster units.

However, saying that; the Dark Power Pro 650w does fill a hole in the market quite nicely: While most manufacturers are aiming their lower-wattage units at the budget market, and stripping the units of everything but the bare essentials, Be Quiet! have produced a range of PSU's that have consistent high quality with all the trimmings regardless of output wattage. This makes the Dark Power PRO series perfect for those of us intelligent to know that their single-GPU PC setup isn't going to consume anything more than 500w of power, but are still willing to pay that little bit (?) extra for all the goodness normally only found on other manufacturers flagship models.


The Good
• Ultra-high efficiency @ almost 87%.
• Very stable voltages with no "over-volting".
• Sexy electroplated finish.
• One of the most silent units we've heard in a long time.
• Excellent modular cable system.
• Package and accessories make it feel worth every penny


Exib

[Para]

i also have the Corsair 650w Modular PSU and never heard it yet, i have two them actually, one in my HTPC in the living room, and one in my pc in my workshop.
i also have an OCZ 500w modular PSU in my office pc its good value but you can hear it running.


http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showprodu ... ubcat=1084

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showprodu ... ubcat=1098

[shutteh]

i have this one: http://www.sapphiretech.com/presentatio ... 03&pid=254
sapphire fire psu 625W. It's silence and have enough power for my i7 and the gtx 275.

sapphire is the same as enermaxx only a little bit cheaper

[IXL]

Thing with mine is , that its an Antec 750, ( dont have the spec at hand atm ), but that was sold and advertised as silent or quiet, but as the months have gone on, im fairly sure its got a little louder, I can hear it all the time when the room is quiet. All my other fans ( GPU, CPU and case fans are absolutely dead silent. - Stealth tbh. ) However all that silence is wasted as the PSU is, although not major loud, it can be heard.

So its key that what I get next is as silent as the rest of my rig.

Thanks for the heads up guys, I may look into those.

[LuckyCombatPotato]

GPU, CPU and case fans are absolutely dead silent.

Are ya sure they're working ?

Have to say if the room's absolutely quiet, ya'll hear the cooler master M620 a bit.

[Nemes1s]

i got this 1 killiwatt oem atx psu
with my alienwear and i cant hear it all i hear is case fans a gental hum and hdd well im guessing the clicky grindy sound is hdd every so often

[shutteh]

yeah i hear my case fan:/ but no other fans.

you can set your psu in oil and you need no fan

[bambam]

lol so most of us have squeezed in mid-size PSU's... I have an OCZ ModXStream Pro 600w Silent SLI Certified Modular Power Supply (£54.46 + vat from overclockers.co.uk). Mainly I'd have it as very good value. Not as many included modular cables as some of the others but I had all I needed with one graphics card. PSU seems quiet to me, but then the rest of the case (Coolit ALC cooler, 3 case fans, 5870) is making a serious racket.

Bamz

[IXL]

You dont need a large PSU if you do your math right on the spec you decide to design. You can work it out by the components you run what you need.

I was hoping Zalman might do a 600-650w, or something along these lines:

http://www.eclipsecomputers.com/product ... =PSZ-600HP

http://www.eclipsecomputers.com/product ... =PSZ-750HP

http://www.eclipsecomputers.com/product ... =PSZ-850HP

Need to look at them in more depth etc...

IXL

[groinshot]

lol so most of us have squeezed in mid-size PSU's... I have an OCZ ModXStream Pro 600w Silent SLI Certified Modular Power Supply (£54.46 + vat from overclockers.co.uk). Mainly I'd have it as very good value. Not as many included modular cables as some of the others but I had all I needed with one graphics card. PSU seems quiet to me, but then the rest of the case (Coolit ALC cooler, 3 case fans, 5870) is making a serious racket.

Bamz

Same PSU as me Bamz, exactly the same, its completely silent, but my hard drive sounds someone grinding nails on a blackboard......

[flangyflange]

Just got a new PSU today, a "be quiet! 530W dark power", and I'm extremely happy with it - fuckin silent it is, in particular compared to the Coolermaster PSU I had before. I actually noticed the CPU fan spinning up and down for the first time ever.

[IXL]

Nice one...

I have read some of the reviews on those.

Does it remain at the same noise level under load or does it stay the same regardless?