The Cooler Master V850 SFX Gold ATX 3.0 PSU Review: Small Scale

Cold Test Results (~25°C Ambient Temperature)

For the testing of PSUs, we are using high precision electronic loads with a maximum power draw of 2700 Watts, a Rigol DS5042M 40 MHz oscilloscope, an Extech 380803 power analyzer, two high precision UNI-T UT-325 digital thermometers, an Extech HD600 SPL meter, a self-designed hotbox and various other bits and parts. For a thorough explanation of our testing methodology and more details on our equipment, please refer to our How We Test PSUs - 2014 Pipeline post.

The efficiency of the Cooler Master V850 SFX Gold is commendable, consistently meeting the 80Plus Gold certification standards across different voltage inputs. It achieves higher efficiency when powered via a 230V AC source, with an average efficiency of 91.6% across the nominal load range. When powered from a 115V AC source, the efficiency decreases significantly, to 89.2%, but it still remains well above the threshold required for the 80Plus Gold certification.

Despite its high efficiency, the Cooler Master V850 SFX Gold exhibits higher internal temperatures than might be expected. This is primarily due to the unit's compact and dense design, which limits its cooling capacity compared to larger ATX units. Consequently, the internal temperatures are higher than typical for power supplies with similar efficiency levels. However, these temperature levels remain within safe operational limits for the unit.

Cooler Master initially advertised this unit as having a zero-RPM fan mode, but corrected that claim a few weeks after the unit was released. The 92 mm fan begins operating as soon as the PSU is powered up, even with no load at all, although it remains relatively quiet under low load conditions. As the load increases, the fan's speed gradually escalates, becoming far louder when the load exceeds 600 Watts. Due to its very compact size and small fan, the PSU can become very loud under very high load conditions, which is expected given the challenging cooling demands of such a design.