For the sake of continuity I decided to go with the Cooler Master GX Series 750W Power Supply. Another aspect I like of the new GX series is that they are very quiet making them an ideal (somewhat over kill) choice for a home theater PC. Steady power is more than just a luxury it is a necessity that is why Cooler Master was one of my main choices for this new build, they have always made quality products and I will stand by their reputation for my new testing build. Let’s get a closer look at the new Cooler Master GX Series 750W Power Supply:
Provided by: Cooler Master
Price: $119.99
Closer Look:
Specifications and Features:
- High efficiency design that meets 80 Plus requirements (85% typical)
- High reliability (MTBF >1000,000 hours)
- Double layer EMI Filter restrains noise and injury to end-user
- Ultra-silent operation with intelligent 120mm fan speed control
- Five-year warranty
Testing Setup:
- Intel Core i5 – 661 Clarkdale CPU
- Noctua NH-D14 CPU Cooler
- Asrock H55M mATX Motherboard
- Crucial DDR3 PC3 16000 2 x 1 GB
- Cooler Master GX 750W PSU
- Cooler Master CM 690 II PC Chassis
- Seagate 1TB HDD
- Windows 7 Ultimate 64bit Edition
Testing:
In order to test the Cooler Master GX 750W Power Supply I will run 3 tests the first will be using a standard LCD power supply tester then I will be running both a load and idle test on all the power supplies. In our testing today we will be running 4 power supplies the Cooler Master GX 750W, the coolmax usa: CUL, VP, and ZP series power supplies. This will give us a broad range of power and price in order to see what we are dealing with.
LCD Tester:
|
PSU |
+5 |
+12 |
+3.3 |
-12 |
5VSB |
PG |
|
750 CUL |
5.0 |
12.4 |
3.3 |
-12 |
5 |
320ns |
|
600B |
5 |
12 |
3.3 |
-11.6 |
5 |
280ns |
|
750 ZP Silent |
5 |
12.2 |
3.3 |
-12.3 |
5 |
280ns |
|
CM 750W |
5 |
12.1 |
3.3 |
-12.1 |
5 |
300ns |
Load Idle:
|
Voltages |
750 CUL |
600B |
ZP 750W Silent |
CM 750W |
||||
|
|
Idle |
Load |
Idle |
Load |
Idle |
Load |
Idle |
Load |
|
+3.3 |
3.09 |
3.3 |
1.97 |
2.66 |
2.54 |
2.75 |
3.4 |
3.4 |
|
+5 |
4.9 |
4.97 |
4.97 |
4.97 |
5.05 |
5.05 |
5.1 |
5.1 |
|
+12 |
12.48 |
12.48 |
12.1 |
12.03 |
12.35 |
12.35 |
12.25 |
12.25 |
I was very impressed by the Cooler Master’s performance. It stayed very close to ideal voltages and even under a considerable load it stayed rock solid at the exact same voltages as idle. I have personally never seen a power supply maintain such stability during the load idle test.
Conclusion:
Well I normally hate non-modular power supplies, and I mean hate the excess of wires is a complete annoyance. I take back all the bad things I said about them because the Cooler Master GX series power supplies are unbelievable. This PSU ran rock solid through everything I threw at it. I overclocked the i5-661 to 4.4 Ghz with no power fluctuations or any hardware failures. This power supply offers optimal power for any overclocker while still keeping the noise to a minimum.
Would I recommend the GX Series? Absolutely! If you are in the market for a great PSU with rock solid voltages the GX series is for you.
Pros:
- Quiet
- Lots of Expansion
- Looks Great
- Rock Solid Voltages
- It Jumps CARS!
Cons:
- Not Modular (I am Sorry I Need my Modular)
