The Cooler Grasp V850 SFX Gold ATX 3.0 PSU Overview: Small Scale

In response to the rising recognition of compact and moveable gaming PCs up to now couple of years, we have seen a number of PC peripheral producers launch bigger collections of SFX kind issue circumstances and energy provides. Chief amongst these has been Cooler Grasp, the place the prolific PC half vendor not too long ago expanded their SFX collection to incorporate ATX 3.0-compliant PSUs. This has lastly given the corporate a contemporary, miniature platform that may drive the most recent NVIDIA video playing cards.

Immediately we’re taking a look at Cooler Grasp’s V850 SFX Gold, which represents a extra budget-friendly choice within the SFX energy provide market in comparison with their previously reviewed V1100 SFX Platinum. The SFX Gold collection contains 4 fashions, starting from 550W to 850W, with the 850W unit that we’re reviewing immediately being essentially the most potent. This 850-Watt energy provide carries an 80 Plus Gold certification and is designed for high-performance gaming and workstation builds. Because the top-tier mannequin within the SFX Gold collection, it provides substantial energy output for an SFX unit and maintains ATX 3.0 compliance, together with a 12VHPWR connector in a compact SFX format.

Packaging and Bundle

Cooler Grasp packages the V850 SFX Gold in a strong and attractively designed cardboard field. The field’s putting coloration scheme ensures it catches the attention on retailer cabinets, whereas complete particulars concerning the PSU and its options are offered on the edges and again of the field. Inside, the facility provide is secured with substantial foam packaging, which is tailor-made to safeguard the unit throughout transport.

In contrast to what was the case with the Platinum collection fashions, the bundle of the V850 SFX Gold is extraordinarily frugal and restricted to the required AC energy cable and a fundamental leaflet. Unusually, the corporate advertises that the unit comes with an SFX-to-ATX adapter, however we discovered no such adapter included with the pattern we obtained.

The Cooler Grasp V850 SFX Gold is a totally modular PSU, permitting for the detachment of each cable, together with the 24-pin ATX cable. The connectors and wires are uniformly black, that includes ribbon-like “flat” wires, apart from the 12VHPWR cable, which is sleeved. The cables are shorter than these sometimes present in ATX PSUs, which is advantageous for smaller circumstances and compact system builds the place house is at a premium. The whole variety of connectors is considerably restricted given the facility output of this mannequin, however the true limitation right here is discovered after taking a better take a look at the 12VHPWR connector, which reveals that this cable limits the utmost energy draw to 450 Watts. This might be completely acceptable for the much less highly effective items of the collection however undoubtedly not very best on a product able to outputting a minimum of 850 Watts – until it couldn’t deal with the facility tour necessities. Nonetheless, this connector can restrict compatibility and overclocking with highly effective graphics playing cards.

The Cooler Grasp V850 SFX Gold PSU

Exterior Look

A fast take a look at the Cooler Grasp V850 SFX Gold highlights its most simple achievement, with the corporate’s engineers having efficiently created a platform able to delivering 850 Watts of steady energy inside the compact dimensions of a normal SFX kind issue chassis, measuring 125 × 63.5 × 100 mm / 4.92 × 2.5 × 3.94 in (W×H×D). Whereas the power-to-mass ratio of the V850 is commendable, it doesn’t surpass the best ratios we’ve got noticed in earlier evaluations. It might be very tough to extend energy density additional with out considerably rising effectivity, in any other case thermal efficiency would grow to be a significant concern.

The chassis of the V850 SFX Gold maintains the usual SFX dimension and is completed in matte black paint. The left facet of the unit encompasses a distinctive geometric, C-like design, with the corporate and collection logos prominently displayed within the heart. A big sticker on the highest facet of the chassis supplies the unit’s certifications and specs.

The rear facet of the Cooler Grasp V850 SFX Gold is comparatively easy, that includes the required AC cable receptacle and a small on/off change, which is a sensible addition given the compact dimension of the unit. The entrance facet of the unit is densely organized with connectors for the modular cables. Though these connectors will not be color-coded, a fundamental legend is printed instantly on the chassis to assist establish every connector’s operate. All connectors are keyed to make sure right and safe connections.

Inner Design

The 92 mm fan cooling the Cooler Grasp V850 SFX Gold is produced by Hong Hua (HA9215VH12FD-F00), a widely known producer of high-quality followers. This low-profile fan, solely 15 mm thick, reaches a most pace of 3000 RPM, which may be very excessive, reflecting the need to effectively handle warmth in such a power-dense unit. It makes use of a fluid-dynamic bearing that provides prolonged sturdiness and operates a little bit extra quietly in comparison with customary ball bearing followers.

The OEM behind the creation of the Cooler Grasp V850 SFX Gold is an organization known as Gospower, and that is the primary time that we have encountered one among their platforms. Having been based in 2006 in China, they’re a comparatively new OEM of energy digital merchandise, with the corporate focusing totally on solar energy merchandise.

The inside of the Cooler Grasp V850 SFX Gold is remarkably dense, illustrating a masterful design strategy to element association. The filtering stage begins instantly behind the AC receptacle and contains a formidable array of elements given the restricted house: 4 Y capacitors, two X capacitors, and two filtering inductors – a complete setup for a compact design. The unit encompasses a single bridge rectifier, mounted by itself heatsink. There’s a single bridge rectifier mounted by itself heatsink, which, although easy, supplies enough floor space and openings to facilitate airflow.

The APFC circuit is textbook however the lively elements share the identical heatsink as the first facet inversion circuitry. The passive elements are an enormous 420V/730μF from Nippon Chemi-Con and a coil that take about 15% of the unit’s house all by themselves. On the first facet of the transformer, we discover two 65T130F inversion MOSFETs that kind a typical half-bridge LLC converter topology.

The six secondary facet energy transistors are discovered on the backside facet of the PCB, with a thermally conductive pad connecting them to the chassis, making the chassis itself work as their heatsink. They’re six Infineon 12N04LM6 MOSFETs, of fantastic high quality. A vertical PCB on the secondary facet of the transformer, throughout the sting of the PCB, holds the DC-to-DC circuits that generate the three.3V and 5V traces. The secondary facet capacitors are equipped by Nichicon (solid-state) and Lelon (electrolytic). Lelon is a Taiwanese producer, and a very good one, however their origin is particularly notable right here as a result of Cooler Grasp’s revealed specs declare that the V850 is constructed with “Japanese capacitors”. Technically, that is right – the specs do not say “100% Japanese capacitors” – so whereas the corporate is legally lined, Cooler Grasp’s promoting of the PSU is misleading in its omission.