Enermax Platimax 850W Review

Enermax seek to entice enthusiasts to indulge in platinum efficient PSUs. Is the Platimax worth the extra cash though?

Product on Review: Platimax
Manufacturer and Sponsor: Enermax
Street Price: £250(At time of review)

Enermax power supply units have always been highly regarded in the enthusiast world. Their confident extended warranties and premium build quality have won them many an accolade. It wasn’t so long back that 80 Plus GOLD (87%) efficiency was the new height to attain to for PSUs but this has since been superseded by 80 Plus PLATINUM (90%). Manufacturers have started producing units for the enthusiast market that have this platinum efficiency and it is to Enermax that we turn for today’s review.

The Platimax as you can well imagine takes its name from its 80 Plus Platinum efficiency rating and is available in a variety of different wattage from 500W all the way up to 1500W. All of the units within this range are backed by a 5 year warranty and are what can only be described as the very best in power supply production.

There has been a lot of hype surrounding Enermax Platimax, so let’s waste no further time and begin our analysis of the 850W version.

About Enermax

Enermax Technology Corporation was founded in1990 by a group of young professional, enthusiastic, and high-tech oriented people in Taiwan. The Enermax founders left high-profile positions from prestigious computer firms, bringing over 10 years of professional experiences to our own.

The main products we carry are switching power supplies, PC cases, industrial PC cases, pedestal and tower server cases, CPU coolers, second fans, mobile racks and other peripherals. Enermax has its own design groups and production line. For convenience and better service to our customers worldwide, Enermax has established branch offices with warehouses in Los Angeles in United States, Paris in France, Tokyo in Japan, Hamburg in Germany, and has distributors providing service in nearly every major city around the world. Enermax is always looking for the latest cutting edge technology to offer our clients. Enermax’s own designing engineers work around the clock to come up with the best solution and product to meet the demand of the market.

Technical Specifications

• 80 PLUS® Platinum*
90 to 94 percent efficiency at 230V and 20 to 100 percent load. 80 PLUS® Platinum certified.
* EPM1500EGT is designed for 220-240V. It even surpasses 80 PLUS® Platinum requirements with 90 to 95% efficiency.
• FMQ Design*
High-performance power supply topology to use all magnetic quadrants of the main transformer and to achieve maximum efficiency and rock stable output voltage.
* only EPM1200EWT and EPM1500EGT
• Dynamic Hybrid Transformer Topology*
Technological breakthrough topology using a staged dynamic transformer array for extremely high efficiency with the most durable and stable output at any load.
* only EPM500AWT, EPM600AWT, EPM750AWT, EPM850EWT and EPM1000EWT
• Copper Bridge Array*
Innovative and patented transmission technology for direct voltage transmission to reduce the wire-resistance and to increase the efficiency. Optimized air circulation due to clear and spacious PCB design.
* only EPM1200EWT and EPM1500EGT
• ErP Lot 6 ready!
Help systems to meet EU eco-design directive ErP/EuP Lot 6 (<1W in standby mode) due to improved, high-efficient 5V standby (+5Vsb) circuitry.
* only in combination with an ErP Lot 6 ready Mainboard
• C6 & Hybrid Support
Supports energy saving modes of current and future CPU & GPU generations (C6 & Hybrid Mode) due to ZERO LOAD Design (no minimum load).
• Multi Rail Design*
Stable and safe power supply thanks to up to six high-performance and massive 12V rails each with separated over current protection (OCP). Extremely low ripple noise.
* except EPM1000EWT
• Special OC Edition
EPM1000EWT with one powerful and rock stable 12V rail for maximum performance to support systems with extremely overclocked CPU and/or GPU.
• Future ready and flexible
All-round modular cable management. 10/12P sockets for possible connector changes of upcoming high-performance CPU and graphics card generations.
• Full-modular Cable Management*
Cables can be completly removed in order to make the system installation and cable routing more comfortable and to improve the air circulation inside the case.
* only EPM1200EWT and EPM1500EGT
• Intel ATX12V v2.3
Compliant with latest desktop power supply design guide. Full support of most current CPU: Intel® Core 2 Duo™ / Quad™ / Extreme™ / Core i7™ / i5™ / i3™, “Sandy Bridge“ and AMD® Athlon™ II X2 / X3 / X4 Phenom™ II X2 / X3 / X4 / X6, “Bulldozer™“ or “Llano™“.
• Fit4Server*
Compliant with SSI PSDG for the new Intel® Core™ Extreme/i7, Xeon™ and AMD® Opteron™ and downward compatible with EPS12V v2.92, v2.8.
*only EPM850EWT, EPM1000EWT, EPM1200EWT and EPM1500EGT
• DXXI ready!
Full support of most current DX11 graphics cards due to minimum two 6+2P (8P) PCI-E connectors.
• Full graphics power
Supports SLI™ and CrossFireX™ systems.
• Air Cooling by Enermax
Integrated 13.9cm fan with patented Twister Bearing Technology ensures efficient and ultra silent cooling and long lifetime (100,000 hours MTBF).
• SpeedGuard*
Path-breaking and leading fan speed control to ensure effective and silent cooling. Unmatched 300 to max. 1,000 RPM.
* EPM1200EWT: 600 to 1,500 RPM / EPM1500EGT: 900 to 2,000 RPM
• HeatGuard
Keeping PSU fan running for 30-60 seconds after shut down to dissipate the remaining system heat and prolonging system lifetime.
• SafeGuard
Industry-leading multiple protection circuitry of OCP, OVP, DC UVP, OPP, OTP, SCP & SIP.
• CordGuard
Fixing the AC cord tightly to avoid accidental shutdowns of your PC.

Packaging & Bundle

Platimax is presented in a very nicely designed box – a brushed high quality metal with perforated mesh can be seen, all alluding to superior quality. All significant standards have their badge displayed on the front to market the Platimax as being 80 Plus Platinum efficiency with 5 years warranty.

Inside the box ,the PSU and included extras have a cover to separate them into different compartments.

Packaging leaves a strong impression

Bundled accessories are separated within box

Removing all of the included extras out of their packaging we can see what is included with Platimax. Included within the bundle are the following items:

• Platimax PSU
• Zip-up bag with modular cables
• Power plug
• 4x installation screws
• Retention bracket
• User guide
• Cable management ties

Platimax bundle

Over the next page we will take a closer look at the external aspects of the Platimax PSU.

Included cables – Modular

Bundled with the Platimax PSU are a number of modular cables. Below the table details the size and range of connectors that are available for these cables.

Included cables with Platimax

Enermax have been using the same braiding on their PSUs for years now and whilst it is good quality the colours of red and yellow are exactly what enthusiasts shy away from. Most cases now have an internal coating of black and so yellow and red (which are actually the colours of the cables underneath!) stand out like a sore thumb. If cables are to be sleeved then they should be sleeved entirely black for maximum disguise.

Cable braiding for modular cables

Closer Look (External)

Now we come to the main focus of this review – the PSU itself. Platimax carries across some key aesthetic similarities that have been implemented on other Enermax PSUs such as Revolution and MaxRevo. Enthusiasts favour the appearance of these PSUs because of the care and attention Enermax have gone to. Platimax has a rugged, granite type of surface texture that reinforces that this series is both robust and of premium quality. The Platimax wording has been printed on the sides in a specific orientation so that whichever way you do mount this PSU within your case, the text will still be the correct way up.

An overview of Platimax – a smooth customer

The shiny metallic grill features the Enermax insignia and on the underside Enermax have chosen to use their notorious 140mm Twister cooling fan. More on this a little later when we open the unit up.

140mm cooling fan with metallic grill

Being a modular PSU, the Platimax has a panel next to the hardwired cables for delivering power to additional devices such as CPU/GPU and HDDs. As you move through the Platimax models from the lowest wattage to the greatest there are more rails dedicated for +12v. We are looking at the 850W versions so this has 4x dedicated +12v rails.

Plenty of options for modular cables

Hardwired into the Platimax are the common cables you would expect. There is a 24-pin ATX power, 2x 8-pin CPU/EPS power and 2x 6+2-pin PCI-E power cables.

The cables/connectors that are hardwired into the Platimax

Lastly – the specifications label can be found on one side of the PSU detailing the rails ampage with total watts. This also contains the serial number and standards that have been adhered to.

Specifications label on Platimax

On the next page we will open the Platimax up and examine the inner-workings.

Closer Look (Internal)

Opening up a PSU voids the warranty and should be done at the user’s risk. Upon removing 4x screws the outer shell successfully lifts away from the shell that has the PCB fixed to it.

The internal layout is very clean and tidy. Enermax have taken care to even present the components under the cover in an neat fashion. There is a 3x heatsink design and Rubycon Japanese Solid CAPs have been used throughout – with a rating of 105c. Platimax 850W utilises 4x +12v rails for dual graphics support.

A look at the internal layout of Platimax

Rubycon 105C Solid CAPs used throughout

It’s comes as no surprise that due to Enermax being a market-leader in fan cooling that they have used one of their own products for Platimax. The actual model of the fan used inside is ED142512M-0A a 140mm fan that uses twister bearing technology rated with a max RPM 2000.

As with other PSUs that Enermax manufacture this fan will spin after shutdown in order to push out existing heat from the PCB/heatsinks.

140mm cooling fan with twister bearing technology

Testing Methodologies & Results

Our testing methodology for testing Power Supply Units is limited to the multi-meter to show each rails performance due to us not having access to an ATE load tester. We are making plans to invest in equipment as we were directed by Cooler Master when Simon visited their test labs in June 2010.

Although this does constrain us slightly we can still monitor fluctuations on the rails and give the unit a good assessment when we feature it in one of our builds. The way the testing will run is simple, voltages will be observed at idle wattage and then a single GPU will be installed within the system and a combination of OCCT and MSI Kombustor will be executed to provide simulation with just 1 GPU. This will be run for 10 minutes. After this another graphics card will be added to the system giving the setup a dual GPU configuration and again the stress tests will be applied and after 10 minutes voltages monitored. In both instances the CPU will also be overclocked to maximise power consumption and strain. This should give us a good indication of how the Enermax Platimax 850W will perform under gaming stresses and beyond.

System Components
CPU Intel Core i7 2500K (with OC 4.5GHz)
Motherboard ASUS P8P67
Graphics NVIDIA GTX 480
Memory 8GB Kingston HyperX 1600MHz CL9
HDD 2 x Samsung Spinpoint 500GB SATA-II
PSU Enermax Platimax 850W

I deliberately configured SLI within this test system to give the PSU as much of a draw as it could take. We all know how Fermi is notorious for its big power draw! As I mentioned there is no ATE load tester available so generating as much power as possible is key to observing the fluctuations on the rails.

For voltage tolerance levels, ATX specify that a 5% variable fluctuation is acceptable. (Form Factors – ATX Specification PDF – Page 10). So what this means is:

3.3V Rail – 3.135V – 3.465V acceptable
5V Rail – 4.75V – 5.25V acceptable
12V Rail – 11.4V – 12.6V acceptable

Idle test – The system settles in windows without any applications or stressing. 1 GPU (216W)
Single GPU – OCCT/MSI Kombustor run for 10 minutes (420W)
Dual GPU – SLI is setup for 2 x GTX 480. OCCT/MSI Kombustor run for 10 minutes (753W)

Conclusion

It’s hard to get excited about a power supply but Enermax have designed such a beautiful looking unit in the Platimax that you have to appreciate the handy work that has gone into producing such a nice piece of kit. Observing both the inner and outer aesthetics and construction reveals a level of care that is rare to see with PSU design.

When using the Platimax 850W in a dual graphics card configuration with NVIDIA SLI our test system pushed for 88% load. Under this type of strenuous operation the unit remained strong in its performance and noise levels which was very pleasing to see.

Backed with a 5 year warranty the Platimax is a superb choice for those who are clearly wanting the best for their system though price could be an issue. The 850W version under review today can be had for around £250 so this unit will be reserved for the avid enthusiast with money to spare.

Enermax have done a cracking job with the Platimax and it will remain a product that is spoken of highly throughout the enthusiast communities for some time. Based on my findings I am happy to reward the Enermax Platimax with our GOLD award.

Pros
+ Great quality inside and out
+ Strong performance at 88% load
+ Quiet operation
+ 5 year warranty

Cons
– Braiding on cables looks ugly
– Price