The Cooler Master XG850 Plus Platinum PSU Review: Quality Plus RGB

Power Supply Quality

The electrical performance of the Cooler Master XG850 Plus Platinum PSU is good for a unit of this price range and class, but is not in any way special. The voltage regulation on all voltage lines is slightly under 1% across the nominal load range, which is fairly impressive considering most manufacturers neglect the secondary 3.3 V and 5 V lines. The power quality of all three voltage lines is very good, with a maximum ripple of 46 mV, 12 mV, and 10 mV on the 12 V, 5 V, and 3.3 V lines respectively.

As part of our standard testing, we test the primary protections of all PSUs we review (Over Current, Over Voltage, Over Power, and Short Circuit). The Cooler Master XG850 Plus Platinum successfully passed all of the tests, generally reacting timely when needed and shutting down to protect itself and the components it is powering. The only worrying part is the OPP protection, which allows the unit to temporarily reach up to nearly 1.000 Watts before shutting it down, a very high figure considering the high heavy load temperatures that the PSU can reach.

The Master Plus+ Software

The Cooler Master Master Plus+ software is a unified solution that accommodates all of the recently released Cooler Master products, allowing the monitoring and configuration of all compatible devices from a single interface. It also takes readings of all available device sensors, such as motherboard and graphics cards power and temperature readings. The XG Plus Platinum PSU is compatible with this software and it will be recognized by the system if the USB cable is connected to the motherboard.

The communication of the Cooler Master XG Plus Platinum PSU with the system virtually is one-way. With the exception of its RGB lighting, nothing else can be configured in any way. Once the PSU has been selected, the primary screen is just displaying the same three readings that can be seen on the PSU itself. There is an option to start a log of these three values to a file, with adjustable logging intervals.

The second screen allows for lighting control, allowing the user to individually adjust the side screen and the fan lighting. There are not too many options here but these are plenty for a PSU. If more compatible Cooler Master devices are present, users can synchronize RGB lighting between all of them.

Conclusion

The Cooler Master XG Plus Platinum has been developed, according to the firm, entirely in-house, essentially marking a new era for the revered PC power & cooling company. Very few companies can boast having power platforms that only they produce – even when counting those who form exclusivity contracts with OEMs. Although no company can stray too far away from the recommended design guide when it comes to PC PSUs, Cooler Master has made some interesting design choices.

Although this is a brand-new platform, the core design of the Cooler Master XG850 Plus Platinum 850W PSU is based on topologies that have been around for decades. It is obvious that the engineers who designed this unit did not want to try and reinvent the wheel, and instead leaned towards a safe, reliable solution. After all, the combination of a proven design with high quality parts frequently is the recipe for success. Most of the parts that Cooler Master used are of exceptional quality, with our only concern being the secondary side MOSFETs, which seem to be getting stressed if the internal temperature of the PSU goes too high.

The overall performance of the XG850 Plus Platinum is respectable. Our measurements showed that the power quality of the unit is by all means excellent. It also does meet the 80Plus Platinum efficiency certification requirements, but only if the input voltage is 115 VAC. On the thermals front, this might very well be the quietest 850 Watt PSU that we have ever tested, with the fan refusing to even speed up while the ambient temperature is low. The lax cooling however has a severe effect on the unit’s thermal performance, which reaches dangerously high temperatures if it has to operate heavily loaded inside a hot ambient environment, a scenario that also degrades the conversion efficiency.

Much of the marketing effort about the XG Plus Platinum is based on its aesthetic uniqueness – namely, the side panel display and the RGB fan. It is true that the RGB lighting is exceptionally well applied on the fan, with the LEDs producing crisp, bright colors and no blank spots in sight. The side panel display is an interesting feature. Although the displayed information may not be crucial for an end user, it is appealing and does provide information that could potentially be useful, even if a little bit.

The Cooler Master XG850 Plus Platinum marks a bold marketing attempt, as the firm is trying to entire almost every part of the PC gaming/enthusiast community. It offers good electrical performance, runs very quiet, and it is visually unique. Trying to put too many eggs into one basket though can backfire, as the fancy RGB lighting simply is not for everyone and can actually reduce sales instead of increasing them. Yes, it can be turned off, but the PSU's high $260 retail price means that buyers had best be using the feature in order to justify the premium price. Otherwise, there are less expensive products that would be a more reasonable choice.