Final Words & Conclusion
So with our PSU reviews we are always the first to state that our review remains somewhat subjective. For a really proper review, we'd need to have capable load testing equipment worth multiple thousands of dollars. But you guys know and understand very well that we here at Guru3D know, understand and recognize quality when we test it, and just like its predecessor, the Platimax is the best we have tested in its class in terms of efficiency.
Test methods wise we say our test is valid, as it is precisely the kind of load you guys would apply to a PSU like this. Scientifically, however the tests are less precise, fair enough.
Let's start off with power efficiency. It's hard to measure, especially when you compare with modern PSUs with say a silver or Gold certified rating. Our tests show that the Platimax is very energy efficient, and that's what it is all bout.
I quickly peeked at some of my colleagues who had a load tester on the PSU, and their measurements confirm our findings, you'll have roughly 92%~93% efficiency under normal usage based on 230 Volts (110 Volts would result in slightly lower efficiency). In fact this PSU series is actually very close in build and output quality to the Enermax MaxRevo we recently tested.
Monitoring voltage lines throughout our tests (we have multiple DMM's connected all the time) resulted in nothing even slightly weird or suspicious.
Considering the price tag, would it be wise to invest in a Platinum rated PSU ? Well, personally I'd settle for gold as really, the difference in-between the two classes are exceptionally close, whilst gold certified PSUs are a bit cheaper.
However if you want to squeeze out every bit of energy efficiency because you perhaps have your PC running 24/7/365 well that's where it would be wise to invest in nothing but the best. And really, the Platimax is the best of the best products we have tested to date.
Our generic tip as always stands, have reserve: this means you are not 100% stressing the PSU, this is better for its lifespan. Do you guys remember the old Galaxy models from Enermax? Well, we still have them in use in some test systems. These things just do not die. Second tip, PSU's are the most efficient at 50% load. So if you know that your PC consumes roughly 350W, a 700W model would be ideal.
The Platimax PSU series is rock solid, very stable and extremely energy efficient for a power supply. Really from this moment onwards it is going to be a tough nut to crack for the ODMs to achieve even better efficiency. But who knows what next year will bring.
The downside for a PSU in this class will be pricing. The PSU as tested today (850W) costs roughly 200 Euros. Now these are MSRPs including VAT. On the long run if you are coming from an old PSU and make a lot of use of your PC, the money is well invested as you save money on unused power consumption.
The Platimax as such deserves a best hardware award. It is a truly excellent product that is undeniably very efficient. It has nice looks, it's a silent PSU and in fact is modular as well. Meaning you just use the wires you need. You also gain the litle extra's like the heatguard that will keep the PSU fan running for a little while after the system was shut off in order to allow for the PSU to cool down properly.
Backed by a five year warranty really it's hard to go wrong with this product. Excellent stuff from an excellent PSU manufacturer, you do pay for the high certification though, but that platinum certification also means that the best of the best in terms of components is to be found inside this PSU. Impressive stuff.
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