Enermax Platimax 850W power supply review - Specifications and Features

So Enermax introduced what is actually the first power supply in the Platimax series that was granted a Platinum certification by the 80PLUS organization (the people that certify and test efficiency). But what does a Platinum certification entail ?

Well, we have bronze, silver, gold, and platinum certifications. A PSU that is certified “80 PLUS Gold” or “80 PLUS Platinum” is more efficient than a normal unit. Below you’ll find a table that shows what efficiency levels a PSU has to achieve at a given load to make the grade for a specific certification level.

Enermax rated the product at a maximum 94% efficiency, and they are so proud of it that they put a little crown as logo on the PSU itself :)

You can expect five new models on the market in the flavors ranging from 600 to 1200 Watts of power. All new in the (rather heavy) PSU is Copper-Bridge Array transmission technology which replaces conventional wires to provide up to 3% better power regulation

Enermax says that this enhancement will deliver cleaner DC power and raises the overall system stability.

Depending on the model the Platimax series features between three and six 12V rails rated at either 25A or 30A each, and their combined power output varies according to the model. The cheapest 600W model thus has three 12V rails at 25 AMPs each, yet combined this 600W unit has a maximum 12V amperage of 50A. 50A x12V = 600W on the 12V rails alone. Yep it's Enermax, always bringing you a little extra.

The 750W unit is rated at 62A and the 850W PSU 70A (the model we test today). The two top models 1kW and 1.2kW units can provide a maximum of 83 and 100 Amps, respectively.

High-efficiency typically means the loss of modular cabling, yet Enermax somehow managed to keep a modular design for the Platimax series. All models come bundled together with a wide variety of PCI Express connectors (both 6 and 8-pin) as well as with various SATA and MOLEX plugs.

Outside of the 80PLUS Platinum certifications, which ensures that the PSUs are able to deliver at least 92% efficiency in any usage scenario, Platimax power supplies are also compatible with the ErP Lot 6 standard meaning very low power draw when your computer is powered off or is in standby or Hybrid mode.

The PSU's features include 105°C Japanese electrolytic capacitors, a 13.9cm Twister-bearing fan (900 to 2000 RPM working speed), as well as the now standard CordGuard and HeatGuard technologies. The HeatGuard is designed to keep the fan running for a little while after the system was shut off in order to allow for the PSU to cool down properly.

Platinum certified PSUs are expensive to make and as such prices will be higher than normal, expect a range from $179, for the entry-level 600W unit, up to $329 for the top of the line 1200W model.