Build Quality
As we already know the Cooler Master V650 SFX GOLD feature a single 92mm fan design that is similar to the preferred 80mm cooling solution by some brands. The major downside to this fan design is that to move a sufficient volume of air to cool a high output power supply it must spin very fast resulting in elevated noise levels. While these 92mm designs are not great for quiet computing environments the key criteria in our evaluation is whether or not the cooling solution is sufficient.
External Build Quality
The exterior of the V650 SFX GOLD is traditional for a modular unit with an overhead fan in the SFX form factor. Cosmetically, the unit carries the V650 branding in a mixture of grey/silver text accents, embossed accent designs, and the Cooler Master fan guard. The branding is nice and a bit more subtle than we see with some other units. The modular interface is well labeled. Rounding things out, the unit has a durable black finish that is slightly textured.
The V650 SFX GOLD comes in at a total length of ~4 inches while the cables come in at a length of ~6″ to 19″ to the first, or only, connector. Additionally, the cables are all FlexForce style cables which is excellent.
Internal Build Quality
Once we open the top of the V650 SFX GOLD we see a new to us platform from Gospower. The topology has a resonant LLC primary with a synchronous rectification secondary and DC-DC VRM’s for the minor rails. The fan cooling this unit today is a FDB fan. The fan is manufactured by Hong Hua and rated at 0.36A at 12v. It is paired with two different heatsinks. Interestingly, that means there is one large and one small(ish) heatsink on the primary side proper that are rather crude-looking affairs. On the secondary side, the heatsink duties are handled by the MOSFETs being attached to thermal pads on the case housing. Lastly, the soldering is excellent on the main PCB.
The V650 SFX GOLD input filtering begins up on the housing itself where we find a PCB with some X capacitors, Y capacitors, and a coil. The balance of the input filtering is found on the back edge of the main PCB. There is then a bridge rectifier attached to its own heatsink. Generally behind this, we find the main input capacitor (which is a Nichicon part rated at 450v 470uF 105C) and then the APFC coil. The heatsink next to all of this houses the APFC components and the remainder of the primary side power components. The overall setup here is fairly standard but very tight as you would expect in such a small unit.
The secondary side of this unit looks a bit crowded as was the case on the primary side, but that is again down to the form factor. Behind where the main input filtering PCB attached to the main PCB is the main transformers for this unit. Then, next to this, we find an add-in PCB that houses the DC-DC VRMs. This PCB is populated with a number of FPCAP solid capacitors and there are some more around the base of the PCB. The MOSFETs for the secondary side are found on the backside of the main PCB as seen earlier. Lastly, we come to the modular PCB which is cleanly done and populated by more FPCAP capacitors.
Build Quality Summary
Today’s Cooler Master V650 SFX GOLD is the first power supply we have seen from the OEM Gospower so it does start the day off with a huge question mark hanging over its fan guard. That said, the exterior looks well enough done, and if you did not know better you might chalk it up to being produced by a higher profile OEM as many of the markings and touches mirror other, bigger, OEMs. Overall, the external build quality looks very good including the FlexForce cables.
The interior of the unit is, understandably, very tightly packed. Thus, the integration looks a bit rough but you can only do so much in such a small area. The components we see used today are generally excellent as we see Nichicon standard capacitors and FPCAP solid capacitors as well as a FDB fan from Hong Hua. One thing that does stick out like a sore thumb is the crude-looking heatsinks used here. Then again, if they work……………… Anyway, let’s move on now to the load tests and see how this unit performs!