Page 2 - Physical Look - Outside
The Cooler Master GX III Gold 850W has a fairly understated and simple design, especially considering previous power supplies from the company we have reviewed like the V850 Gold i multi 850W and XG850 Plus Platinum 850W. The top of the power supply features a honeycomb design for air intake with the fan right behind it. The design is clean with screws mostly hidden along the side of the power supply rather than on the top. The Cooler Master logo is found right in the middle of the honeycomb pattern, while there is a mostly white line running around the perimeter with purple accents at the corner where the name of the power supply can be found. Some other Cooler Master branding can be found on the other side of the product with the white and purple color scheme continued. On the side, the full name with the minimalist Cooler Master logo can be found. Overall, the design is clean and simple, offering a minimalist aesthetic.
The Cooler Master GX III Gold 850W is an ATX power supply. It is not intended for mATX or ITX builds, and so should be placed in cases where ATX PSUs can be accommodated. The dimensions for the power supply come in at 160mm in length, 150mm in height, and 86mm in height. There are longer power supplies out there, but this one is not necessarily short either. Keep in mind that plugging in modular cables will add to the length slightly. Modular power supplies are longer generally due to the connector board at the back requiring more room. The larger power supply size also provides a larger fan, measuring 135mm. Loads under 40% will not trigger the fan to go on, providing silent operation. Cooler Master explains the fan is controlled by a smart thermal control mode, meaning it will only kick in when necessary. As aforementioned, the intake for the fan is the large honeycomb mesh at the top, while the honeycomb mesh design is continued by the power supply plugin to provide an area for the air to be exhausted.
On this side of the power supply, we find the AC power socket and an on/off rocker switch. These two components take up minimal space in the honeycomb mesh, which means air that has pulled in from the bottom has the most room to leave. Providing clean lines of airflow is a valuable part of keeping the power supply cool under heavy loads. The honeycomb mesh also provides a glimpse of the interior of the power supply, allowing one to spot a few of the internal components, particularly a striking purple heatsink.
The Cooler Master GX III Gold 850W is a modular power supply, meaning all the cables from the 24-pin motherboard to the lowly SATA connector can be connected or disconnected as needed. Obviously, some connectors are definitely going to be connected in most builds, like the 24-pin motherboard connector and the CPU ATX/EPS connection. Each of the connectors on the power supply are clearly labeled, providing an easy path to know where to plug in each cable.
There is also an ample number of each of the connectors, allowing for a wide array of components to be plugged in. Starting from the top, there are five 8-pin PCI Express or CPU connectors and a 12VHPWR connector. The 12VHPWR is a newer connector for modern graphics cards, and this power supply can deliver up to 450W over this connection. Next, there are three 5-pin SATA/Molex connectors for storage drives and other SATA/Molex-powered devices. Finally, the motherboard connector is divided up into two large blocks adjacent to each other. Each of the connectors are well-grouped together, making it easy on cable management within the case. Overall, the Cooler Master GX III Gold 850W is well-built. The construction is clean and there are no large gaps where the metal pieces connect.
On one side of the power supply, we have a sticker supplying more detailed specifications. As with most power supplies, there are two main virtual rails. Up to 20A can be delivered via the +3.3V rail for a total of 66W, while the 20A on the +5V rail brings the output to 100W in this area. The total combined output for the +3.3V and +5V rail is 120W. In other words, your power allocation combination must fall within the limits of the listed specifications. Meanwhile, a single powerful +12V rail delivers up to 70.8A -- 849.6W -- to maximize power delivery flexibility compared to multiple rails. We have seen higher current allocations at the +3.3V and +5V rails at this power output, including recent units like the be quiet! Dark Power 13 and Thermaltake Toughpower GF3. That said, the power outputs in the +3.3V and 5V rails are within the norm, as most PSUs in this wattage range released in the last few years usually have them between 20A and 22A. This is because modern systems do not have a lot of need in this area.
The Cooler Master GX III is 80 Plus Gold rated, which means that it is certified to be at least 87%, 90%, 87% efficient at 20%, 50%, and 100% load, respectively. According to Cooler Master, the GX III Gold 850W can also achieve Titanium-levels of efficiency at lighter loads. Finally, the GX III Gold 850W has a Cybenetics ETA Platinum rating. This means at 115V input, it is certified to be between 89% and 91% overall efficiency, power factor above 0.975, greater than 76% 5VSB efficiency, and less than 0.16W vampire power. It is a bit surprising to see the mismatch of certification between 80 Plus and Cybenetics ETA, but it also reveals the different ways the two organizations test for efficiency. Higher certifications available for power supplies of this type include 80 Plus Platinum, 80 Plus/Cybenetics ETA Titanium, and Cybenetics ETA Diamond at press time.
The Cooler Master GX III Gold 850W does not disappoint with the cables it provides. There is a large variety of cables provided to match the needs for whatever you may be building. The 24-pin motherboard, EPS 8-pin and the ATX/EPS 4+4-pin cables are primarily 18 AWG wires, while the 6+2 PCIe and 12VHPWR cables are 16 AWG. Finally, the SATA and peripheral cables are 20 AWG.
Below is a list of the included cables:
- 1x ATX 20+4 pin, 61.0cm
- 1x EPS 4+4 pin, 60.0cm
- 1x EPS 8-pin, 60.0cm
- 1x 12VHPWR PCIe 12+4 pin, 65.0cm
- 3x PCIe 6+2 pin, 55.0cm
- 2x SATA, 4 connectors each, 50.0cm to first connector, 12.0cm spacing thereafter
- 1x Molex, 4 connectors, 50.0cm to first connector, 12.0cm spacing thereafter
No one should have any issues with the cables included in the Cooler Master GX III Gold 850W. There are plenty of cables with sufficient lengths to suit your computer build's needs. 50cm to the first connector is the general standard, and this power supply met or exceeded this recommendation in all counts. Peripheral cables with a shorter length to the first connector may be advantageous for cable routing and management.
Page Index
1. Introduction, Packaging, Specifications
2. Physical Look - Outside
3. Physical Look - Inside
4. Minor Tests and Conclusion
