Page 2 - Physical Look - Outside
The PlatimaxII series is ENERMAX's latest revision of the Platimax lineup, as its name suggests. It is not available in any other wattage variant, but you can get one in white instead of the black one we have for our review today. The black matte surface is subtle and familiar. From our view above, the same design is implemented on both the left and right side, where you can spot the ENERMAX PlatimaxII 1200DF branding. To make sure you will see the text right side up at all times, the orientation of it is different on both sides, so whatever side facing the user after installation will always be correct. The ENERMAX PlatimaxII 1200DF 1200W uses standard SECC construction.
The 1200DF I am reviewing today has a depth of only 15.0cm, which is short not only in absolute terms, but also for its lofty wattage and high efficiency grade. The only other PSU we have reviewed here at APH Networks that matches the 1200DF in length, wattage, and efficiency grade is the SAMA P1200 1200W, and that is because they are built on the same platform. We will take a closer look at that on the next page. Most modular power supplies are longer than non-modular units by a centimeter or two, as the extra length is needed to accommodate its connector board at the back. We will take a look inside the PSU on the next page. For most ATX or eATX chassis, length is generally not much of a concern. However, if you have a mATX or mITX case that takes standard power supplies, the shorter length will definitely serve as an advantage, especially considering the fact the 1200DF is fully modular.
At the top, a removable horizontal fan grille guards the primary and only cooling fan installed. The fan grille appears to be low air resistance. The 135mm fan generates airflow by drawing air from the bottom of the power supply over its internal components to keep the temperatures in check. Exhaust heat is allowed to leave at the back of the power supply through the secondary honeycomb mesh opening. Meanwhile, four screws secure the power supply case together. One edge has a warranty seal over it, so you cannot open the ENERMAX PlatimaxII 1200DF 1200W without risking voiding its 13-year warranty.
Starting from the back part of the power supply, we have the same familiar honeycomb mesh design as most PSUs with a bottom mounted fan. What you will find here is a vertically aligned C13 male connector for power input near the left edge along with a standard sized on/off switch next to it on the right. A tiny button labeled "D.F. Switch" is spotted on the opposite side, but the text is printed upside-down in standard installation orientation. If you think this button has something to do with toggling semi-fanless operation, then you would be wrong. "DF" stands for "Dust Free", which is a feature that spins the fan backwards for 20 seconds to shake off some dust. Semi-fanless operation cannot be disabled, which is fine with me, since I never saw a reason to do so. The PlatimaxII 1200DF keeps the fan off until it exceeds about 60% of the load threshold or 55c, whichever comes first.
The low resistance honeycomb mesh design is implemented to maximize airflow and minimize air resistance. This is done as heat needs to leave the power supply as easily and efficiently as possible, because the ENERMAX PlatimaxII 1200DF 1200W incorporates only one 135mm fan at the bottom. The rear ventilation opening is implemented in an efficient manner, as the power input block takes up nearly the minimum necessary amount of room physically required. The ENERMAX PlatimaxII 1200DF 1200W has automatic full range 100V to 240V AC line voltage selection as with all active PFC power supplies, so the user does not have to worry about manually selecting input voltage.
Like many power supplies we cover here at APH Networks, the PlatimaxII 1200DF is a fully modular power supply. This means all cables are completely detachable from the main unit. While it is somewhat questionable with regards to why this is necessary, since cables such as the ATX 24-pin and ATX 4-pin/EPS 8-pin have practically an 100% chance of being always connected, it may prove to be beneficial to an extent when building your computer initially.
The rear cable connection panel is done nicely. ENERMAX has made the labels upside-down in standard orientation, which is a minor annoyance. Similar connectors are grouped together and are laid out in a very logical manner. To ensure you know what is going on, they are all grouped and clearly labeled for minimal ambiguity. Starting from the left from the perspective of our above photo, we have four connectors for the PCI Express 6+2 pin cables, with three on the top row and one on the bottom. The CPU section has connectors for two ATX/EPS 4+4 pin cables. Five outputs support Molex and SATA peripherals, split into two rows on the right. Immediately to the left of that, the Motherboard section provides an ATX 24-pin connector by two separate blocks next to each other. Lastly, one 16-pin 600W 12V-2x6 PCIe 5.1 is present. Incompatible outputs will not physically fit into each other, so ENERMAX has done a great job in this regard. This generous array of available connectors should be more than sufficient for casual users and power enthusiasts alike.
The external build quality of ENERMAX's PlatimaxII 1200DF 1200W power supply is excellent as always; a good indication the company is serious about the product they are selling. We will take it apart in just a moment. Fit is done well with minimal panel gaps, and all edges are nicely finished off. The level of refinement with regards to the external build quality is right up there with all the other high-quality PSUs I have used in the past. As aforementioned, we will crack open the power supply to see what components are inside in the following section.
The voltage specification label is located on the top of the ENERMAX PlatimaxII 1200DF 1200W. 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 100W. 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 100A -- 1200W -- to maximize power delivery flexibility compared to multiple rails. Overall, the combined power output for the whole ENERMAX PlatimaxII 1200DF is 1200W, as its name suggests. It does sound a bit confusing to understand how this works at first, but generally speaking, this configuration allows sufficiently flexible power demands and should be sufficient to accommodate most users. 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 ENERMAX PlatimaxII 1200DF 1200W is 80 Plus Platinum and Cybenetics ETA Platinum certified. The 80 Plus Platinum certification means that it is at least 90%, 92%, 89% efficient at 20%, 50%, and 100% load, respectively. Cybenetics ETA Platinum 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. Higher certifications available for power supplies of this type include 80 Plus Titanium, Cybenetics ETA Titanium, and Cybenetics ETA Diamond at press time.
A total of ten modular power cables is included out of the box. All modular cables have separate wires and are easy to bend, making them extremely easy to work with. 16 AWG wires are found on the ATX 20+4-pin and 12V-2x6 PCIe 12+4 pin bundles. Everything else is 18 AWG, which is standard and to be expected.
The following modular cables are included out of the box:
- 1x ATX 20+4 pin, 60.0cm
- 2x ATX 4+4 pin, 70.0cm
- 1x 12V-2x6 PCIe 12+4 pin, 60.0cm
- 3x PCIe 6+2 pin, 60.0cm
- 2x SATA, 4 connectors each, 45.0cm to first connector, 15.0cm spacing thereafter
- 1x Molex, 4 connectors, 45.0cm to first connector, 15.0cm spacing thereafter
These figures are provided by the manufacturer. Most users should have no problems with ENERMAX PlatimaxII 1200DF 1200W in modern cases. 50cm is the general standard, and the included cables met or exceeded this recommendation on all measurements except for the peripheral cable. Peripheral cables with a shorter length to the first connector may be advantageous for cable routing and management though.
Page Index
1. Introduction, Packaging, Specifications
2. Physical Look - Outside
3. Physical Look - Inside
4. Minor Tests and Conclusion
