Page 2 - Physical Look - Outside
The Revolution III series is ENERMAX's latest model of the Revolution lineup, as its name suggests. The S variant is Platinum efficiency grade, while the non-S models are Gold only. 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 Revolution III S 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 Revolution III S 1000W uses standard SECC construction.
The Revolution III S 1000W I am reviewing today has a depth of only 14.0cm, which is short not only in absolute terms, but also for its kilowatt specification and high efficiency grade. There are only a handful of models that meet or exceed this PSU in length, output, and efficiency. These include the 13cm FSP Hydro PTM X Pro 1000W, 14cm SilverStone HELA 1300R Platinum 1300W, and 14cm SilverStone Strider Platinum ST1000-PTS 1000W. and 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 Revolution III S 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 medium air resistance. The 120mm 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 screw has a warranty seal over it, so you cannot open the ENERMAX Revolution III S 1000W 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. Semi-fanless operation cannot be disabled, which is fine with me, since I never saw a reason to do so. The Revolution III S keeps the fan off until it exceeds about 35% of the load threshold.
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 Revolution III S 1000W incorporates only one 120mm fan at the bottom. The rear ventilation opening is implemented in an efficient manner, as the power input block takes up only the minimum necessary amount of room physically required. The ENERMAX Revolution III S 1000W 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 Revolution III S 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 correct side up in standard orientation. 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 and/or ATX/EPS 4+4 pin cables. Three outputs support Molex and SATA peripherals on the right. Immediately above that, the Motherboard section provides an ATX 24-pin connector by two separate blocks stacked on top of one another. 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 array of available connectors should be sufficient for casual users and power enthusiasts alike.
The external build quality of ENERMAX's Revolution III S 1000W 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 Revolution III S 1000W. 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 83.3A -- 1000W -- to maximize power delivery flexibility compared to multiple rails. Overall, the combined power output for the whole ENERMAX Revolution III S 1000W is 1000W, 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 Revolution III S 1000W 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 PCIe 6+2 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, 65.0cm
- 1x 12V-2x6 PCIe 12+4 pin, 60.0cm
- 1x 12V-2x6 PCIe to PCIe 6+2 pin, 2 connectors, 60.0cm to both connectors
- 2x PCIe 6+2 pin, 60.0cm
- 3x SATA/Molex, 4 connectors each, 45.0cm to first connector, 15.0cm spacing thereafter
These figures are provided by the manufacturer. Most users should have no problems with ENERMAX Revolution III S 1000W in modern cases. 50cm is the general standard, and the included cables met or exceeded this recommendation on all measurements except for the peripheral cables. 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
