Test Setup

All measurements are performed utilizing a custom designed and built load tester, called Faganas, which is able to stress PSUs up to 1800 Watts. We also use a DS1M12 (Stingray) oscilloscope, a CHY 502 thermometer, a Fluke 175 multimeter and an Instek GPM-8212 power meter. Furthermore, in our setup we have included a wooden box, which along with a heating element is used as a Hot Box. Finally, we have at our disposal three electronic loads (Array 3711A, 300W), a Rigol 1052E oscilloscope and a CEM DT-8852 sound level meter. In the near future we plan to acquire six additional loads to complete our new test set up, which with the help of our custom built software will have the same capabilities with the, ultra expensive, Chroma ATEs.

Voltage Regulation Charts

The following charts show the voltage values of the main rails, recorded over a range from 60W to the maximum specified load, and the deviation (in percent), when compared with the voltage values at 60W load.

Efficiency Chart

In this chart you will find the efficiency of AX600-88FE at low loads and at loads equal to 20-100% of PSU’s maximum rated load.

Voltage Regulation and Efficiency Measurements

The first set of tests reveals the stability of voltage rails and the efficiency of AX600-88FE. The applied load equals to (approximately) 20%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 80% and 100%, of the maximum load that the PSU can handle. In addition, we conduct two more tests. In the first we stress the two minor rails (5V & 3.3V) with the maximum load that our tester can apply to these rails, while the load at +12V is only 2A and in the second test we dial the maximum load that +12V can handle while load at minor rails is minimum.



Efficiency is very high and with 50% load reaches its peak, 89%. Voltage drops in normal tests are well in spec and for all rails voltage regulation is inside 3% deviation (+12V deviation is below 2%). Our Crossload test results clearly show the weaknesses of group regulation. When we push the minor rails too much the voltage at +12V goes up and the same goes for the opposite case. Also, in the same tests the 5V rail failed to stay in spec. However we wouldn't call that a major problem since our Crossload 1 test is a bit unrealistic, even though it is part of the ATX specification tests - no contemporary PC will ever stress the minor rails that much.

Efficiency at Low Loads

In the next tests, we measure the efficiency of AX600-88FE at loads much lower than 20% of its maximum rated load (the lowest load that the 80 Plus Standard measures). The loads that we dial are (approximately) 40, 65 and 90W. This is important for scenarios in which a typical office PC is in idle with power saving turned on.



Efficiency at small loads is pretty high, too. Even at test#1 with only 40.89W load it's very close to 80%, a very good percentage for such a low load and for a Silver (and not Gold or Platinum) PSU.

Power Consumption in Idle & Standby

In the table below you will find the power consumption and the voltage values of all rails (except -12V), when the PSU is in idle mode (On but without any load at its rails) and the power consumption when the PSU is in standby (without any load at 5VSB).


At idle power consumption is very low. The same goes for standby mode (vampire power) where the PSU consumes only 0.18W, so it easily meets the 2010 EuP (European Guideline on Energy using Products), which states that power consumption of equipment in any off mode condition should not exceed 1.0W.