Efficiency

Using the efficiency results from the previous page, we plotted a chart to show the EDG650's efficiency at low loads and at loads equal to 20%-100% of the PSU's maximum-rated load.



The EDGE650 placed around the middle of the pack with both light and normal loads. However, with low loads, the difference to the three units above it isn't very large.

Efficiency at Low Loads

In the next tests, we measured the efficiency of the EDG650 at loads much lower than 20% of its maximum-rated load (the lowest load the 80 Plus Standard measures). The loads we dialed were 40 W, 60 W, 80 W, and 100 W (for PSUs with over 500 W of capacity). This is important for settings where the PC is in idle mode with Power Saving turned on.

Given the unit's capacity is only 650 W, its efficiency nearly reached 80% with even 40 W. Efficiency reached well above 80% in the other three tests we conducted.

5VSB Efficiency

The ATX specification states that 5VSB standby supply efficiency should be as high as possible and recommends 50% or higher efficiency with 100 mA of load, 60% or higher with 250 mA of load, and 70% or higher with 1 A or more of load.

We will take four measurements: one at 100, 250, and 1000 mA, each, and one with the full load the 5VSB rail can handle.

The 5VSB's performance was slightly above average in these tests. Nothing to write home about, its results are definitely not bad enough to make us complain.

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 (powered on but without any load on its rails) and the power consumption when the PSU is in standby mode (without any load at 5VSB).

The unit consumes very little power in standby, easily meeting the requirements of the ErP Lot 6 2013 directive.

Fan RPM, Delta Temperature & Output Noise

The cooling fan's speed (RPMs) and the delta difference between input and output temperature are illustrated in the following chart. The following results were obtained at 38°C-45°C ambient.



A chart that shows the cooling fan's speed (RPMs) and the output noise follows. We measure the fan's noise from 1 meter away, inside a small custom-made anechoic chamber whose internals are completely covered in specialized soundproofing material (Be Quiet! Noise Absorber Kit). Background noise inside the anechoic chamber was below 20 dBA during testing, and the results were obtained with the PSU operating at 38°C-45°C ambient.



The following graph illustrates the fan's output noise throughout the entire operating range of the PSU. The same conditions of the above graph apply to our measurements, but the ambient temperature was in-between 28°C and 30°C.



The EDG650 is fairly quiet at up to 325 W; However, its fan ramps up quickly and becomes pretty loud with loads above 475 W. We expected more since Antec's key selling point for this unit is its quiet operation. Look and you will definitely find quieter PSUs of equal capacity for roughly the same price.