Introduction

Seasonic's Core GX line includes three members with capacities ranging from 500 to 650 W. All are fully modular, have compact dimensions at only 140 mm long, and are covered by a seven-year warranty. There are also the Core GM (semi-modular) and Core GC (fixed cables) lines, which are more affordable. The Core GX-500, which I will evaluate in this review, features 80 PLUS Gold efficiency. On the Cybenetics scale, it is Gold rated with 115 V input and only Bronze with 230 V because of the low power factor (PF) readings. It is also rated as Cybenetics-A in noise output, so noise output is very low.

It is always nice to look at affordable products by known brands like Seasonic since most users can't or don't want to spend the $100 or more on a high-end PSU. That said, with a price close to $80, the GX-500 isn't actually that affordable, which does mainly have to do with the increased demand and low availability. This PSU would normally go for around $50-60, which is a fair price given its features. At $80 or more, it is just too expensive, especially considering the sleeve bearing fan. Its warranty is long, though, and should you need it, Seasonic customer support is good.

Specifications

Photos

The golden accent on the box looks nice. The seven-year warranty is highlighted in big font at the face of the box.


Protection inside the box is good.


The bundle is rich. Besides the necessary cables and paperwork, you will find fixing bolts, zip ties, Velcro straps, and a 24-pin ATX jump-start connector plug.


The fan grille could be less restrictive. There is a power switch right next to the AC receptacle on the front.


The power specifications label is on one of two sides.


The modular board has eight sockets.


At only 140 mm long, this PSU is compact.


Some more photos of the PSU from various angles.

Cables and Connectors

The cables are long enough, and there are no in-cable caps. Because of the PSU's low capacity, there is no need for two EPS connectors and more than two PCIe connectors.


The number of peripheral connectors is adequate for a 500 W PSU.


The PSU came with a US power cord.

Component Analysis

Before reading this page, we strongly suggest looking at this article, which will help you better understand the insides of a PSU.



This is a budget Seasonic platform. To save money, Seasonic didn't use a double-sided PCB, but components haven't been compromised on since Infineon and Nexperia FETs and Japanese caps are used. The only letdown is the sleeve bearing fan, but it is by Globe Fan, which is a respectable manufacturer. The heatsinks are small on both the primary and secondary sides. The design is contemporary, with a half-bridge topology and resonant converter on the primary side and synchronous rectification and DC-DC converters on the secondary side.


The transient filter is complete. There is also an MOV for protection against power surges.


I found a discharge IC in the transient filter; it provides a small efficiency boost.


An NTC thermistor lowers inrush currents. A bypass relay supports it.


The pair of bridge rectifiers can handle up to 20 A.


The APFC converter uses two Infineon FETs and a single STMicroelectronics boost diode. The bulk cap is by Chemi-Con and belongs to a good line. I would like it to have a 420 V rating, though.


The APFC controller is a Champion CM6500UNX.


The two Infineon IPP50R250CP primary switching FETs are installed in a half-bridge topology.


The resonant controller is a Champion CM6901T6X.


The main transformer is next to the parts for the LLC resonant controller.


Two Nexperia FETs regulate the +12 V rail. They are installed on the solder side of the main PCB. Two small heatsinks on the other side are used to cool them down.


The electrolytic caps on the secondary side are by Chemi-Con. There are also eleven polymer caps.


Two DC-DC converters generate the minor rails.


The standby PWM controller is an Excelliance MOS Corp EM8569C, and the 5VSB secondary rectifier is an MCC MBR1045ULPS SBR.


The supervisor controller is a Weltrend WT7527V.


Four polymer and two electrolytic caps on the modular PCB further reduce ripple. There are empty spaces for three more connectors, which are not needed for this unit.


Soldering quality is decent.


The sticker on the fan makes it clear that it uses a sleeve bearing. Seeing a PSU with a seven-year warranty using a plain sleeve-bearing fan is odd. Seasonic must be very confident about this fan's reliability.