Test Setup
Primary Rails Load Regulation
The following charts show the voltage values of the main rails, recorded over a range from 60 W to the maximum specified load, and the deviation (in percent) for the same load range. Tight load regulation is an important characteristic for every power supply because it allows for constant voltage levels despite changes in load.
5VSB Regulation
Burst mode—dubbed "kick mode" by Champion Microelectronic Corporation, the manufacturer of the resonant controller—is used with the resonant controller for higher efficiency at light loads, which affects the voltage level of the +12 V rail. This was also the case with the Core Reactor 750 and Corsair RM units, which also uses a CWT platform with similar features. This is why the +12 V rail's load regulation is close to 1%; it would otherwise be much tighter. Load regulation on the other rails is pretty good.
Ripple Measurements
Ripple represents the AC fluctuations (periodic) and noise (random) found in the DC rails of PSUs. Ripple significantly decreases the life span of capacitors because it increases their temperature; a 10 °C increase can cut into a capacitor's life span by up to 50 percent. Ripple also plays an important role in overall system stability, especially when it is overclocked. The ripple limits according to the ATX specification are 120 mV (+12V) and 50 mV (+5V, +3.3V, and 5VSB).
Ripple Measurements - XPG Core Reactor 850 |
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Test | 12 V | 5 V | 3.3 V | 5VSB | Pass/Fail |
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10% Load | 8.7 mV | 7.3 mV | 17.7 mV | 5.5 mV | Pass |
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20% Load | 11.1 mV | 7.7 mV | 18.8 mV | 5.8 mV | Pass |
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30% Load | 9.7 mV | 7.9 mV | 16.9 mV | 5.9 mV | Pass |
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40% Load | 8.9 mV | 6.7 mV | 14.7 mV | 4.8 mV | Pass |
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50% Load | 9.5 mV | 8.1 mV | 16.7 mV | 6.3 mV | Pass |
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60% Load | 11.2 mV | 9.2 mV | 17.4 mV | 6.9 mV | Pass |
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70% Load | 11.8 mV | 9.2 mV | 18.7 mV | 7.0 mV | Pass |
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80% Load | 13.5 mV | 10.0 mV | 21.6 mV | 7.1 mV | Pass |
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90% Load | 12.7 mV | 10.0 mV | 21.5 mV | 7.4 mV | Pass |
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100% Load | 17.3 mV | 11.3 mV | 25.5 mV | 8.5 mV | Pass |
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110% Load | 17.6 mV | 12.2 mV | 26.8 mV | 9.0 mV | Pass |
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Crossload 1 | 9.8 mV | 6.5 mV | 17.8 mV | 4.0 mV | Pass |
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Crossload 2 | 16.6 mV | 11.5 mV | 24.6 mV | 8.6 mV | Pass |
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Ripple is low on all rails.
Ripple at Full Load
Ripple at 110% Load
Ripple at Crossload 1
Ripple at Crossload 2