Cooler Master Elite Power 460 W Power Supply Review
Load Tests
Contents
We conducted several tests with this power supply, as described in the article Hardware Secrets Power Supply Test Methodology.
This time we made more detailed tests, starting from 85 W and increasing load little by little until we could see the maximum amount of power we could extract from the reviewed unit, especially because we knew this unit wouldn’t be able to deliver its labeled power, since internally this unit is practically identical to the 400 W from the same series.
https://hardwaresecrets.com/article/Cooler-Master-Elite-Power-400-W-Power-Supply-Review/975
If you add all the power listed for each test, you may find a different value than what is posted under “Total” below. Since each output can vary slightly (e.g., the +5 V output working at +5.10 V), the actual total amount of power being delivered is slightly different than the calculated value. On the “Total” row we are using the real amount of power being delivered, as measured by our load tester.
The +12VA and +12VB inputs listed below are the two +12 V independent inputs from our load tester. During this test both inputs were connected to the power supply single rail (we connected the EPS12V connector on the +12VB input).
| Input | Test 1 | Test 2 | Test 3 | Test 4 | Test 5 |
| +12VA | 3 A (36 W) | 3.5 A (42 W) | 4.5 A (54 W) | 5.5 A (66 W) | 6.25 A (75 W) |
| +12VB | 2.5 A (30 W) | 3.25 A (39 W) | 4 A (48 W) | 5 A (60 W) | 6 A (72 W) |
| +5V | 1 A (5 W) | 1 A (5 W) | 1.5 A (7.5 A) | 1.5 A (7.5 A) | 2 A (10 W) |
| +3.3 V | 1 A (5 W) | 1.5 A (4.95 W) | 1.5 A (4.95 W) | 2 A (6.6 W) | |
| +5VSB | 1 A (5 W) | 1 A (5 W) | 1 A (5 W) | 1 A (5 W) | 1 A (5 W) |
| -12 V | 0.5 A (6 W) | 0.5 A (6 W) | 0.5 A (6 W) | 0.5 A (6 W) | 0.5 A (6 W) |
| Total | 85.9 W | 100.9 W | 126.3 W | 150.2 W | 175.4 W |
| % Max Load | 18.7% | 21.9% | 27.5% | 32.7% | 38.1% |
| Room Temp. | 46.8° C | 44.6° C | 44.5° C | 44.5° C | 46.8° C |
| PSU Temp. | 45.2° C | 46.8° C | 46.9° C | 47.3° C | 45.2° C |
| Voltage Regulation | Pass | Pass | Pass | Pass | Pass |
| Ripple and Noise | Pass | Pass | Pass | Pass | Pass |
| AC Power | 111.9 W | 129.2 W | 158.6 W | 186.4 W | 216.1 W |
| Efficiency | 76.8% | 78.1% | 79.6% | 80.6% | 81.2% |
| AC Voltage | 115.3 V | 116.7 V | 115.6 V | 114.9 V | 114.9 V |
| Power Factor | 0.567 | 0.581 | 0.601 | 0.616 | 0.632 |
| Final Result | Pass | Pass | Pass | Pass | Pass |
| Input | Test 6 | Test 7 | Test 8 | Test 9 | Test 10 |
| +12VA | 7.5 A (90 W) | 8.25 A (99 W) | 9.25 A (111 W) | 10 A (120 W) | 11 A (132 W) |
| +12VB | 7 A (84 W) | 8 A (96 W) | 9 A (108 W) | 10 A (120 W) | 11 A (132 W) |
| +5V | 2 A (10 W) | 2.5 A (12.5 W) | 2.5 A (12.5 W) | 3 A (15 W) | 3 A (15 W) |
| +3.3 V | 2 A (6.6 W) | 2.5 A (8.25 W) | 2.5 A (8.25 W) | 3 A (9.9 W) | 3 A (9.9 W) |
| +5VSB | 1 A (5 W) | 1 A (5 W) | 1 A (5 W) | 1 A (5 W) | 1 A (5 W) |
| -12 V | 0.5 A (6 W) | 0.5 A (6 W) | 0.5 A (6 W) | 0.5 A (6 W) | 0.5 A (6 W) |
| Total | 201.8 W | 226.8 W | 250.3 W | 275.0 W | 298.4 W |
| % Max Load | 43.9% | 49.3% | 54.4% | 59.8% | 64.9% |
| Room Temp. | 45.9° C | 46.4° C | 46.8° C | 47.2° C | 48.0° C |
| PSU Temp. | 48.8° C | 50.5° C | 51.2° C | 51.9° C | 53.1° C |
| Voltage Regulation | Pass | Pass | Pass | Pass | Pass |
| Ripple and Noise | Pass | Pass | Pass | Pass | Pass |
| AC Power | 248.1 W | 279.2 W | 308.5 W | 340.7 W | 371.6 W |
| Efficiency | 81.3% | 81.2% | 81.1% | 80.7% | 80.3% |
| AC Voltage | 114.2 V | 113.9 V | 113.6 V | 113.6 V | 112.6 V |
| Power Factor | 0.643 | 0.652 | 0.657 | 0.663 | 0.669 |
| Final Result | Pass | Pass | Pass | Pass | Pass |
| Input | Test 11 | Test 12 | Test 13 | Test 14 | Test 15 |
| +12VA | 12 A (144 W) | 13 A (156 W) | 14 A (168 W) | 15 A (180 W) | 16 A (192 W) |
| +12VB | 11.75 A (141 W) | 12.75 A (153 W) | 13.5 A (162 W) | 14.5 A (174 W) | 15.5 A (186 W) |
| +5V | 3.5 A (17.5 W) | 3.5 A (17.5 W) | 4 A (20 W) | 4 A (20 W) | 4.5 A (22.5 W) |
| +3.3 V | 3.5 A (11.55 W) | 3.5 A (11.55 W) | 4 A (13.2 W) | 4 A (13.2 W) | 4.5 A (14.85 W) |
| +5VSB | 1 A (5 W) | 1 A (5 W) | 1 A (5 W) | 1 A (5 W) | 1 A (5 W) |
| -12 V | 0.5 A (6 W) | 0.5 A (6 W) | 0.5 A (6 W) | 0.5 A (6 W) | 0.5 A (6 W) |
| Total | 323.2 W | 346.8 W | 370.4 W | 392.8 W | 419.8 W |
| % Max Load | 70.3% | 75.4% | 80.5% | 85.4% | 91.3% |
| Room Temp. | 44.5° C | 44.5° C | 44.0° C | 45.6° C | 47.3° C |
| PSU Temp. | 49.1° C | 49.5° C | 50.3° C | 51.5° C | 53.0° C |
| Voltage Regulation | Pass | Pass | Pass | Pass | Pass |
| Ripple and Noise | Pass | Pass | Pass | Pass | Fail on +12VA |
| AC Power | 406.0 W | 437.0 W | 473.0 W | 507.0 W | 551.0 W |
| Efficiency | 79.6% | 79.4% | 78.3% | 77.5% | 76.2% |
| AC Voltage | 114.1 V | 113.8 V | 113.0 V | 111.7 V | 110.6 V |
| Power Factor | 0.677 | 0.678 | 0.683 | 0.685 | 0.688 |
| Final Result | Pass | Pass | Pass | Pass | Fail |
Cooler Master Elite Power 460 W can’t deliver its labeled power. The maximum we could pull from it was 420 W. If we tried to pull more than that the unit would shut down (at least it didn’t burn or explode). What is most important here is that this is exactly the same amount that we could pull from Elite Power 400 W, proving that the replacement of the rectifying bridge (the only component that is different between these two units) didn’t make any difference: Elite Power 400 W and Elite Power 460 W are exactly the same power supply with a different label (and price tag). It is simply unbelievable that Cooler Master is doing this kind of thing.
Efficiency was above 80% when we pulled between 150 W and 300 W from this unit. Not bad.
Voltage regulation was outstanding, with all voltages within 3% from their nominal values (except -12 V output during tests one through 10) – i.e., values closer to their “face value” than required, as the ATX12V specification allows voltages to be within 5% from their nominal values (10% for -12 V).
Noise and ripple exceeded the maximum allowed at +12VA during test 15, with the power supply delivering 420 W. During this test noise and ripple levels were: 123.4 mV at +12VA; 105.0 mV at +12VB; 23.4 mV at +5 V; 37 mV at +3.3 V; 35.2 mV at +5VSB; and 85.8 mV at -12 V. The maximum allowed is 120 mV on +12 V and -12 V outputs and 50 mV on +5 V, +3.3 V and +5VSB outputs. All values are peak-to-peak figures.