The Cooler Master V Platinum V2 1600W ATX 3.1 PSU Review: Quiet Giant

Cold Test Results (~25°C Ambient Temperature)

For the testing of PSUs, we are using high precision electronic loads with a maximum power draw of 2700 Watts, a Rigol DS5042M 40 MHz oscilloscope, an Extech 380803 power analyzer, two high precision UNI-T UT-325 digital thermometers, an Extech HD600 SPL meter, a self-designed hotbox and various other bits and parts. For a thorough explanation of our testing methodology and more details on our equipment, please refer to our How We Test PSUs - 2014 Pipeline post.

During cold testing, the Cooler Master V Platinum 1600 V2 PSU barely meets the 80Plus Platinum certification standards with an input voltage of 115 VAC. When tested with a 115 VAC input, this PSU achieves an average nominal load efficiency of 90.8% across its operational range from 20% to 100% of its capacity, rising to 92.1% when operated with a 230 VAC input. The efficiency rise is not enough to surpass the 80Plus Platinum requirements with an input voltage of 230 VAC, failing to meet the 94% efficiency threshold at 50% load. The unit's efficiency peaks at approximately 45-50% of its capacity. On the plus side, the efficiency under very low loads is notably good, which is important for a unit with that high a capacity.

The Cooler Master V Platinum 1600 V2 PSU features a thermally controlled hybrid fan mode, keeping the fan off during low-load conditions to ensure quiet operation. It is thermally controlled and the fan will not start if the unit is relatively lightly loaded with infrequent power spikes. The fan begins to operate when the continuous load exceeds approximately 40% of the unit's capacity – starting at around 750 Watts during our testing – and is close to the unit’s specifications. At typical room temperatures, this design allows the PSU to run quietly during most low to moderate usage scenarios. As the load surpasses 800 Watts, the fan gradually increases its speed to manage the rising thermal output effectively but never reaches its maximum speed under these operating conditions.