Cougar RX Series 500W 80 PLUS PSU Review – Keeping The Budget Gamer In Mind

TESTING METHODOLOGY AND BENCHMARKS

Technical Assistant – Deepak Sharma

All tests were repeated multiple times for better accuracy and conclusive results. The test bench was used for testing PSU temperatures and datalogging. Ambient environmental temperature was 20⁰C during testing, which was also the same within the chassis of the test system when powered off. We were able to overclock the Cougar RX Series 500W PSU an extra 51W for a total of 551W.

Extra hardware used is as follows:

CSI3711A Programmable DC Electronic Loads

Extech 382100 – 1200A 3-Phase Power Analyzer/Datalogger

Extech MultiMaster MM570A High-Accuracy Multimeter

Extech SL355 – Personal Noise Dosimeter/Datalogger

SunMoon SM-268

Supco LIT6P Laser Infrared Thermometer + Probe

The PSU stayed pretty darn cool throughout, except of course when overclock (although that is to be expected). Even so a threshold of 21⁰C-33⁰C is excellent in that regard, but keeping in mind our ambient temperature of 20⁰C, we would put it closer to a threshold of 31⁰C-43⁰C (+10⁰C for average environments).

The low RPM 140mm PWM shows off its stuff here, yielding some very silent numbers. The PSU remains quiet even when overclock, and scales as temperatures and power requirements rise. In an average setting we would expect the dBA to be at least eight points (+8) higher for all of the measurements seen here, as during our testing the ambient environmental temperature was very low to begin with.

Finally getting to efficiency results, the best numbers come at around the midway point of total load, where the PSU stays true to its 90% 80 PLUS rating. The largest discrepancies come at initiation and maximum load, but still stay valiantly close to the 90% guarantee. Note than the 551W rating is added for extra perspective and does not count towards the overall efficiency results. Again also keep in mind that temperature settings yield better results, so expect ratings to drop at least six points (-6) in normal PC conditions of 25⁰C-30⁰C and above.