In response to the rising trend of compact and portable gaming PCs in recent years, many PC peripheral manufacturers have expanded their range of SFX form factor cases and power supplies. Leading this charge is Cooler Master, a prolific vendor of PC parts, which has recently added ATX 3.0-compliant PSUs to their SFX series. This enhancement provides Cooler Master with a modern, compact platform capable of supporting the latest NVIDIA graphics cards.
Today we’re discussing Cooler Master’s V850 SFX Gold. This is a more budget-friendly entry in the SFX power supply market when compared to their previous V1100 SFX Platinum model. The SFX Gold series provides four models, ranging from 550W to 850W. The unit under review, the 850W, is the most powerful in the series. It comes with an 80 Plus Gold certification, tailored for high-performance gaming and workstation builds. As the top model in the SFX Gold series, it offers substantial power in a compact format and adheres to ATX 3.0 standards, including a 12VHPWR connector.
| Cooler Master V850 SFX Gold Power specifications (Rated @ 50 °C) |
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| RAIL | +3.3V | +5V | +12V | +5Vsb | -12V |
| MAX OUTPUT | 20A | 20A | 70.8A | 3A | 0.3A |
| 120W | 849.6W | 15W | 3.6W | ||
| TOTAL | 850W | ||||
| 80PLUS RATING | Gold | ||||
| AC INPUT | 100 – 240 VAC, 50 – 60 Hz | ||||
| MSRP | $100 | ||||
Packaging and Bundle
The V850 SFX Gold is packaged within a robust, attractively designed cardboard box. The eye-catching color scheme is purposeful in drawing attention on store shelves, with detailed product information provided on the sides and back. Inside, the PSU is cushioned securely by tailored foam packaging to protect it during transit.
The accessory bundle for the V850 SFX Gold is quite minimal, including only the necessary AC power cable and a basic leaflet. Despite advertisements for an SFX-to-ATX adapter, it was not included with our received sample.
The V850 SFX Gold power supply is entirely modular, allowing for the detachment of all cables, including the 24-pin ATX cable. The black connectors and wires, with ribbon-like “flat” wires, enhance its sleek aesthetic, though the 12VHPWR cable is sleeved for additional durability. The cables are shorter than those in typical ATX PSUs, making them ideal for compact system builds. However, the 12VHPWR connector limits the maximum power draw to 450 Watts, which might not be sufficient for an 850W unit, potentially restricting compatibility and overclocking for high-end graphics cards.
| Cooler Master V850 SFX Gold | ||
| Connector type | Hardwired | Modular |
| ATX 24 Pin | – | 1 |
| EPS 4+4 Pin | – | 1 |
| EPS 8 Pin | – | 1 |
| PCI-E 5.0 (450W) | – | 1 |
| PCI-E 8 Pin | – | 4 |
| SATA | – | 8 |
| Molex | – | 4 |
| Floppy | – | – |
The Cooler Master V850 SFX Gold PSU
External Appearance
The Cooler Master V850 SFX Gold stands out for delivering 850 Watts of continuous power within a compact SFX form factor (125 × 63.5 × 100 mm / 4.92 × 2.5 × 3.94 in, W×H×D). While its power density is noteworthy, it doesn’t exceed the highest we’ve seen in previous reviews. Increasing power density further would require significant efficiency improvements to avoid thermal performance issues.
The V850 SFX Gold’s chassis is standard SFX size and features a matte black finish. The left side showcases a geometric, C-like design with prominent logos. A large sticker on the top provides specifications and certifications.
The rear of the V850 SFX Gold includes the AC cable receptacle and an on/off switch, a practical feature for its compact size. The front is densely packed with modular cable connectors, which are not color-coded but have a printed legend to aid in identifying their functions. Connectors are keyed to ensure secure and correct connections.
Internal Design
The 92 mm cooling fan inside the V850 SFX Gold is made by Hong Hua (model HA9215VH12FD-F00), known for high-quality fans. This fan, only 15 mm thick, can reach up to 3000 RPM, which is essential for managing heat in such a power-dense unit. It uses a fluid-dynamic bearing for improved durability and quieter operation compared to standard ball bearings.
The OEM behind the V850 SFX Gold is Gospower, a relatively new Chinese company founded in 2006, mainly known for solar power products.
The interior of the V850 SFX Gold is densely packed, demonstrating excellent component arrangement. The filtering stage starts right behind the AC plug and features an impressive array of components, including four Y capacitors, two X capacitors, and two filtering inductors. There’s a single bridge rectifier mounted on its own heatsink, providing adequate surface area and ventilation.
The APFC circuit is straightforward but effective, with active components sharing a heatsink with primary side inversion circuitry. Passive components include a massive 420V/730μF Nippon Chemi-Con capacitor and a large coil, occupying about 15% of the unit’s space. Two 65T130F MOSFETs on the primary side of the transformer form a typical half-bridge LLC converter topology.
The secondary side features six Infineon 12N04LM6 MOSFETs located at the bottom of the PCB, with a thermally conductive pad connecting them to the chassis, which acts as their heatsink. A vertical PCB on the secondary side houses the DC-to-DC circuits for the 3.3V and 5V lines. Secondary capacitors are from Nichicon (solid-state) and Lelon (electrolytic). While Cooler Master’s specifications claim the V850 uses “Japanese capacitors”, which is true to some extent, they omit that not all capacitors are Japanese, making this advertising somewhat misleading.
