Enermax Revolution 87+ 1000W Power Supply Review

1. Introduction2. Enermax Revolution 87+ 1000W (Bundle/Cabling)3. Enermax Revolution 87+ 1000W (External)4. Enermax Revolution 87+ 1000W (Internal)5. Enermax Revolution 87+ 1000W (Super High Res Gallery)6. Testing Methodology and Results7. Closing Thoughts8. View All Pages

Enermax are one of the most highly regarded companies in the power supply sector, and today we are looking at their latest Revolution 87+ 1000W unit, targeting the high end audience with Crossfire and SLI system configurations. The Revolution 87+ 1000W is a modular design, ErP Lot 6 ready, 80 Plus Gold Certified and is backed with a full 5 year warranty.

Enermax make four other power supplies in this specific range, with 550W, 650W, 750W and 850W models available. We are looking at their flagship 1000W model today.

Product Information

• 80 PLUS® GOLD
  87 to 93 percent efficiency @ 230V and 20 to 100 per cent load. 80 PLUS® Gold certified.
• Dynamic Hybrid Transformer Topology
  Technological breakthrough topology using a staged dynamic transformer array for extremely high efficiency with the most durable and stable output at any load.
• ErP Lot 6 ready!
  Help systems to meet EU eco-design directive ErP/EuP Lot 6 (<1W in standby mode) due to improved, high-efficient 5V standby (+5Vsb) circuitry.
• C6 & Hybrid Support
  Supports energy saving modes of current and future CPU & GPU generations (C6 & Hybrid Mode) due to ZERO LOAD Design (no minimum load).
• Multi Rail Design
  Stable and safe power supply thanks to up to four high-performance and massive 12V rails each with separated over current protection (OCP). Extremely low ripple noise.
• Rock Stable
  DC-to-DC converter for minimum energy losses and maximum efficiency as well as best possible and most stable voltage regulation at dynamic and cross loading.
• Intel ATX12V v2.3
  Compliant with latest desktop power supply design guide. Full support of most current CPU: Intel® Core 2 Duo™ / Quad™ / Extreme™ / Core i7™ / i5™ / i3™, “Sandy Bridge“ and AMD® Athlon™ II X2 / X3 / X4 Phenom™ II X2 / X3 / X4 / X6, „Bulldozer™“ or “Llano™“.
• Fit4Server*
  Compliant with latest server power supply standard SSI PSDG and downward compatible with EPS12V v2.92, v2.8. Full support of most current CPU Intel® Core™ Extreme™ / i7™ / i5™ / i3™, Xeon™ and AMD® Opteron™.
  * only ERV850EWT-G and ERV1000EWT-G
• DXXI ready!
  Full support of most current DX11 graphics cards due to minimum two 6+2P (8P) PCI-E connectors.
• Full Graphics Power
  Supports SLI™ and CrossFireX™ systems.
• Future ready and flexible
  All-round modular cable management. 10/12P sockets for possible connector changes of upcoming high-performance CPU and graphics card generations.
• Air Cooling by Enermax
  Integrated 13.9cm fan with patented Twister Bearing Technology ensures efficient and ultra silent cooling and long lifetime (100,000 hours MTBF).
• SpeedGuard
  Ultra silent and powerful cooling performance thanks to the advanced and intelligent fuzzy logic fan speed control with min. 300 or 500 RPM up to max. 1,000 or 1,200 RPM (depending on the model).
• HeatGuard
  Keeping PSU fan running for 30-60 seconds after shut down to dissipate the remaining system heat and prolonging system lifetime.
• High-quality Japanese Capacitors
  Highest Enermax quality standards for leading stability and maximum durability. 105°C Japanese electrolytic capacitors without exception.
• SafeGuard
  Industry-leading multiple protection circuitry of OCP, OVP, UVP, OPP, OTP, SCP & SIP.
• CordGuard
  Fixing the AC cord tightly to avoid accidental shutdowns of your PC.
• Non-stop @ 50°C
  Non-Stop industrial class performance at 50°C ambient.
• Worldwide Compatibility
  100-240V AC* input with automatic adjustment and up to 99% active Power Factor Correction (PFC) for global usage.
  * ERV1000EWT-G: 115-240V AC
• ENERGY STAR 5.0 ready!
  Support computer system to meet ENERGY STAR 5.0 standard.
• Dimensions (W x H x D)
  550/650W: 150mm x 86mm x 160mm / 750/850/1000W: 150mm x 86mm x 175mm.
• Warranty
  5 years vendor warranty

The power supply is shipped in a very bright, gold coloured box, highlighting the 80 Plus Gold certification.

The power supply isn't very well protected inside the box which is surprising. Luckily our sample was in pristine condition but Enermax really could do better with this packaging.

Enermax supply a power cable, CordGuard, a bag for the modular cables, a well written user manual and four screws for installation.

Above left, the modular cables. Above right, the cables which are hard wired into the power supply.

Enermax have hardwired two PCI-E cables into the power supply with four more available via the modular cabling. These are all 6+2 cables, which is ideal for a high end multiple graphics card system configuration.

The unit is finished with the excellent, durable anti scratch finish which Enermax regularly use. It is an attractive looking power supply, and very eye catching with the gold/yellow accenting.

Enermax are using a large 140mm fan with this unit … which is transparent, behind a black grill and company badge.

Arrows are embossed into the shell of the Revolution 87+ power supply, above the matching gold ‘Revolution87+'. The surface of the power supply is very durable, and under normal conditions will never mark or scratch. Fingerprints won't be a problem either, for those users with a windowed case and lighting.

The rear of the power supply is vented for air flow. Close by is a power switch and socket.

The modular side of the power supply is very clearly labeled with colour coded connectors and descriptive text.

Enermax Revolution 87+ 1000W (ERV1000EWT-G)
DC Output	+5V	+3.3V	+12V1	+12V2	+12V3	+12V4	-12V	+5Vsb
Max Output	24A	24A	30A	30A	30A	30A	0.5A	3A
Max Combined	120W		996W (83A)				6W	15W

Combining all four +12V outputs gives a total of 83A. 30A from each of the four rails. A solid overall design.

Enermax are using a A142512M-0A fan inside the Revolution 87+ 1000W power supply. This has seven blades and is rated 12V 0.45A. We have seen this model used within other power supplies within their range, and it has not disappointed.

The build quality of the Revolution 87+ 1000W is excellent, with a very clean internal layout. There are several rows of black heatsinks to ensure that temperatures remain in check.

The AC line filter has four Y caps, two X caps and a coil.

The design is using two primary capacitors from Panasonic which are rated to 105c, always good to see. They are rated at 390uF, 400V. Enermax are also using some secondary side capacitors from Nippon Chemi Con and KY Electrolytics with this power supply.

The cable is fully sleeved into the chassis of the Revolution 87+ power supply, ensuring no potential fraying problems over time.

On this page we present some super high resolution images of the product taken with the 24.5MP Nikon D3X camera and 24-70mm ED lens. These will take much longer to open due to the dimensions, especially on slower connections. If you use these pictures on another site or publication, please credit Kitguru.net as the owner/source.

Additional technical assistance: Peter McFarland and Jeremy Price.

Correctly testing power supplies is a complex procedure and KitGuru have configured a test bench which can deliver up to a 2,000 watt DC load. Due to public requests we have changed our temperature settings recently – previously we rated with ambient temperatures at 25C, we have increased ambient temperatures by 10c (to 35c) in our environment to greater reflect warmer internal chassis conditions.

We use combinations of the following hardware:
• SunMoon SM-268
• CSI3710A Programmable DC load (+3.3V and +5V outputs)
• CSI3711A Programmable DC load (+12V1, +12V2, +12V3, and +12V4)
• Extech Power Analyzer
• Extech MultiMaster MM570 digital multimeter
• SkyTronic DSL 2 Digital Sound Level Meter (6-130dBa)
• Digital oscilloscope (20M S/s with 12 Bit ADC)
• Variable Autotransformer, 1.4 KVA

DC Output Load Regulation
Combined DC Load	+3.3V		+5V		+12V		+5VSB		-12V
	A	V	A	V	A	V	A	V	A	V
100W	1.57	3.31	1.77	5.08	6.67	12.21	0.50	5.09	0.20	-12.00
250W	3.46	3.30	4.42	5.06	17.19	12.18	1.00	5.08	0.30	-12.02
500W	7.05	3.28	9.13	5.05	34.65	12.15	2.00	5.06	0.50	-12.03
750W	11.04	3.27	13.71	5.03	52.77	12.11	2.50	5.04	0.60	-12.05
1000W	16.88	3.25	18.97	5.00	71.88	12.09	3.00	5.00	0.80	-12.07

The supply produced solid load regulation across all outputs, even when delivering the full 1000W. All rails held within 2% of the reference voltage, well in excess of the +/-5% threshold.

Enermax Revolution 87+ 1000W	Maximum Load
	1176W

We managed to get another 176W from the power supply before the protection circuitry kicked in. We are happy to report a safe shut down verifying that the overcircuit protection is doing its job.

Next we want to try Cross Loading. This basically means loads which are not balanced. If a PC for instance needs 500W on the +12V outputs but something like 30W via the combined 3.3V and +5V outputs then the voltage regulation can fluctuate badly.

Cross Load Testing	+3.3V		+5V		+12V		-12V		+5VSB
	A	V	A	V	A	V	A	V	A	V
885W	2.0	3.31	2.0	5.07	72.0	12.07	0.2	-12.05	0.50	5.01
240W	20.0	3.24	24.0	4.99	2.0	12.20	0.2	-12.04	0.50	5.00

The Enermax power supply handled the Cross loading tests very well and we didn’t experience any stability issues.

We then used an oscilloscope to measure AC ripple and noise present on the DC outputs. We set the oscilloscope time base to check for AC ripple at both high and low ends of the spectrum. ATX12V V2.2 specification for DC output ripple and noise is defined in the ATX 12V power supply design guide.

ATX12V Ver 2.2 Noise/Ripple Tolerance
Output	Ripple (mV p-p)
+3.3V	50
+5V	50
+12V1	120
+12V2	120
-12V	120
+5VSB	50

Obviously when measuring AC noise and ripple on the DC outputs the cleaner (less recorded) means we have a better end result. We measured this AC signal amplitude to see how closely the unit complied with the ATX standard.

AC Ripple (mV p-p)
DC Load	+3.3V	+5V	+12V	5VSB
100W	10	10	15	10
250W	15	10	15	10
500W	15	15	25	15
750W	20	30	35	15
1000W	25	20	45	20

The +12V rail shows great ripple control, peaking at 45 mV …well within rated tolerance levels. The +3.3V and +5V rails are just as impressive, peaking at 25 mV and 20 mV respectively.

Efficiency (%)
100W	87.77
250W	89.78
500W	92.83
750W	90.78
1000W	89.23

The efficiency results are very positive, achieving almost 93 percent efficiency at 50 percent load. This drops to just over 89 percent efficiency when fully loaded. Almost 88 percent efficiency at only 10 percent load is a spectacular result.

We take the issue of noise very seriously at KitGuru and this is why we have built a special home brew system as a reference point when we test noise levels of various components. Why do this? Well this means we can eliminate secondary noise pollution in the test room and concentrate on components we are testing. It also brings us slightly closer to industry standards, such as DIN 45635.

Today to test the Power Supply we have taken it into our acoustics room environment and have set our SkyTronic DSL 2 Digital Sound Level Meter (6-130dBa) one meter away from the unit. We have no other fans running so we can effectively measure just the noise from the unit itself.

As this can be a little confusing for people, here are various dBa ratings in with real world situations to help describe the various levels.

KitGuru noise guide
10dBA – Normal Breathing/Rustling Leaves
20-25dBA – Whisper
30dBA – High Quality Computer fan
40dBA – A Bubbling Brook, or a Refridgerator
50dBA – Normal Conversation
60dBA – Laughter
70dBA – Vacuum Cleaner or Hairdryer
80dBA – City Traffic or a Garbage Disposal
90dBA – Motorcycle or Lawnmower
100dBA – MP3 Player at maximum output
110dBA – Orchestra
120dBA – Front row rock concert/Jet Engine
130dBA – Threshold of Pain
140dBA – Military Jet takeoff/Gunshot (close range)
160dBA – Instant Perforation of eardrum

Noise (dBA)
100W	29.4
250W	29.8
500W	30.8
750W	32.8
1000W	35.9

The Enermax Revolution 87+ 1000W is very quiet throughout the range, basically silent under 500W load. In the last 25 percent of power output the fan becomes audible, rising to a maximum of 35.9 dBa. Still a very good result.

Temperature (c)
	Intake	Exhaust
100W	35	38
250W	35	41
500W	38	46
750W	43	54
1000W	46	58

The large fan pushes a high level of airflow, cooling the components underneath. Ambient temperature rises to a 12c above ambient threshold at full load.

Maximum load	Efficiency
1176W	88.27

Pushing the PSU above its rated limits generates an efficiency level of around 88.27%. This is not a viable ‘real world’ situation, but its interesting nonetheless.

The Enermax Revolution 87+ 1000W power supply is an excellent design with no discernible weaknesses. This current range of power supplies from Enermax is simply exemplary.

The appearance of the Revolution 87+ is fantastic, although like many Enermax products, it exudes a certain ‘bling', with gold accenting and stickers. Thankfully the fan is translucent and not gold, so it doesn't look quite as gaudy as some of the earlier models they released in previous years.

The paint finish and textured, rough surface is extremely resistant to scratching and it won't attract fingerprints either, which is a bonus. We like the modular design … the colour coding, labeling and technical data listed on the power supply is both helpful and informative.

Technically, we have been extremely impressed with the performance. The internal build quality is class leading, with first rate soldering and component selection, such as the array of 105c rated primary and secondary capacitors. Noise suppression is great, with the 12V output peaking at 45 mV when fully loaded. At 50 percent load, the efficiency was rated to almost 93 percent, well in excess of 80 Plus Gold Certification. It also passed our load regulation and cross load tests with flying colours.

Back in the real world we tested the power supply with an overclocked, liquid cooled Core i7 3960X Extreme Edition processor, overclocked to 4.8ghz on the Asus Rampage IV Extreme. We used two GTX590's in Quad SLI and measured the power drain at the wall, which was around 930W during the last test in 3DMark 11. The Enermax Revolution 87+ 1000W handled this load for many hours without any instability.

Pricing of the Enermax Revolution 87+ 1000W Power Supply is said to be around £225 inc vat in the United Kingdom. It certainly isn't cheap, but if you need a reliable, high efficiency power supply for a new performance oriented Crossfire or SLI gaming system then this should definitely be at the top of your shortlist.

Pros:

• Great design.
• Nice appearance.
• high efficiency.
• excellent noise suppression.

Cons:

• It ain't cheap.

Kitguru says: Another quality, high performance power supply from Enermax.

Become a Patron!