Introduction and Features
High efficiency and virtually silent! If you are looking for a quiet mid-power PSU with good voltage regulation, excellent efficiency, and high-end video card support; the ECO 500W deserves a very close look.
IntroductionEnermax has a well earned reputation for delivering reliable power supplies, enclosures, and other accessories to the PC enthusiast market. Enermax recently introduced their new Liberty ECO series of power supplies, which includes three models ranging from 400W, 500W, and 620W. The Liberty ECO 500W that we are reviewing today features quiet operation, high efficiency,and semi-modular cables with dual PCI-E connectors. The Liberty ECO 500W PSU is designed for 24/7 operation at up to 40°C and is backed by Enermax’s 3-year warranty.
Enermax Liberty ECO 500W Power Supply
The new Liberty ECO series power supplies from Enermax are designed to deliver stable outputs with high efficiency and minimal noise. The ECO series power supplies are all certified by the 80 Plus organization to be at least 80% efficient from 20% thru 100% of the rated output power. And as you will see later on, the ECO 500W unit did prove to be very efficient and is one the quietest power supplies we have tested to date!
Enermax Liberty ECO 500W PSU Key Features:
• 500 watt continuous power output (up to 40°C)
• Compliant with the latest ATX12V v2.3 standard
• High efficiency operation (80% efficient at 20-100% load)
• 12-pin Modular connector designed to support future graphic adapters
• Supports high-end graphic cards with two 6/8-pin PCI-E connectors
• AirGuard: Patented air inlet with optimal aerodynamic design
• SafeGuard: Protection circuits for OCP, OVP, UVP, OPP, OTP and SCP
• SpeedGuard: Advanced fuzzy-logic fan speed control reduces noise
• Dual +12V rails with up to 38A (456W)
• High-quality Japanese capacitors for maximum durability and stability
PSU Testing Methodology
Establishing an accurate load is critical to testing and evaluating a PC power supply. PCPerspective’s power supply test bench can place a precise 2,000 watt DC load on the PSU under test. Each power supply is tested under controlled, real-world conditions up to its maximum rated load, using both 115 VAC and 240 VAC line voltage. Our current suite of tests includes:
• DC Load Regulation
• DC Line Regulation
• DC Cross-load (unbalanced load)
• AC Ripple and Noise
• Power Factor
• Efficiency
• Differential Temperature
• Noise
The Enermax Liberty ECO 500W power supply was evaluated on both features and performance. A full range of equipment was used to test the power supply under controlled load conditions.
• (2) CSI3710A Programmable DC load (+3.3V and +5V outputs)
• (4) CSI3711A Programmable DC load (+12V1, +12V2, +12V3, and +12V4)
• Extech MultiMaster MM570 digital multimeter (Accuracy ±0.02%)
• Extech 380803 Power Analyzer (Accuracy ±0.5% of full scale)
• Hitachi V-650F 60 MHz dual trace oscilloscope (Accuracy ±3%)
• Powerstat Variable Autotransformer, 1.4 KVA, 0-140 VAC
• Extech Model 407738 digital sound level meter (Accuracy ±1.5 dB)
• Custom PC60 enclosure to simulate real-world operating conditions