Cooler master masterwatt 650w review in Spanish (complete analysis)

Cooler Master has completely renewed its line of power supplies, from the beast Masterwatt Maker 1200 MIJ to the Masterwatt Lite basic series, with which the brand seeks to satisfy all the needs of the market. Today we analyze its mid-range bet, the Cooler Master Masterwatt with 80 Plus Bronze and 650W certification.

Will Cooler Master stand out from the competition? In this analysis we will discover it, do not miss it!

Technical Specifications Masterwatt 650W

External analysis

The source comes packed in an elegant box that, as expected, shows us the product and indicates its main specifications. Inside, the protection is more than enough to resist damage during transport.

The bundle is simple, with no frills of any kind. Bring the elementary: an instruction manual, screws, modular cables and the power cable. They have not included any functional accessories such as flanges.

And here we have the Masterwatt, with a magnificent external appearance. On the side that is visible with the fan down, the model name and brand are seen in a more stylish way, while on the other side (visible with the fan up) we see the most elementary specifications combined. Here we also have the power distribution table to the different output rails, where we do not see any problems, everything is correct.

The assortment of cables is really generous, a point where Cooler Master wants to stand out, by including no less than four 6 + 2-pin PCIe connectors in this version, something not so seen in the mid-range, which allows us to fully exploit its potential. These are divided into two 16AWG cables, that is, thick enough to hold the full power of a high-consumption graphics card. The branches and the rest of the wiring are 18AWG, standard in almost any source.

The EPS and ATX connectors, mandatory in any PC assembly, are fixed, while the rest are modular: we connect only the ones we need to the source. The system is really comfortable.

In the 450 and 550W versions, two PCIe connectors are included (the expected ones), 6 SATA cables and only 2 peripherals, commonly called Molex, which increasingly fall into disuse. Still we believe that one more could have been included. The 650 and 750W versions have 9 SATA and 3 Molex.

The length of the wiring is more than enough for a standard ATX box, we have not encountered any problems in this regard.

characteristics

We now turn to analyze the most important functionalities announced by Cooler Master for this power supply.

• 80 Plus Bronze Certification

  We find a certificate that is more than correct for the price range in which this power supply moves. This aspect does not determine its quality, simply its energy efficiency. You can see it in my article about 80 Plus certification.

  Fan with LDB bearing

  It is truly amazing to see that Cooler Master has included their Silencio FP fan in this font. These fans are known for their excellent quality and durability, their bearing could be considered an improved variant of “rifle” bearings. It is sealed and IP6X (dust resistant) certified. Being this one of the most important pieces for the long term, we are glad that they did not go with an ordinary “Sleeve” bearing.

  Semi-fanless up to 15% load

  Silence has been essential for the marketing of this PSU, and therefore they have implemented a 0dB mode (the fan is kept off) up to 15% load. In addition, above that level they also promise low loudness, with an initial spin speed of 500rpm. The situation changes at high loads on the PSU. According to the data offered by the brand, the fan reaches 1000rpm of rotation speed at 50% load, which suggests that from this load level it would not be so quiet. Another point of skepticism is the risky bet of the semi-fanless (0dB) in a source of this level, we will have to check if it works correctly, and maintaining correct thermal levels.

  Internal Dual Forward and DC-DC design

  Something to expect from any quality source is DC-DC converters. They are becoming more widespread, and Cooler Master has not wanted to be left behind in this regard, really the brand was practically a pioneer in including this design in low-cost sources, with its GM range, now succeeded by the Masterwatt.

  What do DC-DC converters do? They are in charge of generating the 5V and 3.3V outputs from the 12V rail, the most important. In these types of designs, there are two voltage regulator plates that generate them completely independently, so the voltages will always remain at adequate levels regardless of the load they are subjected to. On the other hand, in group regulation designs, each rail depends on the other, and if the load is too high at 12V and too low at 5V and 3.3V, the voltage values ​​trip. This is what is called a ' crossload ' situation, something very common in today's PCs, hence our insistence on the need for a DC-DC regulation design.

Moving to the rest of the specifications, we have a complete protection system with everything expected: OCP (overcurrent), OVP (overvoltage), UVP (undervoltage), OPP (excess power), OTP (overheating), SCP (short circuit). In our internal analysis you will see if they are controlled by a good integrated circuit.

The ambient operating temperature range is 0-40ºC, complying with what is expected in a product with these characteristics.

The warranty period is 5 years and, as indicated in the manual, it is necessary to register on the Cooler Master website to activate it. Without disappointment in this regard, it continues to live up to what we expect in the mid-range.

Internal analisis

This Masterwatt is manufactured by HEC, a company from whom we can expect products of all qualities. In this case we will see an internal design with a fairly successful build quality, confirming that this source is not assembled on any production line.

We take a look and confirm the DC-DC and Double Forward topology discussed in the specifications section.

We distinguish two sides in any power supply: the primary and the secondary, delimited by the two transformers in the center.

At the current input we have a plate that houses the first filter part. Here we find 2 Y capacitors, 1 X capacitor and 1 coil. These components are used to reduce electromagnetic interference (EMI).

Another X capacitor, another EMI coil and three other Y capacitors are present in the source itself. We also have an NTC thermistor, a resistance that prevents the source from being damaged by the high current peaks that are produced when it is turned on, and a MOV or varistor, which is in charge of suppressing voltage peaks. It is a more than complete first stage.

To suppress the negative part of the alternating current we have two rectifier diode bridges GBU10K (800V, 10A at 150ºC) from the manufacturer Micro Commercial Components. Both are also cooled by a heatsink, so we have a very oversized pair to ensure the continuous supply of 650W if necessary.

The primary capacitor is Teapo brand (LH series, 85ºC) with 400V and 470uF capacity. This is the least important capacitor, and the one that will undergo the least stress, even more so when it is protected by an NTC. Still, it is a somewhat precarious choice. Somewhat more capacity and a temperature resistance of 105ºC would be what we would like to see, especially in a semi-fanless source.

We now move to the secondary side, and take a look at the secondary capacitors, which are responsible for filtering out noise and ripple from the current output. They all belong to the SC series by Teapo, with a durability of 2000-3000h at a temperature of 105ºC, a value that is used to compare the quality of the different ranges of condensers, since they will obviously last much longer, never reaching 105 degrees.. Regarding its quality, we are facing a cheap, but correct series. The choice is fairly balanced.

There are also some solid capacitors, of very high durability, which are usually part of DC-DC converters.

The protections are supervised by the Weltrend WT7527V integrated circuit, which supports OVP, UVP, SCP and OCP, with OTP and OPP being implemented externally. Do not skimp on this aspect, we find a complete assortment of protections, along with the NTC and MOV we mentioned before.

The smaller rails, 5 and 3.3V, are independently generated by two DC-DC modules. This is one of them.

On the modular board we find a few additional Teapo SC.

We finish the internal analysis with this beautiful Silencio FP fan, one of the strengths of the Masterwatt. The specific model is DF1202512RFLN, which rotates at a maximum of 2500 RPM, where we will not get with 100% load.

Test bench and performance tests

We have measured the voltages on the 12V rail of this source in different load scenarios. In the absence of sophisticated equipment, we have conducted tests on a PC with the following specifications:

TESTING BENCH
Processor:	Intel Core i5 4690K
Base plate:	ASUS Maximus VII Hero
RAM:	8GB
Heatsink	Cooler Master 212 EVO
HDD	Samsumg 850 EVO. Seagate Barracuda 2TB
Graphic card	Sapphire R9 380X
Power supply	Cooler Master Masterwatt 650W

The voltages shown are real, as they are measured with a UNI-T UT210E multimeter, rather than software, since the latter is too imprecise a method. We have also compared the results with the Corsair RM550x and Cooler Master Masterwatt Lite 500W power supplies.

Test scenarios

The tests are divided into several scenarios, in order of consumption. We will soon update the Review with consumption and fan speed tests in each of these scenarios.

	CPU load	GPU charging
Scenario 1	Repose	Disconnected from PC
Scenario 2	Repose	Repose
Scenario 3	Prime95 (maximum load)	Repose
Scenario 4	Repose	FurMark (maximum load)
Scenario 5	Prime95 (maximum load)	FurMark (maximum load)

12V voltage regulation

The results are excellent. Seeing such low variations in real scenarios is remarkable, and makes us see that at even higher loads the regulation of this Masterwatt will continue to be very good.

Regulation of minor rail voltages

We have also checked the voltages on the 5V and 3.3V rails. The use of DC-DC converters would also imply great performance in both.

In effect, the results are as expected. In a current PC, the majority of the load is at 12V, and by increasing the load difference between said rail and those below 5 and 3.3V, the sources with group regulation designs trigger the voltages. This is not the case here, we clearly see the strength of the DC-DC design.

General operation of the fountain

The fan is extremely quiet, considering that the motor noise is minimal, what is expected in a good bearing. However, we believe that semi-passive mode has an upgradeable implementation.

When a lot of heat builds up in the source, the fan turns on. This is great, but the way it's designed leads to a situation where, even in normal tasks like navigation, the fan turns on and off multiple times in an hour. This is not a problem for silent operation: our concern is that fans with dynamic fluid bearings and variants (as is the case) “suffer” quite a lot in the on and off cycles, so it would be recommended that was kept at low revolutions per minute throughout. Given the quality of the fan, we trust the engineers who have configured the 0dB mode, but from a critical position.

Final words and conclusion about Cooler Master Masterwatt 650W

Cooler Master has managed to position itself in the mid-range with this Masterwatt, showing a quality product more than achieved and at the height of market standards.

In its external aspects, we highlight the semi-modular cabling and its generous assortment of cables. Inside, we liked the DC-DC circuits, the good dimensioning and quality of the components, the excellent fan, a system of protections that complies and the more than decent quality of welding.

All aspects of the performance that we have been able to measure have left us with a very good taste in the mouth, except the operation of the semi-passive mode. We believe that, if we had not implemented it, we would still be facing a source with very decent noise levels, and the Silencio FP fan would be subject to less stress. Still, we like to see that the source doesn't get too hot, so its thermal control is excellent.

We highly recommend reading our updated guide on the best sources on the market.

With a price of about 70 euros in PCComponentes for the 550W version, and 80 euros for the 650W version, the source is located in a range where the competition is fierce, and its quality and characteristics allow us to classify it as one more option to keep in mind, completely worth recommending. For us, this range is the quality standard that every high-performance team deserves, perfect for budgets below or around 1000 euros where a quality source that is up to scratch is needed .

Let us summarize the main advantages and disadvantages of this Masterwatt:

ADVANTAGE	DISADVANTAGES
- OWN FAN OF HIGHER RANGES	- 85ºC PRIMARY CONDENSER
- GOOD PROTECTIONS AND INTERNAL COMPONENTS	- IMPROVABLE SEMI-PASSIVE MODE OPERATION
- MODERN DC-DC DESIGN
- EXCELLENT PERFORMANCE
- COMPETITIVE PRICE
- SILENT
- GOOD ASSORTMENT OF CABLES

The Professional Review team awards you the silver medal and recommended product:

Cooler Master Masterwatt 650W

Components - 75%

Loudness - 80%

Wiring management - 80%

Efficiency - 70%

Price - 85%

78%

Cooler Master is positioned in the mid-range with a font that does not disappoint: competitive, quality and silent.