You may be experiencing a strong case of deja vu right now. I know I am. Last week, I took a look at a brand new Kingwin unit. At 550 watts, it was my first ever 80 Plus Platinum certified unit. Today, I'm repeating the experience by looking at the Superflower Golden King 550W unit, the very unit the Kingwin was based on. We're going to see if there's any difference in the performance today.
Wait... Golden King? I would have thought that this would be called the Platinum King.
This is quite the shiny box, no? On it, we see a number of features, including an explanation of that "hybrid dual voltage automatic switch" thing I couldn't find info on last week. I'll try to reprint that section of the box:
Three Exclusive Patents
ECO Intelligent Thermal Control System When temperature reaches between critical point T2(Default temperature 65°C-70°C) and Tmax, fan will start to rotate. The RPM of the fan will self adjust according to the temperature maintaining a linear relationship. When the temperature descent to critical point T1 (Default temperature 45°C-50°C), fan will stop to rotate. Features:
Fan doesn't rotate in the beginning when the power supply is switched on = Zero noise. (Fan appears to be stationary in the beginning is normal phenomenon)
Reduce unnecessary rotation in order to increase the life span of the fan.
Decrease unnecessary consumption to increase the efficiency.
Applied to any fan, not limited to PWM format fan.
Hybrid Dual Voltage Automatic Switch System Exclusive Technology Patent, allows +5V and 5VSB to switch automatically. Features:
Exceeding 5VSB efficiency limit by 10%
Increasing loading capability by means of +5V output.
High Power Vertical Double Layer Main Transformer In the present electronic application, transformers are typically horizontal double layer winding. The power is limited and occupies more PCB dimension. The principle of the high power vertical double layer main transformer, overthrown the traditional method by adding lead directly onto the copper winding. Bypass pin feet and install directly onto the PCB. Increasing power and occupies less PCB space.
Well, then. That explains things a bit. The 5VSB switches over to the main 5V supply while the unit is running. I suppose that could boost operating efficiency just a bit by removing the 5VSB circuitry from the equation while the unit is on, but this would do nothing for the efficiency in standby.
Here, we find a few more features:
Support all Intel and AMD Multi-Core CPU and its compatible motherboards, ATX/ BTX compliant.
Compliance with ATX 12V v2.2, EPS 12V v2.91 and SSI EPS 12V v2.92 Specification.
Fit in with U.S.A. Energy Star standards/EuP(Energy-using Products) instructions: energy consumption during shut off status less than 1W. -I'm assuming they mean under a zero load condition. It's not hard to exceed 1W when you start putting a load on the 5VSB rail.
Over Power Protection / Under Power Protection / Over Voltage Protection / Short Circuit Protection
Passed 80 PLUS® Platinum Certification, on 20% 50% 100% loading, with 90% 92% 89% efficiency.
Three Exclusive Patents (Taiwan, China, U.S.A, Germany, Japan patent applied)
ECO Intelligent Thermal Control System
Hybrid Dual Voltage Automatic Switch System
High Power Vertical Double Layer Main Transformer (China Patent no: ZL2009 2 0273193.2 ; Taiwan Patent no: M381155)
More than 2,000 times ON/OFF Test.
All series are made of RoHS unleaded green material.
Full Range Design from 100V-250V. (Active PFC).
Multiple safety certificates acquired.
Support NVIDIA®(SLI)/ATI, high rank & high efficiency graphic card. -It's nice to see that both Admiral and Ensign GPUs are covered.
Patent easy plug-in design, safe and firmly attached once connected. -That is, until you grab the unit by the cables and and start twirling it around in a misguided attempt to jump rope with it.
Time to do some unpacking. This packaging looks a lot like what we saw last week, only without the paper that has the fanless operation warning on it.
Inside the box, we find a power supply, a bag of screws, a velcro bag full of modular cables, a manual, and a power cord.
Done in color, the manual gives us most of the basics on this unit, but is lacking on specifics, like how we're supposed to load this unit to "overclock" it to 650 watts. That's right, this unit also claims to hit Gold efficiency at 650, just like the Kingwin.
Predictably, this unit up close looks a lot like the Kingwin 550W Platinum, with only a few labeling differences. I like.
Superflower also tosses in those silicone modular connector covers.
No cosmetic differences in the fan, here.
We get the same view of the innards through the exhaust grille.
I must say, this is a good looking sticker, even if the data on it is the same as the Kingwin's.
Even the hardwired cable compliment matches the unit we saw last week. That said, some of the lengths are a bit different.
A better look at the modular connector panel. You can plug any modular cable into any of these without worrying about getting something wrong.
The modular cables. Exactly the same as the Kingwin unit, they are.
Type of connector:
ATX connector (550mm)
4+4 pin EPS12V/ATX12V connector (610mm)
6 pin PCIe (570mm)
6+2 pin PCIe (570mm)
6 pin PCIe (550mm)
6+2 pin PCIe (550mm)
5.25" Drive (550mm+110mm+110mm)
3.5" Drive (+110mm)
Unit Dimensions(L x W x H)
180mm x 150mm x 86mm
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