Original Link: https://www.anandtech.com/show/5698/rosewill-capstone-450w-and-650w-80plus-gold



Meet the Series

This is the second time we got power supplies from Rosewill. They gave us their best current series with 80Plus Gold and a robust looking case. While the 450W model comes without any modular plugs the 650W is a semi-modular version. Today we will test both to find out which one is the best solution.

Many people are happy with a decent computer that will handle their everyday tasks—nothing fancy, not too expensive, but just a good all-around build. Then there are the enthusiasts that we often hear from in our comments, looking for not just good but great components. Whether we're talking HTPCs, CPUs, GPUs, laptops, SSDs, etc. there are people out there that want the "best". With the Capstone series Rosewill wants to meet those requirements.



Package Contents, Fan, and Power Rating

Rosewill offers a few extras in the package. Besides the standard power cable and four screws, you get  a short user manual, and all the modular cables come in a bag (650W only). According to the manufacturer's specifications, the whole series is SLI-ready and uses a single +12V output. Again they used a "mesh sleeving on all cables for easier cable routing and better ventilation". The 80 Plus Gold certificate is another featurenothing special these days, but still a good basis.

The 450W PSU has a +12V output rated at 37A, which is quite a lot. Both +3.3V and +5V get fed by this output and are specified at 20A each. Those outputs can provide up to 100W, which is lower than  the values we saw from Seasonic (560W Gold). But these values are still more than sufficient for all modern PCs, though older PCs might need more power here. The +5VSB at 3A is also relatively strong. The 650W model can deliver 648W on +12V and up to 110W on +3.3V and +5V. -12V and the standby power are identically rated.

The 140mm fan in both models is an RL4Z B1402512M from Globe Fan. This model is used in many power supplies that are manufactured by Sirtec (High Power) and SuperFlower. It has a moderate (M) speed within the RLXX series. The fan uses 0.33A and consists of 11 fan blades with rough edges. It's a ball bearing (B), but a cheaper one. We would like to see Sanyo Denki here or an HDB fan.



External Impressions, Cables and Connectors

Here we show how the 450W model looks. Below you can find a picture of the modular version (650W). The rugged and very thick material is strongly reminiscent of some Enermax power supplies. The color is charcoal gray. The fan grille is a common version. In addition all ventilation holes are honeycombed—as always. There are no logos or pictures on both sides of the power supply. Our personal preference is that less is more when it comes to logos and such, but others might appreciate markings on a case to identify the PSU.

Cables and Connectors (450W)

Connector type (length)

Main 1x 24-pin (55cm) fixed
ATX12V/EPS12V 1x 4+4-pin (60cm) fixed
PCIe 2x 6/8-pin (45, 60 cm) fixed
Peripheral 4x SATA (ca. 50, 65, 80, 95cm) fixed
4x SATA (ca. 50, 65, 80, 95cm) fixed
3x Molex, 1x FDD (ca. 50, 65, 80, 95cm) fixed

 

Cables and Connectors (650W)

Connector type (length)

Main 1x 24-pin (55cm) fixed
ATX12V/EPS12V 1x 4+4-pin (60cm) fixed
PCIe 2x 6/8-pin (45, 60cm) modular
2x 6/8-pin (45, 60cm) modular
Peripheral 4x SATA (ca. 50, 65, 80, 95cm) modular
4x SATA (ca. 50, 65, 80, 95cm) modular
3x Molex (ca. 50, 65, 80cm) modular
3x Molex (ca. 50, 65, 80cm) modular

The 24-pin cables are relatively long with 55cm. Long CPU cables are nice too, particularly for cases where the PSU is mounted on the bottom. In contrast to the 650W version, the 450W has less HDD connectors. With eight SATA plugs, the two power supplies are exceptionally well equipped. We have to criticize that two PCIe connectors use a single 18 AWG cable. Overall the cable configuration is so-so.



Electronics

This time SuperFlower is the manufacturer. In the pictures above we show the 650W version only since the 450W model consists of the same design. Rosewill uses a resonant converter like Enermax and Seasonic; on the input side, a half bridge circuit is used. Furthermore, the model has some small PCBs, where the one on the left side is used for +3.3V and +5V. Where needed, a protective foil against short circuits is used. The output wires are grouped together with serveral cable ties to improve airflow.

Behind the AC input are a total of four Y-capacitors, two common mode chokes, two X-capacitors, a thermistor, and a relay. Nevertheless there is no MOV. All capacitors are made by Nippon Chemicon (SMQ and KY series). In the power factor preregulator and behind we can find a few MOSFETs with a low turn-on resistance, and a PFC diode without any reverse recovery time. This is a good solution when using the continuous current mode, because the reverse recovery time causes power loss. One point of criticism is that SuperFlower should use another PCB material in a high-end product.



Voltage Regulation

+3.3V Regulation/Ripple and Noise
Load Voltage
5% +1.52% (3mV)
10% +1.52% (5mV)
20% +1.52% (9mV)
50% +0.91% (10mV)
80% +0.61% (14mV)
100% +0.30% (15mV)
110% +0.00% (17mV)
Crossload +12V max. +0.91%
Crossload +3.3V/+5V max. +0.30%

 

+5V Regulation/Ripple and Noise
Load Voltage
5% +3.00% (5mV)
10% +2.60% (6mV)
20% +2.60% (7mV)
50% +2.20% (11mV)
80% +1.60% (14mV)
100% +1.40% (16mV)
110% +1.00% (17mV)
Crossload +12V max. +1.40%
Crossload +3.3V/+5V max. +-0.00%

 

+12V Regulation (Worst Ouput)/Ripple and Noise (Worst Output)
Load Voltage
5% +1.58% (8mV)
10% +1.58% (9mV)
20% +1.42% (14mV)
50% +1.25% (21mV)
80% +1.08% (26mV)
100% +1.08% (39mV)
110% +1.00% (40mV)
Crossload +12V max. +1.08%
Crossload +3.3V/+5V max. -0.08%

Noise Levels

Loudness (subjective)
Load Opinion
5% audible fan bearing
10% audible fan bearing
20% low rotation noise
50% low rotation noise
80% rotation noise
100% strong fan noise
110% strong fan noise

Efficiency and PFC

Efficiency and Power Factor 230 VAC
Load Efficiency PFC
5% 81.52% 0.797
10% 87.21% 0.810
20% 91.35% 0.839
50% 92.11% 0.949
80% 91.52% 0.979
100% 90.74% 0.981
110% 90.14% 0.984

 

Efficiency and Power Factor 115 VAC
Load Efficiency PFC
5% 78.41% 0.842
10% 85.58% 0.910
20% 90.94% 0.942
50% 91.84% 0.966
80% 91.12% 0.979
100% 90.46% 0.988
110% 90.12% 0.991

Both power supplies are almost identical. In addition small Gold PSUs are rare so we focus on the smaller model this time. The Rosewill  CapStone 450W can deliver the specified power and even a bit more. The ripple and noise is low on all outputs, especially on +3.3V and +5V where less than 0.34% can be achieved. The efficiency is likewise well above the necessary values ​​for 80 Plus Gold. Even at 10% the PSU was able to reach 87% (230V input)—an impressive result. In fact this PSU is close to 80Plus Platinum.

The power factor reaches a maximum of 0.991, again with rather low PFC results on 230VAC. Under load the power supply is clearly audible, and the fan's bearing can be heard sometimes. However, there isn't any background noise from the electronics. During the crossload tests +3.3V, +5V and +12V were within ATX specification. With 3% over the optimal value +5V starts quite high.



Conclusion

With the Capstone series Rosewill provides very efficient power supplies in high-class cases. The ripple and noise voltage is low at all loads and performance is great. The total noise of the fan is satisfying as well, but a HDB fan would be better. Where things aren't so great is the number of Molex connectors (450W). The current market prices are influenced by what others traders are charging for similar product, and not surprisingly the cost is going to be quite a bit higher than lesser power supplies.

 Compared to the Seasonic X-Series X-560, Rosewill used the same converter type. The Capstone series combines the resonant circuit with an asynchronous half bridge and DC-to-DC converter on the secondary side. This is still one of the best circuit designs for an output power between 400W and 700W. Since the switching losses are reduced to a minimum, other components do not warm up as much. The result is that the Capstone series has low operating temperatures and a moderately controlled fan. The high-quality capacitors and EMI filtering are well developed, which should also be mentioned. However, the manufacturer SuperFlower continues to use no MOVs on the AC side, but we don't want to overdo things. Rosewill chose a good manufacturer.

As shown in our performance section, the Capstone 450W reaches 92% efficiency at 230VAC. Especially at low load the efficiency is noteworthy, because 80 Plus Gold requires good values only at 20%, 50%, and 100% loads​​. The +12V output is well regulated during overload and crossload. The other output voltages are close to the optimal values as well. The fan noise is suitable for an 80Plus Gold PSU. But it's also important to consider the type of noise a PSU generates. There are differences in how a ball bearing sounds and how a sleeve bearing/HDB sounds, with the last-named generally being preferred. For a high-end PSU Rosewill should use Sanyo Denki fans or a hydro dynamic bearing. Overall, though, the acoustic noise is not bad for a 450W power supply.

With six SATA and six Molex connectors, the 650W model is fairly well equipped while the 450W version should get more Molex plugs. In addition it might be better to have the PCIe connectors distributed to multiple cables, at the cost of cable clutter, but the wire cross-section helps make up for this. The 24-pin and the 12V harnesses are 55cm and 60cm long, so the power supply is suitable for most large PC cases. The cable sleeving is relatively opaque. A minor complaint is that, apart from the necessary items for installation and a user manual, nothing else is included in the package. The competition often offers a few extras, like some cable ties, and given the target market the lack of any extras is underwhelming.

The current prices for the CapStone series are $ 80-110. For an 80 Plus Gold power supply with this quality, the price is quite good. There are other options worth a look of course. For example, the Seasonic X-560 provides a better quality, using full modular cables and a better fan. The FSP Aurum CM 650W is also very cheap, but it's louder and more expensive than the Capstone 650W. Other alternatives like the be quiet! E9 series and the Cougar GX 700W models are significantly more expensive, but also a little quieter under load or equipped with a well-processed case.

Overall, we like the solutions Rosewill presented. The Capstone series is recommendable for all enthusiasts who want to get the highest efficiency. Minor flaws like the missing MOVs and the relatively cheap fan should be taken into account. After all the Capstone series gets our Silver Editors' Choice award for providing a very high efficiency.

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