Continuing our ongoing look at the latest-generation ATX 3.1 power supplies, today we are examining Cooler Master's V Platinum 1600 V2, a recent addition to the company's expansive PSU lineup.

The V Platinum 1600 V2 is designed to cater to top-end gaming and workstation PCs while offering maximum compatibility with modern ATX directives. And while it boasts a massive 1600 Watt output and a long list of features, the V is a workhorse of a power supply rather than a flagship; Cooler Master is aiming the PSU at budget-conscious users who can't justify spending top dollar, but whom none the less need a powerful and relatively efficient (80PLUS Platinum) power supply.

So often we see PSU vendors go for broke on their high-wattage units, since there's a lot of overlap there with the premium market, so it will be interesting to see what Cooler Master can do with a slightly more modest bill of materials.

Packaging and Bundle

The Cooler Master V Platinum 1600 V2 PSU comes in sturdy cardboard packaging with purple/magenta artwork. Although the box states that this is an ATX 3.0/PCIe 5.0 unit, Cooler Master (much like other manufacturers) informed us that they simply have not had the opportunity to change the packaging yet, and that the units inside are ATX 3.1/PCIe 5.1 compliant. The PSU is well-protected during shipping by a nylon bag and dense packaging foam, ensuring it arrives in perfect condition.

The bundle includes mounting screws, a special C19 AC power cable, a basic quick-start guide, three cable straps, and a few cable ties.

This PSU features all-black cables, with connectors and wires. The cables, except for the sleeved PCIe 12V-2x6 cables with angled connectors, consist of ribbon-like wires without any sleeving. The PCIe 12V-2x6 cables also have angled connectors on one side.

The Cooler Master V Platinum 1600 V2 ATX 3.1 PSU

External Appearance

The Cooler Master V Platinum 1600 V2 PSU is housed in a chassis that measures 160 mm in length, significantly longer than the standard 140 mm ATX dimensions specified by the ATX design guide. This additional length is necessary to accommodate the 135 mm cooling fan, yet despite that, this actually makes the V one of the smallest >1500-Watt units currently available.

In terms of design, Cooler Master placed significant effort on making the V Platinum 1600 V2 unit visually unique but not extravagant. It features a satin black paint job, with very subtly (and barely visible) etched artwork on the left side of the unit. The right side of the unit features brighter series and company logos, along with an embossed geometric C-like shape The top side is hosting a sticker detailing the electrical specifications and certifications.

The front side includes the standard on/off switch and the C20 AC cable receptacle, along with a sticker warning users that the fan will not activate until a significant load is reached. The rear hosts the modular cable connectors, organized for easy and error-free connections. While the connectors are not color-coded and are labeled with a basic, almost invisible legend next to each connector, they are all different and keyed, so it is practically impossible to insert a cable into the wrong connector.

Internal Design

The Cooler Master V Platinum 1600 V2 PSU includes a Cooler Master FA13525M12LAAB "Mobius" 135 mm fan with an LDB engine. This fan has a wide operational range from zero to 2400 RPM, allowing it to adapt to various thermal conditions.

The OEM behind the V Platinum 1600 V2 is Gospower. They are a relatively new OEM of power electronic products, with the company focusing mostly on solar power products. We have only encountered their platforms in Cooler Master's products so far. The overall build quality shows extensive use of glue for securing components and mediocre soldering work.

The filtering stage includes a total of four Y capacitors, two X capacitors, and two filtering inductors, which work together to ensure clean and stable power input. The two rectifying bridges are mounted on a shared heatsink with the primary inversion MOSFETs. The APFC utilizes an interleaved topology, with its active components, three MOSFETs (60R060P7) and one diode, located on a separate heatsink near the PCB edge.

Two large partially encased inductors and two 680 μF capacitors from Toshin Kogyo (TK) are the passive components of the APFC circuitry. TK is a Japanese manufacturer but their reputation is not on the same pedestal as most other Japanese companies, mainly because of some quality woes the company had with audio capacitors in the early 2010’s.

In the primary stage, the PSU employs a full-bridge LLC resonant converter design. This stage uses four Infineon 60R060P7 MOSFETs, which are crucial for high-efficiency power conversion. The heatsinks section are notable for their size and feature purple anodic coating, a design choice that matches Cooler Master’s theme but also serves functional purposes. Anodized coating can improve the heat transfer coefficient and are frequently used for advanced LED module cooling.

The secondary stage of the PSU is a synchronous rectification circuitry. The rectification circuitry is directly attached to the main transformer. Additionally, the PSU incorporates DC-to-DC converters mounted on a vertical daughterboard to generate the 3.3V and 5V output lines. The secondary side capacitors are mostly sourced from Rubycon and Nichicon, top-tier Japanese manufacturers, but we did notice a few Lelon (Taiwanese) capacitors into the mix.

Cold Test Results (~25°C Ambient Temperature)

For the testing of PSUs, we are using high precision electronic loads with a maximum power draw of 2700 Watts, a Rigol DS5042M 40 MHz oscilloscope, an Extech 380803 power analyzer, two high precision UNI-T UT-325 digital thermometers, an Extech HD600 SPL meter, a self-designed hotbox and various other bits and parts. For a thorough explanation of our testing methodology and more details on our equipment, please refer to our How We Test PSUs - 2014 Pipeline post.

During cold testing, the Cooler Master V Platinum 1600 V2 PSU barely meets the 80Plus Platinum certification standards with an input voltage of 115 VAC. When tested with a 115 VAC input, this PSU achieves an average nominal load efficiency of 90.8% across its operational range from 20% to 100% of its capacity, rising to 92.1% when operated with a 230 VAC input. The efficiency rise is not enough to surpass the 80Plus Platinum requirements with an input voltage of 230 VAC, failing to meet the 94% efficiency threshold at 50% load. The unit's efficiency peaks at approximately 45-50% of its capacity. On the plus side, the efficiency under very low loads is notably good, which is important for a unit with that high a capacity.

The Cooler Master V Platinum 1600 V2 PSU features a thermally controlled hybrid fan mode, keeping the fan off during low-load conditions to ensure quiet operation. It is thermally controlled and the fan will not start if the unit is relatively lightly loaded with infrequent power spikes. The fan begins to operate when the continuous load exceeds approximately 40% of the unit's capacity – starting at around 750 Watts during our testing – and is close to the unit’s specifications. At typical room temperatures, this design allows the PSU to run quietly during most low to moderate usage scenarios. As the load surpasses 800 Watts, the fan gradually increases its speed to manage the rising thermal output effectively but never reaches its maximum speed under these operating conditions.

Hot Test Results (~45°C Ambient Temperature)

Inside our hotbox, the Cooler Master V Platinum 1600 V2 PSU exhibits a slight decrease in efficiency under heavy loads, with recorded figures of 89.2% at 115 VAC and 90.5% at 230 VAC, compared to 90.8% and 92.1% during cold testing. This reduction is moderate and not beyond our expectations for a quality PSU that is rated for continuous operation at ambient temperatures up to 50°C. Nonetheless, the PSU shows signs of thermal stress when the load exceeds 1400 Watts for prolonged periods.

The Cooler Master V Platinum 1600 V2 PSU's fan now activates earlier and accelerates more quickly compared to cooler environments, increasing almost linearly with the load. As the PSU nears 90% capacity, the fan reaches its maximum speed. This approach keeps noise levels acceptable up to around 50% load capacity, which corresponds to approximately 800 Watts. Beyond this threshold, the fan noise becomes noticeably louder, which is to be expected considering the massive amount of thermal energy/losses that need to be removed from the unit.

The Cooler Master V Platinum 1600 V2 PSU demonstrates a well-balanced cooling scheme, effectively managing acoustics and thermal performance. The internal temperatures remain consistently low without an overly aggressive fan profile that would lead to high noise levels prematurely. It is also important to note that the temperature of the primary side MOSFETs is low, suggesting that the either the heatsinks are oversized and/or that the anodized coating works.

Power Supply Quality

The electrical performance of the Cooler Master V Platinum 1600 V2 PSU is adequate for its class, but there is room for improvement. The 12V rail maintains a fairly good regulation of 1.1%, while the 5V and 3.3V lines are adequately regulated at 1.6% and 1.4% respectively. Ripple suppression is fair, with maximum values of 62 mV for the 12V line, 36 mV for the 5V line, and 32 mV for the 3.3V line. We should note that voltage ripple is much lower at lower loads but spike when the load is at 100% of the unit’s capacity, suggesting thermal stress. These figures do not set any new records but are well within the recommended design limits and are adequate for a quality PSU.

During our thorough assessment, we evaluate the essential protection features of every power supply unit we review, including Over Current Protection (OCP), Over Voltage Protection (OVP), Over Power Protection (OPP), and Short Circuit Protection (SCP). The Cooler Master V Platinum 1600 V2 PSU successfully passed all critical protection tests, confirming its effectiveness in safeguarding both the PSU and connected components. The unit displayed standard OCP settings for the 3.3V and 5V rails, activating at 116% for both, which are typical for these specifications. The 12V rail’s OCP activation at 127% is slightly higher, aligning with current industry practices where manufacturers adjust protections to meet power excursion guidelines.

Conclusion

The Cooler Master V Platinum 1600 V2 PSU, retailing at $310, enters the high-wattage market with a notable balance of pros and cons. This price point is high but justifiable considering its substantial power output, which aims it at enthusiasts and professionals requiring reliable and robust power delivery for high-powered systems. And while it offers an array of features and fairly good overall performance, a thorough examination reveals some quality and performance hiccups.

On the electrical front, the V Platinum 1600 V2 delivers adequate performance. Its efficiency just meets the 80Plus Platinum certification, with cold test efficiencies of 90.8% at 115 VAC and 92.1% at 230 VAC. During hot testing, these figures drop slightly to 89.2% and 90.5%, respectively. While these numbers are respectable, they are unimpressive. Voltage regulation is good, with the 12V rail at 1.1%, the 5V rail at 1.6%, and the 3.3V rail at 1.4%. Ripple suppression, with values of 62 mV for the 12V line, 36 mV for the 5V line, and 32 mV for the 3.3V line, is satisfactory but not exceptional. Overall, the power quality is respectable but it falls short of being impressive.

Meanwhile the thermal performance of the V Platinum 1600 V2 stands out as a significant strength. The unit maintains excellent internal temperatures even under heavy loads, thanks to its efficient overall cooling design. The Mobius fan is thermally controlled, operating only when needed. In typical room temperatures, the fan may not operate at all unless the load is greater than 800 Watts, but will reach its full speed if the unit is fully loaded inside an adverse environment. This thermal management strategy effectively prevents thermal stress and maintains long-term reliability even at high power outputs.

Acoustic performance is another highlight of the V Platinum 1600 V2. The 135mm fan and its hybrid operational mode keeps the unit silent at loads up to 800 Watts, which should be sufficient for most gaming PCs with just one video card installed. As the load increases, the fan speed ramps up, but it manages to balance cooling needs without becoming overly noisy until it reaches loads above 1200 Watts – and that if the ambient temperature is high. This feature makes the PSU suitable for users who prioritize quiet operation during regular use but are willing to accept higher noise levels under extreme conditions.

In conclusion, the Cooler Master V Platinum 1600 V2 PSU offers a combination of adequate electrical performance and outstanding thermal and acoustic characteristics. For those concerned about its build quality, Cooler Master backs this unit up with a 12-year manufacturer’s warranty to alleviate any concerns. At a retail price of $310, it presents a fair value proposition for those needing a very powerful for a system with two powerful video cards or AI accelerators, or for limiting the noise output of a system with one high-powered card installed.