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Published: Mar 28, 2009 Author: Michael Chiu Editor: Amber Lupala Provider: Coolmax Share this article:

First Impressions of Coolmax CU-700B PSU

With so many power supply manufacturers, choosing a power supply can be a difficult task. Today we’ll look at another offering from Coolmax, makers of a wide range of computer parts, the Coolmax CU-700B 700W Power Supply. Will this modular unit offer decent performance at a reasonable price? Read on to find out.

About Coolmax:
Check out their website- http://www.coolmaxusa.com

Coolmax Technology, Inc. is a rapidly growing company that was founded in the year 1997. Our initial task of providing cooling solutions for electrical and industrial applications using AC and DC voltage fans is our solid foundation. Our commitment to excellence in both products and service had earned for us the reputation as a leading thermal solutions provider in the industry. We strive to work hard, hand in hand with our clients, from the biggest to the smallest. They rely on our company's ability to provide quick and professional responses to inquiries and production demands. Our factories are located in China and are ISO9000 and 14001 certified, all our products are UL, TUV, CSA, CE approved. Coolmax is dedicated to providing the best cooling solutions engineered for a high-tech world while maintaining long-term customer relationships.

Along with this line, we are also channeling our efforts to include our services in the field of Rapid Injection Molding. Our focus is to provide new product developers and designers with the fastest and least-expensive way to obtain low volumes of plastic injection molded parts.

In this regard, we have also embarked on a new venture that will allow us to provide high quality cold forged and extruded heat sinks for a variety of applications. Our world class products can support the high-end PCs in both electronics and industrial applications.

Features:
- Dual PCIe Connector ready (2) 6pin
- Automatic fan setting for most effective cooling system
- Native and modular cables for a clean and easy installation and cable management
- High efficiency above 80%
- Great balance between cooling and noise level
- 120mm silent fan design
- All output cables with nylon sleeving
- ATX 12V V2.2/EPS 12V V2.91
- Over voltage protection, short circuit protection on all output levels

The product

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The Coolmax CU-700B 700W power supply (PSU) arrived in a colorfully decorated cardboard box with a picture of the unit on the front and sides. The back of the package described the features and output rating of the PSU, emphasizing some of its features.

Note that Coolmax also offers the CU in a 400W, 500W, and 600W versions, which for a lot of builds is plenty of power.

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Opening up the package, the PSU can be found snugly wrapped in a custom foam insert with the cables to one side of the package. Along with the power supply, the package contained four screws, and a power cable; this is a fairly standard power supply offering.

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Unwrapping the PSU from the package, the first thing you can’t help but notice is that there are some cables were attached to the PSU. Coolmax employs a “semi-modular” design which means that the essential cables (such as the motherboard cable) are attached to the supply (offering better performance), yet the optional cables can be removed for greater flexibility. To me this is the best of both worlds and a good design. The modular ports are labeled nicely for easy installation.

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The fan comes with a “silent” 120mm fan, which is a fairly generous size for a power supply. The large fan aids in keeping the noise down. Looking at the back of the unit, we find a standard on/off switch, a 115V/220V selector, and a place for the power cable.

 
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Looking at the cables, this power supply comes with a somewhat below-average number of connectors for a supply of its size. Namely, there are 4 SATA cables, 4 peripheral 4-pin connectors, and dual PCI-E connectors. The two PCI-E connectors is a nice addition not found on all power supplies; this is essential for dual graphics card setups. However, I was a little disappointed that there are only 4 peripheral connectors; many supplies come with 8. All of the cables are shielded with a plastic-wire mesh, which allows for easier routing. The Molex 4-pin connectors have that nice “quick detach” features that allow easy demating by pinching the two tabs on the top/bottom of the connector.