Cybenetics takes PSU certifications to the next level - Better than 80+?
Cybenetics is setting a new standard for PSU rating
Published: 31st December 2020 | Source: Cybernetics |
Cybenetics takes PSU certifications to the next level - Better than 80+?
Why do PSUs need a better rating system?
While the 80+ standard has encouraged power supply manufacturers to create more efficient units, recent years have shown is that power supply makers can game the system and tune their products to deliver higher efficiency levels at specific loads. By tuning their units, PSU makers can achieve higher efficiency ratings than they otherwise should, which is why Cybenetics feels that a change is required.
Instead of testing 3 or 4 designated loads, like the 80+ PSU standard, the Cybenetics ETA standard mandates PSU testing across its entire wattage range. Using over 1450 separate load combinations, Cybenetics can provide an overall efficiency rating using an average of all measurements. This alone prevents PSU makers from gaming the system with highly tunes units.
Cybenetics also focuses on additional areas like voltage ripple, noise, thermal measurements and power factor under consideration, adding further requirements to their standard aside from power efficiency.
Below is a glimpse of that Cybenetics PSU rating symbols look like, and you should get used to seeing them as more and more PSU manufacturers adopt their standards.
ETA Rating (Power Efficiency)
Cybenetics had adjusted their PSU efficiency rating system to match the 80+ system's naming scheme, offering efficiency levels named after precious materials. Cybenetics' Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum and Titanium standards are similar to the 80+ standards of the same name. However, additional factors are also considered, such as power factor (PF), 5VSD Efficiency, and "Vampire Power".
"Vampire Power" is the power that your power supply can use when your system is turned off. This power draw is wasted energy, and it is an aspect of power supplies which is not covered by today's 80+ standard. Cybenetics' ETA ratings require PSUs to meet a specific "Vampire Power" standard, ensuring that PSU manufacturers cannot release units which draw more than 0.25 watts when your system is turned off.
The 5VSB rail is the efficiency weak spot off most modern power supplies, and Cybenetics' ETA rating demands over a certain level of efficiency for this part of a power supply. This is another area of power supply efficiency that the 80+ standard does not cover.
With these new standards, Cybenetics wants to encourage PSU makers to create higher quality power supplies and discourage PSU makers from making tuned units that cheat today's 80+ testing system.
Lambda Rating (Noise Rating)
Nobody wants a power supply that sounds like a leafblower when it's running at its rated wattages. Today's PC builders are demanding quiet systems, and Cybenetics' Lambda rating system is designed to tell users how noisy their PSUs should be.
With this rating system, consumers should know which PSUs are loud and which PSUs are quiet under load. This will allow PC builders to create quiet systems more easily and encourage PSU manufacturers to decrease the noise output of their future units. 
Cybenetics hopes to improve the PSU market by encouraging manufacturers to increase their standards. In time, Cybenetics' standards may replace today's 80+ rating system, setting a higher minimum bar for future PC power supplies.
You can join the discussion on Cybenetics taking PSU rating to a new level on the OC3D Forums.
Most Recent Comments
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Originally Posted by NeverBackDown
Both links are broken for me. Takes me to the OC3D tech search page
This is the correct one https://www.overclock3d.net/news/pow...tter_than_80/1 It's nice to see big improvements to the system and just makes you think how no reviewer has caught on to this |
PSU reviews are difficult due to the equipment and know-how required to do it. The world's best PSU reviewer, Johnny Guru himself, now works for Corsair to make PSUs (so he no longer reviews), and it is hard to properly test PSUs outside of the obvious "it works" factor.
When we do PSU reviews we do ripple testing, which is more than what most reviewers do.Quote
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Originally Posted by WYP
You must have posted this as soon as I fixed it.
PSU reviews are difficult due to the equipment and know-how required to do it. The world's best PSU reviewer, Johnny Guru himself, now works for Corsair to make PSUs (so he no longer reviews), and it is hard to properly test PSUs outside of the obvious "it works" factor. When we do PSU reviews we do ripple testing, which is more than what most reviewers do. |
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Originally Posted by WYP
You must have posted this as soon as I fixed it.
PSU reviews are difficult due to the equipment and know-how required to do it. The world's best PSU reviewer, Johnny Guru himself, now works for Corsair to make PSUs (so he no longer reviews), and it is hard to properly test PSUs outside of the obvious "it works" factor. When we do PSU reviews we do ripple testing, which is more than what most reviewers do. |
What would be really interesting is since Corsair hired Johnny, everything released since his acquisition, those PSUs should be tested for the "optimized test" units to see if they were cheating. Would be a great insight I think. Or at least test units against this new standard to see how they perform.Quote
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Originally Posted by NeverBackDown
It is difficult yeah but you'd think somebody would have done more. Tom has good PSU reviews and definitely better than most others just due to the fact he has the equipment and worked with Johnny a little bit before iirc, but still you'd think we'd figure out how old the 80 standard is by now.
What would be really interesting is since Corsair hired Johnny, everything released since his acquisition, those PSUs should be tested for the "optimized test" units to see if they were cheating. Would be a great insight I think. Or at least test units against this new standard to see how they perform. |
As far as cheating the system goes, I have heard that some PSU makers used shorter cables than retail units to pump up their efficiency a little bit forward. I also know of cases where PSU makers have submitted either their 115V or 230V versions for rating depending on which was most efficient. Sometimes one made the grade and the other barely missed it.
80+ was good because it pushed a lot of the terrible PSUs out of the market. There are a lot fewer stories of people buying a cheap PSU that killed their system than there were 10 years ago. That said, improvements are needed to push the industry forward.
The problem with such in-depth PSU reviews is the time and knowledge that it takes to do them. There is also the fact that barely any manufacturers are interested in sending PSU review units.
I don't speak to manufacturers often regarding review units and that kind of thing, that's TTL's job, but I suspect that a lot of PSU makers avoid sending out units because some PSUs really shine in certain aspects of our testing.
Even today, Corsair's RMi series units and its more recent counterparts do a great job in our ripple tests. There is a reason why Corsair hasn't needed to release many new high-end PSUs in recent years that haven't just been modified versions of existing designs. Say what you will about Corsair, but they know how to make PSUs.Quote
CSS Valid
This is the correct one
https://www.overclock3d.net/news/pow...tter_than_80/1
It's nice to see big improvements to the system and just makes you think how no reviewer has caught on to thisQuote