Introduction

We would like to thank Cooler Master for supplying the review sample.



All of the V series units we have tested so far performed amazingly well, easily achieving a high price/performance ratio because Cooler Master prices these units aggressively. The company obviously meant to strengthen their presence in the PSU market by challenging every other strong competitor, which had them go for top performance by teaming up with Seasonic and minimizing their profits to keep prices low – a smart move if you want to gain popularity and build a good name fast.

The V series, so far their best-performing line, only included three members with capacities ranging from 700 W to 1000 W. However, Cooler Master recently also added a 1200 W unit with Platinum efficiency, which is contrary to the Gold-certified efficiency the other V units feature. The new V unit uses Seasonic’s top platform the company code-named XP3, so we expect big things from the V1200. The latter is incredibly efficient, offers a fully modular cabling design, and comes with the option to operate the fan in hybrid mode via a fan-mode switch on a bracket, which makes it easier to get to than on Seasonic's KM3 platform where the fan switch is at the front. CM also did not curtail the platform in any way by going with the complete version of Seasonic's offering in an attempt to hit the competition at the very top of the high-end category hard, although it already includes such topnotch products as the Super Flower Leadex Platinum 1200 W we recently reviewed and Corsair's digital AX1200i. Although a tough category, we strongly believe the V1200 capable enough to meet the competition eye to eye because Seasonic is the OEM. One thing is for sure: Today’s review will be incredibly interesting as the V1200 will definitely leave its mark on the umber-high-end PSU category.

Specifications

The unit, unlike every other V unit, is Platinum certified, although all other important characteristics aside from efficiency and capacity are identical to the smaller V-series models as it is certified to operate at up to 50°C under even full load, is Haswell ready, includes all available protection features, and features a selectable hybrid fan operation. This product shows great potential on paper, and we are pretty sure it'll perform incredibly well in real life since past experiences with Seasonic designs have all been excellent. CM also backs the V1200 with a hefty warranty and its expected retail price is slated to be on par with what the competition offers.

The V1200 only has one very strong +12V rail that can deliver up to 100 amperes, which will easily allow the unit to handle four high-end VGAs in tandem, making it the PSU for those who still enroll into script mining. The minor rails are powerful enough to properly cope with the demands of a contemporary system, and the 5VSB rail is a little stronger than the norm, although we would like 4 A maximum current output at 5VSB in a high-capacity PSU, not the 3 A that will suffice in most instances.

Cables & Connectors, Power Distribution

This unit comes with a ton of cables, including twelve PCIe and SATA connectors, each! It is also equipped with nine 4-pin Molex connectors, which is enough to power just about any peripheral device you could possible install into your system. With as many connectivity options, CM boosted the unit's usability to very high levels the competition will be hard-pressed to match. To the best of our knowledge, this is the only 1.2 kW unit with as many PCIe and both EPS connectors available at the same time. As for cable length, all connectors are installed on very long cables, so you won't run into problems soley because you installed the unit into a huge case. The distance between connectors is perfect as a set of 4-pin Molex connectors have specifically been set apart further to make sure you have a suitable way of connecting items that are spread a little further apart (e.g. case fans). Every cable uses standard 18AWG gauges, which is as the ATX spec recommends.

We have nothing to comment on when it comes to the PSU's power distribution because it features a single +12V rail.

Packaging

The PSU comes in a large box that features a nice graphical design, although one with a very dark backdrop on the front. Most of the front's real estate is occupied by a photograph of the V1200 with its modular board exposed, while there is a description of the unit's most crucial features inside a silver frame in the bottom-right corner. The Platinum badge and the icon for its seven year warranty reside in the top-right corner.


Only the model description can be found on this side.


Here are two tables, one with the unit's specifications and the other with the power specifications. There is also a small label at the bottom to show the AC cord that comes bundled with the PSU.


The back of the box quickly covers the unit's features in many different languages, presents a table that lists all available connectors, and mentions the advantages of a PSU with 80 Plus Platinum-certified efficiency; that is, over other, less efficient PSUs. Another graph also details the fan's operational range in hybrid mode, and there is a photograph of the hybrid fan controller itself.

Contents

The PSU is completely surrounded by packing foam, which will protect it perfectly well under even extreme conditions during transport.


Since the V1200 is a high-end product with a correspondingly high price-tag, CM chose to include a luxurious note by adding a cloth bag to the bundle. Take the PSU out of this bag and you will find it inside of another nylon bag with a sticker to inform you that the fan will only operate at higher ambient temperatures in hybrid mode, which is sound information to pass on to especially novice users who may think the fan is broken because it doesn't spin up while the PSU on.


A small white box contains the hybrid fan controller's bracket, and the rest of the bundle includes some zip ties and a set of fixing bolts.


The provided AC cord we got is of the US variety, and it is is very thick. It doesn't even get warm to the touch after the PSU operates at full load over prolonged periods of time.


Since all cables are modular and there are a ton of them, a huge pouch wasn't enough to store them properly, so CM provided two in the bundle.


The manual is common to all four members of the V series.