Introduction

We would like to thank Kingwin for supplying the review sample.

Kingwin is a company with vast experience in the computer-component market, given that they have been around since 1992. They currently have ten PSU lines covering all market segments and every user's need. Their newest addition is the Power Force series which, for the moment, only counts one member, the PF-850. This PSU is the only one in their portfolio that has not been produced by their favorite OEM, Super Flower. Instead, they picked Highpower/Sirfa for this particular series, most likely because they wanted to keep the cost as low as possible in order to effectively meet the competition in this price category.

Let's take a look at what the PF-850 can offer users that will prefer it over the rough competition. It, for starters, comes with a five-year warranty, which is uncommon for this category, and it utilizes a semi-modular cabling design for optimal and easy cable management. It is also 80 Plus Bronze certified; a low efficiency level for today's standards, but one that is still popular since it lowers production cost. The PF-850 is also equipped with all protection features, and what is better than that to ensure the best possible protection in case something goes wrong. The unit scores well in the cabling department since it has four PCIe connectors, two EPS connectors that are available at the same time, eight SATA and six peripheral connectors. It does, based on its specifications, look like a decent unit. It may not break any performance records, but that isn't its primary purpose; it targets users that want an affordable, strong and reliable PSU with a long warranty. It will surely meet the competition eye to eye if it manages to pass our hard testing-suite by registering good results.

Specifications

Efficiency is Bronze in an effort to restrict the production cost. The operating temperature range is wide since the unit can deliver its maximum continuous output at up to 50°C - at least on paper. All protection features are available in order to ensure a reliable operation under all conditions.

The cooling fan has a 135 mm diameter and is equipped with sleeve bearings. We would highly prefer ball-bearings since their lifespan is way higher, but it seems like Kingwin opted to cut some costs by using such a fan instead.

The unit's length/depth is small at 160 mm, which makes the PF-850 compatible with almost every chassis currently sold on the market today. The PSU doesn't comply with the most recent 2.31 ATX spec since it only has one +12V rail, while the latest ATX spec requires at least two. This is, nevertheless, nothing to worry about. Finally, the warranty is, especially for this category, pretty long at five years, and the price puts the PF-850 into a high competition-zone where many contenders fight for a piece of the market pie.



There is only one +12V rail. It can only deliver 100 W less than the PSU's full capacity. This is strange since Voltage Regulation Modules (VRMs) are used for the generation of the minor rails. The +12V rail should really be able to deliver the PSU's full power.

The minor rails are pretty strong for today's standards/needs with 150 W maximum combined power, and the 5VSB rail has enough juice to handle every scenario.

Cables & Connectors, Power Distribution

The number of available cables/connectors is good for the capacity and the category of this unit, but the length of the main ATX and EPS cable is short, and you will, most likely, run into problems if you install this PSU into a full-tower case. We would also like PCIe cables that are a tick longer. The distance amongst all connectors on cables that feature more than one connector is, thankfully, adequate. Finally, all wires are of 18AWG size, which is the size recommended by the ATX specification.

Since this PSU features a single +12V rail, we do not have anything to comment on about its power distribution.

Packaging

A small box with a not-so-fancy design protects the unit until it is put into your hands. The front sports a photo of the PSU's rear side with its modular panel and the native cables in the foreground. The unit's series is also highlighted with a large font on a silver background. We see two badges, one for the 80 Plus Bronze efficiency and one for the five-year warranty, in the bottom, right corner.


The rear of the box has a list with the unit's specifications and a brief description of its most notable features. Kingwin informs us that all cables are fully sleeved in order to avoid cable clutter and to, at the same time, allow for easier cable management. Well, that is one-hundred percent true.


On one of the two sides is another feature list that includes all available connectors, something very useful to users that haven't decided which PSU to buy by reading a review of the unit, since they have to depend on the information provided by the unit's packaging. Another thing that caught our attention is the unit's ErP 2013 compliance, which means that this unit consumes less than 0.5 W in standby.