Upgrading the Supremo M1 Gold 550 W & re-evaluating for mainstream

Re-evaluating the Supremo M1 Gold 550 W

Not that long ago I reviewed the Supremo M1 Gold 550 W from the Polish brand SilentiumPC. You can get all the information about this unit from the review itself. But since the review, after listening to my advice, SilentiumPC dropped the price (at least in Czech republic) below 2000 CZK. Thanks to that the unit dropped into the mainstream with price under 4 CZK per watt while it keeps the original 5-year warranty.

So considering also all the questions I get about testing methodology, let’s make an exception and re-evaluate this unit based on the numbers I got last time. This will give you at least a gross approximation of how the evaluation may change when some unit drops from high-end to mainstream. I repeat, gross. So lets begin:

• cabling: there is more significant gain as the cabling is basically mainstream (18AWG, no gold-plating, has couple extra unplugging clips) but modular
• input filtration: some small gain for extra X-capacitor discharge IC (not a requirement for mainstream)
• primary side: extra point for overbuild, otherwise no loss for non-quality capacitors
• stand-by rail: no change here
• secondary side and built quality: here the unit does not lose points for bad capacitors (except on stand-by rail) and less points for soldering issues
• loading results: the unit gets more points (or loses less actually) for both voltage regulation and ripple, and gets more for high efficiency
• others: gets much more points for working extra protections, longer warranty and hold-up time

So in numbers, the value of SilentiumPC Supremo M1 Gold 550 W as mainstream unit is as follows:

• components used: 19 p. (− for non-quality capacitors, − for missing thermistor, + for thicker stand-by rail wire, + for molex unplugging clips, + for working OTP, + for overbuilt)
• built quality : -1 p. (− for solder balls and worse soldering)
• voltage regulation: 4 p. (− for combined loading, − for crossload)
• ripple: 8.5 p. (− for combined loading, − for crossload )
• efficiency: 18 p. (+ for higher efficiency)
• hold-up time: 18 p. (+ for longer hold-up time)
• others: 16.5 p. (+ for modular cabling, + longer warranty, + for funny sticker)

So in mainstream, the Supremo gets 83 %. If we said the price was 2000 CZK, the value per price ratio would be 83×100/2000=3.77. Compared to the recently reviewed Cooler Master G550M, it has even higher evaluation (thanks to higher efficiency and other things). For that reason I also decided to award the Supremo M1 Gold 550 W with our bronze award.

Now it is completely different question whether to buy the Supremo or not. The competition indeed is from units like the CM G550M as higher quality units like the same-origin sibling Silverstone Strider Gold S/Gold V2.0 cost at least 25 % more than the Supremo. I would myself still go for the Silverstone, but I understand that for budget-oriented users the Supremo is more adequate choice. Supremo heavily lacks on capacitors, on the other hand it is traded for five-year warranty which partially overcomes this drawback. But because of the capacitors I cannot give the unit our silver award despite its high value.

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