INTRODUCTION

    As I've mentioned before in my reviews it's a good thing that largely thanks to graphics cards people have been placing more weight on power supply units compared to the past (a lot more really). High quality and performance power supply units are not just much safer for your hardware components (compared to low quality and performance ones), under certain scenarios they can also affect stability and performance so spending a good amount on one is always recommended. GAMEMAX is a somewhat new player in the global market and since they recently released their ATX 3.1 & PCIe 5.1 compatible models I decided to take a closer look at one of their best models, the Rampage GX1050 Pro.

    GAMEMAX stands as a premier brand renowned for its specialization in high-quality gaming PC peripherals. Our gaming peripherals are crafted with cutting-edge design and adhere to top-tier production standards, establishing them as highly esteemed choices among high-end DIY enthusiasts and gaming communities within the industry. GAMEMAX places a strong emphasis on eco-friendly technology, actively promoting and practicing environmental responsibility. GAMEMAX is dedicated to delivering the best gaming experience for all gaming enthusiasts, and will continue to innnovate and grow to fulfill our promise.

    GAMEMAX currently has the Rampage GX line of power supply units available with two different 80 PLUS certifications so even though the 750/850W output models are 80 PLUS Gold certified the 1050/1200W models are 80 PLUS Platinum certified. All models are fully modular, ATX 3.1 & PCIe 5.1 compliant and available in both black and white colors and as for the 1050W variant which I have here with me today it features a single strong +12V rail (87.5Α) capable of delivering 100% of the units’ total power output (1050W), peak power output of no less than 1166W (although once again according to ATX 3.0/3.1 specs peak should now be up to over 2.3KW for up to 100ms duration – not something i can test however), 12V-2x6 connector (600W), 4 PCIe 6+2 connectors, active PFC, LLC Resonant-converter topology, DC-to-DC technology, temperature controlled 135mm fan and 100% Japanese capacitors. In terms of available protections, the Rampage GX1050 Pro is equipped with OVP (over-voltage), SCP (short-circuit), OPP (over-power), UVP (under-voltage), OCP (over-current), SIP (surge and inrush) and OTP (over-temperature) ones and as for warranty GAMEMAX covers it with a generous 10-year limited one. So, let's see what the GAMEMAX Rampage GX1050 Pro brings to the table.

SPECIFICATIONS AND FEATURES

PACKAGING AND CONTENTS

GAMEMAX uses a black and green box (their color theme) to ship the Rampage GX1050 Pro the front of which has their logo, product name and some of the product features.

Several certifications along with the included output model are printed at the top of the box.

The product features are printed on both sides of the box in 8 languages.

Two product pictures along with a graph and the model specifications and features are all printed at the rear of the box.

The power supply unit is placed between two pieces of foam while the modular cables are placed in a storage pouch.

Along with the Rampage GX1050 Pro its power cord and its power cables inside the box you'll also find a screwdriver, case sticker, 4 screws, pair of silicon gloves and the user manual.

THE RAMPAGE GX1050 PRO EXTERIOR

All modular cables are flat copper ones for easier routing and increased airflow levels inside the case.

The Rampage GX1050 Pro measures 160mm in length, 150mm in width and 86mm in height so it's a medium sized model.

An 135mm fan that has the GAMEMAX logo at its center is placed right under a nice looking grille.

Both sides are partially perforated and have the model name printed on them.

As expected, all 11 modular ports located at the front are tagged (the electrical table is placed right beneath them).

At the rear we find the usual perforation together with the on/off power switch and the power port.

THE RAMPAGE GX1050 PRO INTERIOR

Although not much is known about the fan used with the Rampage GX1050 Pro (I've asked GAMEMAX for more details) based on its electrical specifications it's clearly a high-speed model.

The OEM behind the GX-1050 Pro is Sohoo Technology which also happens to be their parent company. As for interior component layout it's actually quite good, however far from perfect.

Instead of using two primary capacitors as with most of its competition the Rampage GX1050 Pro has but a single 1000uF capacitor by nichicon (Japan) which is certified for use up to 105 degrees Celsius.

Secondary capacitors on the other hand (two different models) are manufactured by TEAPO (Taiwan) and are also certified for use up to 105 degrees Celsius.

TEST BED

TESTING METHODOLOGY

     Using a dedicated measurement instrument such as a Chroma or a SunMoon to test power supply units is without doubt the most ideal and accurate way (not to mention the fastest) to do that currently. However, it's certainly not the only way there is and so pretty much anyone can test a power supply unit just by using a test rig. Certainly, limitations do apply and so you can't really push a 1000W power supply to its limits if your system only uses 500W at peak loads and that's why over the years we saved certain hardware components for the purpose of building a dedicated PSU test rig. True it may not be as accurate as the above mentioned solutions, but it comes really close and is in fact much closer to real world usage. So as always, we ran several games with maximum graphic options enabled at a resolution of 2560x1600 in order to stress every hardware component and increase the overall power demands of the system. The Passmark BurnIn Test was also used to overstress the components in an effort to provide the most accurate results possible. As a final test we also used the latest OCCT 4.4 software and its dedicated PSU testing suite since it can really bring a power supply to its knees after inside a few minutes.

   Rail stability was checked/measured with the CPUID Hardware monitor and a Metex multimeter which also recorded the system load in idle and in load. As always try to remember that the power consumption numbers listed in the graph are the highest (Peak) ones recorded during the entire duration of the tests and not the average ones. Noise levels coming from the fan were recorded using the high precision HD600 ExTech Sound dBA Meter from the rear of the unit and at a range of no more than 5-10cm. Readings under load are recorded the exact moment we manually switch the fans of all graphics cards from full speed to almost zero, that way the fan of the power supply does not have enough time to slow its RPM and so by doing this we get very accurate noise level readings. Needless to say, in order to get 100% accurate readings, you need to have a noise isolated room for that exact purpose, something which is quite impossible unless you are working inside a real lab (some people use very small noise insulated boxes but due to their size both heat and noise exceed normal levels and so the results can't really be considered to be 100% accurate, nor realistic for that matter). Also do take into account that since all noise measurements take place from just 5-10cm away the final noise levels to reach your ears will be considerably less.

* After well over 10 years of testing PSUs the Intel Core i7-920 CPU of this rig failed and so we replaced it with a Xeon X5660 (we also swapped the GA-X58A-UD7 for the G1. Assassin).

TEST RESULTS

CONCLUSION

    Whenever a new player like GAMEMAX makes an appearance on the global market to me that’s a very good thing. After all competition always results in better products at lower prices. The main question is whether or not the products introduced are worth your money and well, the Rampage GX1050 Pro certainly does. Granted, it’s a bit rough around the edges (no hybrid fan mode, Taiwanese secondary capacitors and internal layout could be better) but it does deliver very good rail stability even at just over 100% load. The 135mm fan used with the GX1050 Pro is almost inaudible at up to around 300W but by the time it reaches 700W+ it most likely spins at full speed (still, it’s not really louder compared to those used in most similar output power supply units). What about cost, however?

    Right now, the GAMEMAX Rampage GX1050 Pro retails for USD159.99 inside the USA (Amazon.com) and for around 105Euros inside the EU so it’s priced extremely well. Again, it’s may not be the perfect ATX 3.1 & PCIe 5.1 unit and being manufactured by a rather unknown company like Sohoo could drive away some potential buyers but it does produce very good results (at least my sample did) for a very tempting price tag, so the Golden Award is in order.

PROS

- Very Good Rail Stability
- ATX 3.1 & PCIe 5.1
- 80 PLUS Platinum Certified
- 12V2X6 600W Connector
- Single Powerful +12V Rail (87.5A)
- Fully Modular
- Electrical Protections (OVP/SCP/OPP/UVP/OCP/OTP/SIP)
- 10 Year Limited Warranty
- Price (For Some)

CONS

- OEM Manufacturer (Not Established Yet)
- Internal Layout & Taiwanese Secondary Capacitors