(Image credit: Tom's Hardware) (Image credit: Tom's Hardware) The rear panel houses the standard on/off switch adjacent to the AC receptacle. The front accommodates modular cable connectors with subtle white legends printed alongside each position. Notably, Be Quiet! clearly marks the 12V-2×6 connector's 450W limitation, preventing confusion about power delivery capabilities. With a total sustained output of just 650W, this unit is definitely not designed to power a top-tier graphics card.
(Image credit: Tom's Hardware) (Image credit: Tom's Hardware) Internal Design The cooling solution employs a Be Quiet! QF2-12025-MS 120mm fan featuring a rifle bearing engine. While rifle bearings represent an advancement over basic sleeve designs through enhanced lubrication and structural improvements, they typically exhibit shorter operational lifespans compared to fluid dynamic bearing or ball bearing alternatives. The 10-year warranty mitigates concerns about premature failure.
The platform employs established but modern topologies, emphasizing on reliability and cost effectiveness. Input filtering incorporates four Y capacitors, two X capacitors, and two filtering inductors at the AC receptacle entry point. Two rectifying bridges occupy a dedicated heatsink immediately following the filtration stage, providing adequate thermal management for the rectification components.
The APFC circuitry features two Toshiba TK20A60W MOSFETs and one diode on a substantial heatsink spanning the PCB edge. One filtering inductor and two Elite capacitors (330 μF and 270 μF) complete the APFC components. These Elite capacitors represent the first indicator of cost optimization in component selection.
The primary stage utilizes a half-bridge LLC resonant converter topology with two STM 24N60DM2 MOSFETs mounted on the same heatsink as the APFC components. This configuration has become standard in modern mid-range units, offering good efficiency characteristics. The heatsink dimensions provide ample thermal dissipation area, contributing to strong thermal performance.
(Image credit: Tom's Hardware) (Image credit: Tom's Hardware) Four MOSFETs generate the 12V rail through synchronous rectification, with small PCB-mounted heatsinks providing cooling. DC-to-DC conversion circuits on an additional daughterboard produce the 3.3V and 5V rails.
Secondary side capacitors consist primarily of Elite units, with just one Rubycon capacitor present. Elite typically appears in lower-tier products, rarely in units carrying extensive warranties. This component choice contrasts with the otherwise premium design and raises questions about long-term reliability despite the company’s confidence indicated by the warranty period.
For the testing of PSUs, we are using high precision electronic loads with a maximum power draw of 2700 Watts, a Rigol DS5042M 40 MHz oscilloscope, an Extech 380803 power analyzer, two high precision UNI-T UT-325 digital thermometers, an Extech HD600 SPL meter, a self-designed hotbox and various other bits and parts.
(Image credit: Tom's Hardware) (Image credit: Tom's Hardware) (Image credit: Tom's Hardware) (Image credit: Tom's Hardware) (Image credit: Tom's Hardware) The Pure Power 13 M 650W achieves remarkable electrical conversion efficiency despite the Gold certification badges on its box. With 115 VAC input, the unit demonstrates 91.2% average efficiency across the nominal load range (20% to 100% capacity). This figure increases to 93.3% with 230 VAC input. Peak efficiency occurs near 50% load, reaching approximately 94% with 230 VAC input. These figures comfortably exceed 80Plus Platinum requirements and approach Titanium-level performance, making the Gold certification a curious understatement. It actually does have a Platinum certification from both Cybenetics and CLEAResult. Be Quiet! likely chose conservative marketing to position this unit below their Straight Power series, avoiding internal product cannibalization.
The semi-passive cooling mode keeps the fan stationary until load exceeds approximately 200W. Once operational, the fan maintains extremely low speeds across most of the load range. This design choice prioritizes acoustic performance during typical operating conditions. Beyond 600W, fan speed increases very sharply but not to its top speed. Internal temperatures remain remarkably low throughout testing.
Elevated ambient temperature testing reveals measurable but passable efficiency degradation. Even though the unit is technically rated for operation up to 40°C, it effortlessly delivers its full output while maintaining commendable performance levels. The efficiency drops by about 1% evenly across the load range, without any signs of significant thermal stress. This thermal headroom demonstrates robust component selection and effective heatsink design.
(Image credit: Tom's Hardware) (Image credit: Tom's Hardware) (Image credit: Tom's Hardware) (Image credit: Tom's Hardware) (Image credit: Tom's Hardware) The semi-passive mode activates more readily under elevated temperatures, with the fan engaging right after the load exceeds 100W. Despite earlier activation, fan speed remains subdued until load reaches approximately 90% of capacity. At this threshold, the thermal control circuit prioritizes reliability over acoustics, commanding maximum fan speed. This transition is very aggressive, suggesting that the unit it programmed to prioritize component protection over consistent acoustic performance when stressed. The internal temperatures remain relatively low even at maximum output, well below the point where over-temperature protection would engage.
The electrical performance demonstrates competitive characteristics within its segment. Voltage regulation maintains tight tolerances, with the 12V rail exhibiting approximately 1% variance. The 3.3V and 5V rails demonstrate even tighter regulation at 1.5% and 1.6% respectively. This precision is rather typical performance for Gold-certified units but not bad compared to more premium Platinum-certified products either. Ripple suppression achieves outstanding results. The 12V rail exhibits maximum ripple of 30 mV, while the 5V and 3.3V rails measure 20 mV maximum. These figures are way below the ATX specification limits, demonstrating exceptional filtering capabilities.
During our routine evaluation, we examine the fundamental protection features of all power supply units we review, including Over Current Protection (OCP), Over Voltage Protection (OVP), Over Power Protection (OPP), and Short Circuit Protection (SCP). The 3.3V and 5V rails trigger OCP at 146% and 142% of maximum current respectively – a bit high but not unnaturally so for a modern PSU. The 12V rail OCP activates at 120%, a bit sharp for an ATX 3.1 unit. The OPP permits sustained operation up to 128% of nominal capacity before shutdown, offering substantial headroom for transient loads.
The Pure Power 13 M 650W occupies an interesting position in the power supply market. FSP's platform delivers very solid performance through mature design choices rather than innovative approaches. This conservative strategy ensures reliability while potentially limiting competitive differentiation beyond the core specifications.
The construction quality meets expectations for a unit carrying a 10-year warranty from an experienced OEM. FSP's in-house manufacturing and quality control processes provide consistency that contract manufacturing arrangements often struggle to match. The electrical characteristics consistently exceed its Gold-level markings substantially, with efficiency and power quality reaching Platinum-tier performance. The ripple suppression achieves exemplary results, delivering cleaner power than many higher-certified competitors.
The component selection presents the primary concern. While active components utilize quality silicon from reputable manufacturers, the reliance on Elite capacitors for bulk filtering raises questions about long-term stability. Elite is an established manufacturer and has been around for decades but we rarely see their products in top-tier products. The company’s willingness to back this design with a decade warranty suggests confidence in the platform's longevity despite the unconventional capacitor choice.
Thermal and acoustic performance delivers great results, with a hint of paranoid overreaction when heavily stressed. The semi-passive mode provides excellent silence during light loads, aligning with Be Quiet!'s brand philosophy. However, the aggressive thermal management above 90% load creates noticeable noise as the control circuit prioritizes component protection. This design choice favors reliability over consistent acoustic refinement, a reasonable engineering decision that nevertheless creates a slight contradiction with the company's quiet-focused branding.
The pricing represents the most significant consideration. At approximately $100 retail, this Gold-certified unit commands a premium compared to competitors with identical certification. However, when evaluated against Platinum-certified alternatives with similar specifications, the value proposition becomes more compelling. The 10-year warranty, ATX 3.1 compliance, and genuine Platinum-level efficiency provide tangible benefits that justify the price premium for users prioritizing long-term reliability over initial cost savings.
The Pure Power 13 M 650W targets a specific audience. Budget-focused builders seeking minimum cost for adequate Gold certification will find better value elsewhere. Conversely, enthusiasts and professionals valuing balanced performance, comprehensive compatibility, and warranty-backed reliability will appreciate the investment. The ATX 3.1 compliance ensures compatibility with current and future mainstream graphics cards, providing partial protection against obsolescence. The only setback is the high retail price but, considering this should be compared to Platinum-level products when reaching the shopping cart, the Pure Power 13 M 650W is a great investment for those seeking a premium unit at this power range.
Dr. E. Fylladitakis has been passionate about PCs since the 8088 era, beginning his PC gaming journey with classics like Metal Mutant and Battle Chess. Not long after, he built his first PC, a 486, and has been an enthusiast ever since. In the early 2000\u2019s, he delved deeply into overclocking Duron and Pentium 4 processors, liquid cooling, and phase-change cooling technologies. While he has an extensive and broad engineering education, Dr. Fylladitakis specializes in electrical and energy engineering, with numerous articles published in scientific journals, some contributing to novel cooling technologies and power electronics. He has been a hardware reviewer at AnandTech for nearly a decade. Outside of his professional pursuits, he enjoys immersing himself in a good philosophy book and unwinding through PC games. ","collapsible":{"enabled":true,"maxHeight":250,"readMoreText":"Read more","readLessText":"Read less"}}), "https://slice.vanilla.futurecdn.net/13-4-11/js/authorBio.js"); } else { console.error('%c FTE ','background: #9306F9; color: #ffffff','no lazy slice hydration function available'); } E. Fylladitakis Contributing Editor Dr. E. Fylladitakis has been passionate about PCs since the 8088 era, beginning his PC gaming journey with classics like Metal Mutant and Battle Chess. Not long after, he built his first PC, a 486, and has been an enthusiast ever since. In the early 2000’s, he delved deeply into overclocking Duron and Pentium 4 processors, liquid cooling, and phase-change cooling technologies. While he has an extensive and broad engineering education, Dr. Fylladitakis specializes in electrical and energy engineering, with numerous articles published in scientific journals, some contributing to novel cooling technologies and power electronics. He has been a hardware reviewer at AnandTech for nearly a decade. Outside of his professional pursuits, he enjoys immersing himself in a good philosophy book and unwinding through PC games.
TechieTwo They always need to cut corners for a lowball price. IMO capaitors is not a particularly good place to cut. In addition depending on how good the 10 year warranty acutally is, a PC user could be dead in the water for days or weeks waiting on a replacement PSU if there is a failure. You pay your money and take your chances I guess. Reply
abufrejoval Too bad, Noctua doesn't do PSUs… beQuiet has always been second best and ever since PCs needed cooling (my first CPU with a fan was a Pentium Overdrive with a tiny clip-on fan), I've been dreading fan failure and a smoked PC. Of course I wasn't logical about that, since PC PSUs, including the very first IBM PC, always had fans, indeed they were the only constantly moving parts, quite contrary to say an Apppe ] Reply
Penzi “Thermal and acoustic performance delivers great results, with a hint of. The…” What I notice is that an inordinate amount of content on Tom’s has such errors. There are others. And they’re all symptoms of the early internet destruction of editors as a class. C’mon y’all, up yer game! Reply
wakuwaku Penzi said: “Thermal and acoustic performance delivers great results, with a hint of. The…” What I notice is that an inordinate amount of content on Tom’s has such errors. There are others. And they’re all symptoms of the early internet destruction of editors as a class. C’mon y’all, up yer game! We are way past the era of any staff reading comments on written pieces. The only to get noticed is to up your own game so that someone will press the report button and get a moderator to read your post. Sure your post might get you suspended or outright banned, and your post will at least be edited or at worse be deleted. But at least you hope the mod notices that your complaint is legit and will notify their bosses so that someone can tell the "writers/editors/AI?" off. Reply
Key considerations
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Reference reading
- https://www.tomshardware.com/pc-components/power-supplies/SPONSORED_LINK_URL
- https://www.tomshardware.com/pc-components/power-supplies/be-quiet-pure-power-13-m-650w-power-supply-review-balanced-performance-and-reliability#main
- https://www.tomshardware.com
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Informational only. No financial advice. Do your own research.