NZXT clung to the bases when it comes to the C650, providing only four mounting screws, some modular cables, and an AC power cable along with the PSU. However, modular cables get into a simple purple bag, so that they can be contained. Otherwise, there are no cable straps, cable ties or other accessories of any kind.
The PSU NZXT C650 is a fully modular design, meaning there are no cables connected to the chassis. All cables are made with all black cables and black connectors. SATA and Molex cables are “flat” cables, with exposed cables joining together, while ATX PCI Express, CPU and 24-pin cables have nylon coils that cover the cables.
The NZXT C650 relies on a 120mm fan for your cooling needs, which is the largest fan that could fit inside the frame. It uses a simple 120 mm black fan produced by Hong Hua, a well-known but not very popular manufacturer. In fact, these fans are not even used by many OEMs, instantly alluding to the OEM behind the creation of the C650. The HA1225H12F-Z has a dynamic fluid bearing motor (FDB) and can be annoyingly strong at its top speed of 2200 rpm, although we expect it will almost never reach such speeds under normal operating conditions.
The secondary lateral conversion phase is also simplistic, with only a pair of MOSFETs generating a single 12V line. All other voltage lines are generated from DC to DC converters mounted on a secondary secondary board. All secondary capacitors, electrolytic and polymer, are supplied by Nippon Chemi-Con and Rubycon, making the C650 an entirely Japanese material.
The filtering phase starts on a small pcb on the back of the AC cable container and continues on the main PCB. It is a reference design consisting of four Y capacitors, two X capacitors, two filter inductors and a MOV surge suppressor. There are two bridge straighteners that share a single heatsink, which is rare for a unit with such modest power. The apfc main capacitor is a 400V /470oF electrolyte capacitor produced by Hitachi and is supported by a sizable coil.
NZXT designed the C650 to land at the weak end of price and performance , offering excellent performance while remaining competitively priced, with an eye to enticing enthusiasts who want to buy an advanced PSU without breaking the bank. It’s a great place for buyers, but it can be difficult for manufacturers to compete, especially with the more advanced PSU prices falling with each passing day.
With its all-black chassis and cables, the NZXT C650 is an aesthetically neutral product, designed to subtly fit any modern PC system. It doesn’t have lighting, which is a good thing for users who really want to prevent PSU from becoming the center of attention. Although NZXT is a company that likes to make visually extravagant products, it seems they preferred to maintain the attitude – and cost – in this case.
Excellent quality is the strongest strength of the NZXT C650. It is a power supply based on a Seasonic platform, perhaps the most reliable OEM PC PSU, and also turns out to be a platform that was originally developed with long-term reliability in mind. The platform is designed to be efficient with as little stress as possible on the parts, while the parts are all high-quality products provided by reliable manufacturers. No wonder NZXT supports this unit with a 10-year warranty: it’s a product that, most importantly, is designed to last.
The performance of the NZXT C650 is overall very good, with the designer clearly focusing on the power quality of the 12V line given the excellent figures we measured from the 12V guide. The 3.3V and 5V rail readings weren’t that good, although this isn’t unique to NZXT, as most manufacturers tend to overlook secondary voltage lines just a bit in favor of the 12V main line. The thermal performance and acoustics of the C650 were also well balanced, creating a PSU that is silent when expected and cold enough not to struggle to maintain that calm nature. Photo: NZXT
As a result, the NZXT C650 is a great PSU in general, with NZXT making the right decision to focus on quality and longevity. The price of $110 on the PSU is a bit bold for an 80Plus Gold unit and its current availability is quite limited – presumably due to shipping backups released by COVID – is challenging the product’s market potential. However, we believe that the C650’s very high quality and estimated longevity will attract a significant proportion of advanced and enthusiastic users, who like to buy products that will last them for many years.
| Dimensions | L: 150mm W: 150mm H: 86mm |
| Material(s) | Steel, PCB and plastic |
| Compliance Standard | ATX12V v2.4 / EPS12V v2.92 |
| PF Correction | Active@0.99 |
| AC Input Rating | 100-240Vac, 9-4.5A, 50-60Hz |
| DC Output Rating |  |
| Fan Specs | Dimensions: W: 120mm H: 120mm D: 25mm Speed: 0-2,200 + 220 RPM Airflow: 73.9 CFM Noise: 32.3 dBA Bearing: FDB (Fluid Dynamic Bearing) |
| Hazardous Materials | RoHS & China RoHS |
| Energy Efficiency | 80 Plus Gold 20% loading: 87%, 50% loading: 90%, 100% loading: 87% @115Vac |
| Operation Temperature | 0 to 50°C |
| Regulations & Certifications (EMC & Safety) | CB / CE / FCC / TUV / cTUV-SUDus / China CCC / Taiwan BSMI / Australia RCM / EAC |
| MTBF | 100,000 hours |
| Output Connector(s) | 1 x 24-pin ATX power 2 x 4+4-pin CPU power 4 x PCIe (6+2 pin) 8 x SATA 6 x Peripherals |
| Included Cables | 1 x 24-pin ATX power (length: 610 mm, Nylon sleeving) 2 x 4+4-pin CPU power (length: 650 mm, Nylon sleeving) 2 x PCIe (6+2 pin) (length: 675 +75 mm, Nylon sleeving) 2 x SATA (length: 500 + 100 +100 +100 mm) 2 x Peripherals (length: 500 + 100 +100 mm) |
| Warranty | 10 years |