I could write another boring intro about how today’s computers require more power than ever before, many enthusiasts are now running multiple video cards, and how a good PSU is one of the most critical components of your computer system. You already know all of that.
Corsair has been known among PC enthusiasts as one of the best suppliers of high performance memory products for many years. Many companies are starting to broaden their product lines to include their own brands of power supplies, cases, and other equipment. To this end, Corsair has partnered with Seasonic (also known for their quality power supply units since the 1980s) to deliver a quality computer power supply with the Corsair name behind it, the HX620.
The fact is that the Corsair HX620W power supply should appeal to most PC enthusiasts, as it delivers more than enough power, even with SLI setups that require hundreds of watts of electricity. Add into the mix that this unit boasts greater than 80% efficiency, a five-year warranty, a quiet modular design and you’ll find one interested geek.
Features & Specifications
The Corsair HX620W/HX520W power supply is versatile and robust. Utilizing superior triple +12V power rails and a whisper quiet double ball-bearing 120mm fan, the HX620W/HX520W is ready for today’s most power hungry components. The HX620W/HX520W conforms to the latest ATX12V 2.2/EPS12V 2.91 and RoHS standards, and delivers unparalleled continuous power to all of your critical system components reliably and safely.
- Supports the latest ATX12V v2.2 and EPS12V 2.91 standards and is backwards compatible with ATX12V 2.01 systems.
- Guaranteed compatibility with dual-GPU configurations.
- Double forward switching circuitry design offers high efficiency, up to 80% under wide load range.
- Active Power Factor Correction with PF value=0.99 provides clean and reliable power to your system.
- Universal AC input 90~264V automatically scans and detects the correct voltage. No more hassle of flipping that tiny red switch!
- Ultra quiet 120mm double ball-bearing fan delivers excellent airflow at an exceptionally low noise level by varying the RPM in response to temperature.
- Guaranteed to deliver rated specifications at 50ºC.
- Triple 12V Rails provide independent reliable power to the CPU, video card and other components with a combined rating of 50A (40A on 520W) maximum! Advanced circuitry design that automatically enables power sharing between the triple +12V rails in an event of overload on any single +12V rail.
- Powerful +5Vsb rail with 3A rating.
- Over Current/Voltage/Power Protection, Under Voltage Protection, and Short Circuit Protection provide maximum safety for your critical system components.
- 105ºC rated industrial grade capacitors provide uncompromised performance and reliability, delivering 4 times the lifespan of conventional 85ºC rated capacitors.
- Enhanced modular flexible cables enable easier cable routing and increased airflow in the system.
- Gold Plated connectors provide oxide free ultra low-resistance contact between the power supply and your critical components.
- 8 Serial ATA connectors (4 on 520W).
- Dimension: 5.9″(W) x 3.4″(H) X 5.9″(L)
150mm(W) x 86mm(H) x 150mm(L) - MTBF: 100,000 Hours
- Safety Approvals: UL, CUL, CE, CB, FCC Class B, TÜV, CCC, C-tick.
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Corsair has engineered the HX series to support the most demanding computer systems, and is nVidia SLI certified. It should be ideal for high performance gaming PCs, Audio/Video workstations, Media Center PCs and file servers.
The box has alot of information about the power supply, including a proud 5-year warranty badge. Corsair is obviously confident enough in their product to deliver one of the most robust warranties in the industry. Also listed on the box are several certifications, such as nVidia’s “SLI Certifictaion”, but nVidia’s site only lists this power supply for the 7900GTX cards, but a pair of 8800s should be just fine.
Included within the box is the unit itself, a vinyl velcro bag of modular cables, a standard power cable, some zip ties, and a paper manual. The included documentation does not detail which 12v rail feeds which connectors, as it appears that all 12v lines behave as a single 12v unit. Most power supplies of this rating would not have most of their 12v capacity on a single rail, as this unit does. There also is no mention of load regulation, line regulation and ripple values, so they are assumed to be within the industry’s ATX12v specification.
There are plenty of Molex and SATA connections included in the bag. Thankfully, the 4-pin P4/AUX connector and 8-pin EPS connector are seperate cables, rather than being tethered to each other as other power supplies have implemented.
The cables are made from 16 gauge wire, which isn’t the thickest wire used on power supplies, but should be adequate to reliably power all devices at full load. The cables are stylishly coated with black plastic, and are flat. The terminating end of the cables are a proprietary connector with supporting clip, so the modular cables should not accidentally come loose. The main motherboard cable is not modular, however, and is rounded and encased in black mesh.
The metal case is a powder-coated flat black color, and looks very industrial. The thick case is very resistant to damage and fingerprints, unlike the mirrored finishes used by flasier units. The cables are all flat-ribon style (except for its main motherboard connector), similar to Ultra’s FlexForce cables, which maximizes airflow and makes routing the cables inside your case much easier.
The HX620W power supply uses a single 120mm fan to cool the internal components. This large fan has the ability to move a larger volume of air at slower speeds than a smaller diameter fan, so this unit should be quiet enough for even home theater applications. Additionally, the fan does not feature and LEDs, so there will be no cheesy glow that appears from the back of your appliance.
The main ATX 20+4pin cable (and 8-pin EPS and 4-pin 12v AUX) are not modular and are fixed directly to the unit. They are sleeved in black mesh and measure 22 inches long, so they should be adequate for even full tower cases.
- 2×31.5in (800mm) 4-pin Molex
- 2×17.71in (450mm) Molex
- 2×21.65in (550mm) 6pin PCI Express
- 2×31.5in (800mm) SATA
- 1×25.59in (650mm) SATA
A Look Inside
The top of the PSU cage is removed by removing the four screws that secure it. The inside of the unit looks very similar to Seasonic’s other designs, as they have rather unique heatsinks. Seasonic’s distinct heatsink design provides great surface area for heat dissipation. The large cooling element is a sinle large ADDA fan, which is rated at 0.37A and 12v and can provide 85CFM of airflow.
There is a single large capacitor at the center of the HX620W, supplies by Nippon Chemicon. It is a 470uF 400V capacitor and is rated at 105c. Nippon Chemicon is a respectible electronics brand, so these internal electronics are of good quality, but are not the most elite components available. The cables are bundled well and protected from sharp edges with a hard plastic guard.
There are also three 12v “rails” at the solder points, but it appears that this unit operates as a single rail. The Over-Current Protection is not set on the rails to limit them to 18A as advertised, and therefore the seperate rails operate as one.
Overall, the internal build quality is very impressive, as the components are neatly installed, cables are soldered professionaly, and even the heatsinks are very robust.
To test this robust power supply, we ran several tests at typical loat levels with our load tester: one at 25% load (155 watts), one at 50% load (310 watts), and one at full load (620 watts). The 50% load mark is the most likely load scenario that most users will run into with typical computer equipment. A full load scenario is only likely if a user is running an 8800 SLI setup with dual-core CPU with watercooling (and possibly a peltier). Users with extreme hardware might want to consider a 1000W PSU, as there would be more power overhead for your growing needs.
Corsair HX620W Load Performance
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The Corsair HX620W power supply is very stable across every load level, even under extreme stress. All rails are very stable and are almost on target with their intended voltage. All of the rails varied less than 1%, although the 5V rail dipped into a 2% variance at extreme load. Since you will probably not be running this unit at full load all the time, then it is safe to say that this unit delivers extremely stable power with less than 1% variance. If you actually approach the maximum limit of this unit on a consistent basis, then you should be looking for a good 1000W power supply.
The thermal exhaust wasn’t out of control, and only raised slightly from light to full load, indicating that the quiet 120mm fan does an adequate job, and the internal components are not stressed. This unit also delivers greater than 80% efficiency, even at full load, which is a testament to the quality of this unit.
The fan was checked to verify that it was still working because it was so quiet. Even running at full load, it was impossible to hear the HX620W, so it is perfect for a home theater installation or any other quiet computing environment.
The Corsair HX620W Power Supply delivered very good performance results, with stable voltage rails that were mostly on target and varied less than 1% (although the 5V rail dipped to 2% at full load). The HX620W delivers excellent efficiency, maintaining over 80% even at high load levels. The unit is also rather quiet and offers excellent cooling with its 120mm fan, even under demanding pressure. The build quality of the unit is also excellent, and its flat modular cable design makes installation easy.
The unit is also priced rather well, especially considering the quality you get. 620 Watts of power is more than adequate for a gamer’s SLI setup, and doesn’t cost as much as the expensive 1000W units available today. It is very easy to recommend the Corsair HX620W power supply, as it is more stable than most other power supplies, including some of the more expensive 1000W units.
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