Corsair HX620 by Madshrimps

[CAD4466HK]

It's about time they got around to reviewing this beauty:)
One thing that gets me is, Liquid3D claims it's noisy at "full load":p
How would he know?
It's not like he even threw close to 600w at it:p
http://www.madshrimps.be/?action=getarticle&number=1&artpage=2108&articID=510

[krampak]

I even touch the 400W line (it was drawing about 390W) with my X1800XT CrossFire and C2C@1.45V, I think they are far away from the 600W too. I didn't found it noisy with that load, much more quiet than many other PSU's... some even at idle.

[CAD4466HK]

I even touch the 400W line (it was drawing about 390W) with my X1800XT CrossFire and C2C@1.45V, I think they are far away from the 600W too. I didn't found it noisy with that load, much more quiet than many other PSU's... some even at idle.

I agree, I've heard the Corsairs in action, or rather I didn't hear them:p

[jmke]

hey guys, I'm the editor of that piece at madshrimps.be. I re-read the words written down by Keith (L3D) concerning the noise production; the test data doesn't support the "loud at full load" statement, a ~3dBA increase is only very slightly noticeable.

now the conclusion in the review matches the test results. :)

[jonnyGURU]

hey guys, I'm the editor of that piece at madshrimps.be.

You're not John Meys! I've met John Meys and you look nothing like him!

;)

I believe the fan ramps up at 35C and then again to maximum RPM at 40C (ambient exhaust air temp, not thermistor-on-heatsink temp.) So no matter what the load, if it's hot in the PC the unit was installed in, it might ramp up as soon as 300W. I liked how mine spun back down very quickly once the load was lightened up.

Keith doesn't have a thermometer?

[jmke]

where did I meet you? :cool:

afaik he's got a thermometer (a few of them at least), but no constant setup in a case to get higher temps out of them; the PSU was tested outside a setup also as far as I know.

Huge respect for your testing work btw, it's the best load testing seen, only thing missing to make it compete with SilentPCReview is noise readings in detail per load level; how much can you get a dBA meter for? I saw one at ebay for ~€100 incl shipping

[jonnyGURU]

where did I meet you? :cool:

afaik he's got a thermometer (a few of them at least), but no constant setup in a case to get higher temps out of them; the PSU was tested outside a setup also as far as I know.

Huge respect for your testing work btw, it's the best load testing seen, only thing missing to make it compete with SilentPCReview is noise readings in detail per load level; how much can you get a dBA meter for? I saw one at ebay for ~€100 incl shipping

Doesn't matter if I spent a gazillion € on a meter. The load tester is too loud for any meter to isolate PSU noise from ambient noise.

[jmke]

ow, didn't know that, the load tester has exhaust fans blowing off quite a bit of heat I suspect? :)
SPCR swapped out the fans in their load tester and undervolted them; if I remember correctly

[GalvanizedYankee]

ow, didn't know that, the load tester has exhaust fans blowing off quite a bit of heat I suspect? :)
SPCR swapped out the fans in their load tester and undervolted them; if I remember correctly

This ^ sounds:p like something SPCR would do :lol: Let's put form way before function *sarcasm*
Undercooling hard working PSUs is another goodie SPCR pushes. Ask Antec how that has worked out.

Seriously, welcome to this neck of the woods jmke :) The heat sink review thread needs re-stickied over at Anand's. I'll PM a Mod over there and see what happens.

Can or will you post the full text of the Edward Chang interview that was offer in the Mega PSU review you guys did last year? I would really like to read what this EE for Zippy/Emacs had to say.

[jmke]

Hi GY,

well John Cook (jnav89gt @ madshrimps (dot) be) talked to him at a convention; the text he has written in the PSU roundup is basically all I have regarding the interview.


Similar to its little cousin, the PSL-6701P has only one rear exhaust fan. When I asked Edward Chang about this he sent me some interesting literature/data.

"Some power supplies boast to have two, even three fans and are claiming two/three are better than one. The truth is, in order to maintain same mechanical dimension, low end power supply downsize high value key components, like heat sink, capacitor, transformer and etc to render room for a low cost (around $1.00) sleeve or no name ball bearing fan. When any of these low end fans failed, smaller heatsink can not handle the fast rising heat, the very next thing you will notice is a smoking power supply! Heavy duty, high end power supplies have passed rigid thermal certification within specified working temperature range with ONE industrial grade ball bearing fan. When one is enough, why two? In addition, most motherboard and CPU manufacturers suggest adding case fan to help system cooling. The additional power supply fan actually interferes with normal chassis thermal design."


off-topic (or not?); I've been running my HSF test rig with a passively cooled 300W PSU from Silverstone; there's a S775 Prescott in there now at 3.6Ghz.. the PSU gets warm.. but not too hot to touch; one single 120mm@5v takes care of case cooling

http://www.madshrimps.be/?action=getarticle&number=3&artpage=1159&articID=281