Are you looking for an affordable but reliable power supply? We take a look at the new CX600M and see whether this modular PSU is worth your investment.
Product on Review: CX600M
Manufacturer and Sponsor: Corsair
Street Price: £63 (At time of review)
Fundamental to any computer system is the power supply. Without it, hardware simply has no juice but making a brash decision on such a device can be to the enthusiast’s folly. Investing in a quality power supply is a sensible choice when splashing out on a new system and today we will be taking a look at a unit from hardware giants Corsair.
Not everyone has the option to spend hundreds of pounds on a power supply for their system but thankfully Corsair have the entry level CX series to cater for budget conscious system builders and enthusiasts. The unit we will be looking at today is the CX600M, although this product is only 80 Plus Bronze certified it still retains a strong single +12v rail, a quiet 120mm cooling fan and modular characteristics that will satisfy even avid hardware connoisseurs.
Corsair on their CX series
CX Series™ Modular power supply units are an excellent choice for basic system builds and desktop PC computer upgrades, offering high reliability, low noise, easy installation. The flexible modular cabling system lets you use only the cables you need, and 80 PLUS Bronze certified efficiency means less excess heat, lower noise, and lower power bills. The large-diameter, thermally controlled fan makes the CX Series Modular quieter at idle, and the large diameter reduces noise even when you’re pushing your system hard. And, the matte black finish, black-sleeved cables and black connectors help give your system a restrained, high-tech look.
Features & Specifications
Features
• Up to 85% energy efficiency means less heat generation and lower energy bills
• 0.99 Active Power Factor Correction provides clean and reliable power
• A dedicated single +12V rail offers maximum compatibility with the latest components
• Over-voltage and over-power protection, under-voltage protection, and short circuit protection provide maximum safety to your critical system components
• Extra-long fully-sleeved cables support full tower chassis
• ErP Lot 6 Compliant
• A three year warranty and lifetime access to Corsair’s legendary technical support and customer service
• Auto-switching circuitry provides universal AC input from 100V – 240V
• Supports ATX12V 2.3/2.2/2.01 and EPS12V 2.91 standards
• Dimensions: 150mm x 86mm x 140mm
• 0.99 Active Power Factor Correction provides clean and reliable power
• A dedicated single +12V rail offers maximum compatibility with the latest components
• Over-voltage and over-power protection, under-voltage protection, and short circuit protection provide maximum safety to your critical system components
• Extra-long fully-sleeved cables support full tower chassis
• ErP Lot 6 Compliant
• A three year warranty and lifetime access to Corsair’s legendary technical support and customer service
• Auto-switching circuitry provides universal AC input from 100V – 240V
• Supports ATX12V 2.3/2.2/2.01 and EPS12V 2.91 standards
• Dimensions: 150mm x 86mm x 140mm
Specifications
Warranty Three years
Dimensions 5.9 ” x 3.4 ” X 5.5 “
Modular Yes
Power 600 Watts
80 Plus Bronze
ATX Connector 1
EPS Connector 1
PCI-E Connector 2
4 Pin Peripheral Connector 4
SATA Connector 3
Floppy Connector 1
MTBF 100,000 hours
Dimensions 5.9 ” x 3.4 ” X 5.5 “
Modular Yes
Power 600 Watts
80 Plus Bronze
ATX Connector 1
EPS Connector 1
PCI-E Connector 2
4 Pin Peripheral Connector 4
SATA Connector 3
Floppy Connector 1
MTBF 100,000 hours
Packaging, Bundle & Cables
CX600M is presented in a large, attractive cardboard box. Corsair always ensure their packaging is eye-catching and professional, there are certain details on the front which reference the efficiency which is bronze and the warranty which is 3 years.
Inside, the various components are separated via polystyrene padding.
The packaging for CX600M
Included with the power supply are a number of items which include: power cable, modular cables, cable ties/screws and documentation (instructions guide, warranty leaflet).
The included items within the bundle
With CX600M being semi-modular, there are an assortment of cables included which can be interchanged. Included are:
• ATX Connector x 1
• EPS Connector x 1 (2x 4-pin)
• PCI-E Connector x 2 (2x 6+2-pin)
• 4 Pin Peripheral Connector 1 x 4
• SATA Connector 2 x 3
• Floppy Connector x 1
Rather than being braided, the individual wires are insulated, grouped together and are black. This colour helps to coordinate well with other hardware within the system. Due to the materials used, the cables are easy to manipulate, making it easy to maintain good cable management.
Modular cables are included
Individual wires are insulated and black
Closer Look (External)
CX600M is standard ATX PS/2 form factor, measuring 150mm x 86mm x 140mm and featuring a matt black outer shell. Corsair have given CX600M a vibrant label on either side of the unit so that regardless of which orientation you have it, the branding can always be viewable.
There are a number of cables hard-wired to the unit which include: 24-pin ATX power and CPU power (2x 4-pin) cables.
An impressive looking unit
CX600M uses a Yate Loon D12SM-12 – a 120mm cooling fan capable of up to 1650RPM. This fan has an accompanying grill and metallic Corsair badge.
120mm Yate Loon cooling fan is used
Due to CX600M being semi-modular, there are some ports on the unit to supply power to such devices as hard drives and graphics cards. There are three ports for SATA/Molex and one port for PCI-E. All of the ports and connectors have locking mechanisms to ensure cables do not simply fall out.
The modular panel on CX600M
Lastly, as is customary for PSUs, the CX600M has a specifications label which details the ampage and load values along with the standards and certifications. CX600M features a single +12v rail which delivers 46A and 552W.
The specifications label, detailing power delivery
Closer Look (Internal)
Corsair are keen to demonstrate that they engineer their own power supplies as opposed to just taking an OEM and slapping on a badge. Here is what Corsair have to say about the componentry inside CX600M:
• Non-standard PCB layout (i.e. not stock DSAII PCB)
• We use a different PFC/PWM controller IC that gives us better standby efficiency. CXM passes ErP 2013, while the base DSA II only passes ErP 2010.
• We use four FETs for the +12V regulation as opposed to just two in the base platform. This provides lower temperatures, longer life, better efficiency at higher loads, and better voltage regulation.
• We source and use higher-quality transformers that are higher capacity and higher efficiency.
• We have a Japanese bulk capacitor as opposed to Taiwanese.
• We use a different PFC/PWM controller IC that gives us better standby efficiency. CXM passes ErP 2013, while the base DSA II only passes ErP 2010.
• We use four FETs for the +12V regulation as opposed to just two in the base platform. This provides lower temperatures, longer life, better efficiency at higher loads, and better voltage regulation.
• We source and use higher-quality transformers that are higher capacity and higher efficiency.
• We have a Japanese bulk capacitor as opposed to Taiwanese.
An overview of the inside of CX600M
As we previously mentioned, Corsair have used the seven-blade Yate Loon D12SM-12. This fan is 120mm and capable of up to 1650RPM.
Yate Loon D12SM-12 is used inside CX600M
Testing Methodologies & Results
Our testing methodology for testing Power Supply Units is limited to the multi-meter to show each rail’s performance due to us not having access to an ATE load tester.
Although this does constrain us slightly we can still monitor fluctuations on the rails and give the unit a good assessment when we feature it in one of our builds. The way the testing will run is simple, voltages will be observed at idle wattage and then a single GPU will be installed within the system and a combination of OCCT and MSI Kombustor will be executed to provide simulation with just 1 GPU. This will be run for 10 minutes. The CPU will also be overclocked to maximise power consumption and strain. This should give us a good indication of how CX600M will perform under gaming stresses and beyond. (An additional GPU would take the unit close to 700W)
NOTE: AC power draw is recorded.
System Components
CPU Intel Core i7 3570K (with OC 4.5GHz)
Motherboard MSI Z77A-GD65
Graphics NVIDIA GTX 480
Memory 8GB Corsair Vengeance 2133MHz CL10
HDD 1x Kingston HyperX SSD 240GB
PSU Corsair CX600M
Motherboard MSI Z77A-GD65
Graphics NVIDIA GTX 480
Memory 8GB Corsair Vengeance 2133MHz CL10
HDD 1x Kingston HyperX SSD 240GB
PSU Corsair CX600M
As I mentioned there is no ATE load tester available so generating as much power as possible is key to observing the fluctuations on the rails.
For voltage tolerance levels, ATX specify that a 5% variable fluctuation is acceptable. (Form Factors – ATX Specification PDF – Page 10). So what this means is:
3.3V Rail – 3.135V – 3.465V acceptable
5V Rail – 4.75V – 5.25V acceptable
12V Rail – 11.4V – 12.6V acceptable
Idle test – The system settles in windows without any applications or stressing. 1 GPU (165W)
Single GPU – OCCT/MSI Kombustor run for 10 minutes (382W)
Conclusion
The power supply is the most overlooked component for first-time system builders. Scrimping on such a device can leave you with short or even long-term problems, opting for a no-frills brand can result in component fail too, should the PSU fry. Always invest in a quality, reputable brand for power supplies.
We’re pleased to say that Corsair are a brand that enthusiasts and system builders can rely upon. The CX600M and other units that Corsair supply, come with a variety of protection features to prevent such occurrences as overheating and overvoltage.
CX600M has attractive aesthetics, even the cables are adorned in such a way to assist with concealment. We found cable management easy to maintain due to the materials used and are malleable and therefore easy to route in and around the motherboard tray.
Under 65% AC load we found the unit quiet during such operation, in fact one of the quietest PSUs we have had the pleasure of using. CX600M also comes with a 3 year warranty which is sure to be great selling point.
Priced at just £63 the CX600M is a very affordable option for enthusiasts and system builders wanting to configure a single GPU based system with plenty of drives and even an overclock.
CX600M is one of the quietest PSUs we have taken a look at and our experience with it is reveals a great option for enthusiasts and system builders who are on a tight budget but still demand great cable management features.
Pros
+ Looks great
+ Easy to maintain cable management
+ Easy to conceal cables
+ Quiet under load
+ 3 year warranty
+ Great value for money
Cons
– There are none
+ Looks great
+ Easy to maintain cable management
+ Easy to conceal cables
+ Quiet under load
+ 3 year warranty
+ Great value for money
Cons
– There are none
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