Corsair CX series PSU

[CJ Chua]

From the day that I got into PC parts and all, everyone said that "OMFG why CX PSU holy shit they're bad" and all kinds of things going on, why is it bad? I've been searching on the web why but that kind of language is too hard to understand as I'm not really into PSU thing. 

[Dabombinable]

2 minutes ago, CJ Chua said:

From the day that I got into PC parts and all, everyone said that "OMFG why CX PSU holy shit they're bad" and all kinds of things going on, why is it bad? I've been searching on the web why but that kind of language is too hard to understand as I'm not really into PSU thing. 

Bad coil whine in most of them, low build quality, most shut down at around 30^oC....

[CJ Chua]

Just now, Dabombinable said:

Bad coil whine in most of them, low build quality, most shut down at around 30^oC....

What's the difference between good coil and bad coil? Conduct heat?

[PCGuy_5960]

1 minute ago, Dabombinable said:

Bad coil whine in most of them, low build quality, most shut down at around 30^oC....

I have heard that the new CX PSUs with white labels are not terrible.... But OP try to avoid them...

[PCGuy_5960]

6 minutes ago, CJ Chua said:

What's the difference between good coil and bad coil? Conduct heat?

Coil whine is bad, because it's an annoying sound made by electronics... Look it up

It has nothing to do with conducting heat

[CJ Chua]

10 minutes ago, PCGuy_5960 said:

Coil whine is bad, because it's an annoying sound made by electronics... Look it up

It has nothing to do with conducting heat

When it's overheat, just like the second comment said, it'll shut down. It means it'll overheat and then instant PC dead?

[CJ Chua]

Also you can say, PSU fried itself 

[PCGuy_5960]

12 minutes ago, CJ Chua said:

When it's overheat, just like the second comment said, it'll shut down. It means it'll overheat and then instant PC dead?

No, it means that it will shut down until it cools down... Then you will be able to turn your computer on again

[CJ Chua]

12 minutes ago, PCGuy_5960 said:

No, it means that it will shut down until it cools down... Then you will be able to turn your computer on again

It's like overheat right? I got the meaning 

 

[ObilvionNizer]

1 hour ago, CJ Chua said:

From the day that I got into PC parts and all, everyone said that "OMFG why CX PSU holy shit they're bad" and all kinds of things going on, why is it bad? I've been searching on the web why but that kind of language is too hard to understand as I'm not really into PSU thing. 

I don't understand why people say CX PSUs are bad either. I have been using the CX600M for over 2 years and have had no issues. 

[PCGuy_5960]

26 minutes ago, deansmylie1993 said:

I don't understand why people say CX PSUs are bad either. I have been using the CX600M for over 2 years and have had no issues. 

with a 4670 and a 770 you're not really stressing it...

[ObilvionNizer]

7 minutes ago, PCGuy_5960 said:

with a 4670 and a 770 you're not really stressing it...

No stress what so ever But i dont do much that would stress it to be honest. I have had no issues with it (touch wood). 

[PCGuy_5960]

Just now, deansmylie1993 said:

No stress what so ever But i dont do much that would stress it to be honest. I have had no issues with it (touch wood). 

People don't recommend them cause a lot are like:

"Wow, 750W PSU for just $89.89! I will get one for my 6950X and Titan X SLI rig!"

 

And then the PSU blows up, because it's not meant to be stressed in this way...

For more basic pc builds (i5/XX70 cards), CX PSUs are not that bad

[ObilvionNizer]

8 minutes ago, PCGuy_5960 said:

People don't recommend them cause a lot are like:

"Wow, 750W PSU for just $89.89! I will get one for my 6950X and Titan X SLI rig!"

 

And then the PSU blows up, because it's not meant to be stressed in this way...

For more basic pc builds (i5/XX70 cards), CX PSUs are not that bad

I have noticed people do that. I know i wont stress it too much but its a pretty solid psu regardless of the complaints and cheap materials. 

[carzacc]

People hate CX PSU's because at the same price there are better PSU's.

There are various "series" of Corsair CX PSU's that have the same name, and they often change a LOT quality-wise.

[STRMfrmXMN]

HOLY FUCKING SHIT THERE IS SO GODDAMN MUCH MISINFORMATION IN THIS THREAD WHERE TO START

3 hours ago, Dabombinable said:

Bad coil whine in most of them, low build quality, most shut down at around 30^oC....

Coil whine is a luck of the draw thing. Doesn't affect a whole lot of them really. The older CXs were made well enough for most low-end GPU configurations and they stopped restarting themselves at 30C in the third revision of the non modular series and in the first revision of the semi modular version. The new CXM series is a quite good choice for most people.

 

2 hours ago, deansmylie1993 said:

I don't understand why people say CX PSUs are bad either. I have been using the CX600M for over 2 years and have had no issues. 

Well "I've had it so that makes it good" doesn't mean it actually applies. You're using it but not for it's intended purpose judging by the GTX 770 in your signature. I would't pair anything above a *60 series Nvidia card with it. Too much heat.

 

3 hours ago, PCGuy_5960 said:

I have heard that the new CX PSUs with white labels are not terrible.... But OP try to avoid them...

They are not, and OP should not try to avoid the white label ones. They're some of the best value for money at the 450W and 550W version's price points.

3 hours ago, CJ Chua said:

From the day that I got into PC parts and all, everyone said that "OMFG why CX PSU holy shit they're bad" and all kinds of things going on, why is it bad? I've been searching on the web why but that kind of language is too hard to understand as I'm not really into PSU thing. 

Where most people get the idea that the CX series is an explosion waiting to happen is from the older revisions which didn't like heat. They would restart once they hit 30 degrees celcius which is really quite low. Later revisions of the green label unit fixed this but they were still relatively mediocre units. Come the new CX series with the white label, they're basically cheaper Corsair RMs and are thus quite good, if you can get past the sleeve bearing fan that makes any PSU equipped with one (old CX series, EVGA B series, etc) a ticking time bomb as a sleeve bearing fan in a PSU mounted horizontally like how most cases have them held, will reduce the lifespan of the fan due to the way sleeve bearing fans lubricate only when held vertically.

[PCGuy_5960]

3 minutes ago, STRMfrmXMN said:

They are not, and OP should not try to avoid the white label ones. They're some of the best value for money at the 450W and 550W version's price points.

I meant that he should generally avoid them, as he is not 100% sure that he will get white labelled ones... Unless he buys the CX 650, 550 or 450... The CX750 has 2 variants, one with white and another one with a green label.. If he orders a CX750, he might get a new (white labelled) or an old (green labelled)... One is good the other isn't...

[STRMfrmXMN]

2 minutes ago, PCGuy_5960 said:

I meant that he should generally avoid them, as he is not 100% sure that he will get white labelled ones... Unless he buys the CX 650, 550 or 450... The CX750 has 2 variants, one with white and another one with a green label.. If he orders a CX750, he might get a new (white labelled) or an old (green labelled)... One is good the other isn't...

The new CX750 and 850 are actually not super different compared to the old ones. I'd not recommend either, actually, cuz for the same amount of money you can get some EVGA units that are better.

[CJChua]

Same person but different account, so what I've got is old CX PSU are quite bad because of the bad coil whine but newer CX PSU is better but can't pair with greater parts as it'll "throttle" and it'll shut down. For lower budget it's good but higher budget you can opt for better quality PSU

[Corsair Joseph]

The CX series = Coli whine is a little misleading, due to the fact that "coli whine" could be present on any PSU in general. Yes, CX is not really built for high end systems, BUT for entry level builds, CX are good enough - lots of CX users can attest to that. 

 

What is your system spec?

[quan289]

1 hour ago, CJChua said:

Same person but different account, so what I've got is old CX PSU are quite bad because of the bad coil whine but newer CX PSU is better but can't pair with greater parts as it'll "throttle" and it'll shut down. For lower budget it's good but higher budget you can opt for better quality PSU

PSUs, in general, are susceptible to coil whine - not just the CX series.
 

Aside from the low quality components, the CX 430/500/600 / M and the 750/850 / M models (all the ones with the green label) were rated for 30C. The concern is that people cases can easily exceed that temperature rating, as well those who live in a hot environment without air conditioning. So if your PSU is in such an environment, there's a chance that you can't make full use for wattage rating of the PSU you had paid for because the Over Temperature Protection (OTP) of the unit will shut off to prevent any damages. Of course, just because the ambient temperature exceeded the 30C rating doesn't mean it would shut off at 50% of its rated wattage. 

 

Anyways, this temperature issue shouldn't be much of a concern anymore since the newer revision of the CXM models are now rated for 40C (CX450M, CX550M, CX650M, and updated CX750M/850M - all grey labeled).