Corsair CX vs. CXM in terms of quality?

[Jobinx]

Everyone says that something like the CX500 "green unit" isn't a good PSU for various reasons.

 

What is the difference between that vs. something like a CX550M "grey unit" (besides the semi-modularity and rated wattage)?

[W-L]

9 minutes ago, Jobinx said:

Everyone says that something like the CX500 "green unit" isn't a good PSU for various reasons.

 

What is the difference between that vs. something like a CX550M "grey unit" (besides the semi-modularity and rated wattage)?

The CXM is regarded to be a better unit as they use higher quality Japanese capacitors on the primary and where it counts with still some generic ones on the secondary which has improved the operation temps where the previous unit was not very fond of. 

[Jobinx]

26 minutes ago, W-L said:

The CXM is regarded to be a better unit as they use higher quality Japanese capacitors on the primary and where it counts with still some generic ones on the secondary which has improved the operation temps where the previous unit was not very fond of. 

I have no idea how hot a PSU gets on full load. Are operating temperatures that big of a deal?

[vanished]

16 minutes ago, Jobinx said:

I have no idea how hot a PSU gets on full load. Are operating temperatures that big of a deal?

Consider that the PSU may be either breathing in your case air, or at least soaking in it, and if you don't have good ventilation, this creates an environment for it that effectively raises its ambient temps, so the heat production of the PSU itself isn't the only concern.

[Guest]

Also the new CXM got rid of the ancient group regulation topology.

[Stefan Payne]

10 hours ago, W-L said:

The CXM is regarded to be a better unit as they use higher quality Japanese capacitors on the primary and where it counts with still some generic ones on the secondary which has improved the operation temps where the previous unit was not very fond of. 

Haven't heard anything about that. 

Did you mistake the Vengeance series with that??

 

Here a review of the 650W unit:

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/corsair-cx650m-psu,4770-3.html

 

The same goes for the other x50W CX...

[W-L]

12 hours ago, Jobinx said:

I have no idea how hot a PSU gets on full load. Are operating temperatures that big of a deal?

As Ryan mentions it mainly has to do with the ambient surroundings within the case and some PSU's can get quite toasty on full load. The first generation had overtemp protection that was set very low so it would shut down around 30-40C underload.