 We conducted several tests with this power supply, as described in the article Hardware Secrets Power Supply Test Methodology. First we tested this power supply with five different load patterns, trying to pull around 20%, 40%, 60%, 80%, and 100% of its labeled maximum capacity (actual percentage used listed under “% Max Load”), watching how the reviewed unit behaved under each load. In the table below we list the load patterns we used and the results for each load. If you add all the power listed for each test, you may find a different value than what is posted under “Total” below. Since each output can vary slightly (e.g., the +5 V output working at +5.10 V), the actual total amount of power being delivered is slightly different than the calculated value. On the “Total” row we are using the real amount of power being delivered, as measured by our load tester. The +12V1 and +12V2 inputs listed below are the two +12 V independent inputs from our load tester and during all test both were connected to the single +12 V rail present on the power supply. Input | Test 1 | Test 2 | Test 3 | Test 4 | Test 5 | +12V1 | 5 A (60 W) | 11 A (132 W) | 16 A (192 W) | 22 A (264 W) | 27 A (324 W) | +12V2 | 5 A (60 W) | 10 A (120 W) | 16 A (192 W) | 21 A (252 W) | 27 A (324 W) | +5V | 2 A (10 W) | 4 A (20 W) | 6 A (30 W) | 8 A (40 W) | 10 A (50 W) | +3.3 V | 2 A (6.6 W) | 4 A (13.2 W) | 6 A (19.8 W) | 8 A (26.4 W) | 10 A (33 W) | +5VSB | 1 A (5 W) | 1.5 A (7.5 W) | 2 A (10 W) | 2.5 A (12.5 W) | 3 A (15 W) | -12 V | 0.5 A (6 W) | 0.5 A (6 W) | 0.5 A (6 W) | 0.5 A (6 W) | 0.5 A (6 W) | Total | 149.1 W | 301.3 W | 453.1 W | 603.4 W | 753.1 W | % Max Load | 19.9% | 40.2% | 60.4% | 80.5% | 100.4% | Room Temp. | 47.0° C | 46.6° C | 46.7° C | 47.9° C | 48.1° C | PSU Temp. | 46.7° C | 47.8° C | 45.1° C | 49.6° C | 53.3° C | Voltage Stability | Pass | Pass | Pass | Pass | Pass | Ripple and Noise | Failed on +5VSB | Failed on +5VSB | Failed on +5VSB | Pass | Pass | AC Power | 168.6 W | 335.4 W | 508.8 W | 691.0 W | 881.0 W | Efficiency | 88.4% | 89.8% | 89.1% | 87.3% | 85.5% | AC Voltage | 111.4 V | 109.1 V | 107.3 V | 105.9 V | 103.9 V | Power Factor | 0.989 | 0.994 | 0.995 | 0.997 | 0.998 | Final Result | Pass | Pass | Pass | Pass | Pass |
What efficiency! What efficiency! Corsair HX750W achieved a spectacular efficiency between 85.5% and 89.8% in our tests. Usually power supplies achieve a low efficiency when delivering their labeled power, which isn’t the case with the reviewed unit. It is always important to remember that the 80 Plus organization is very generous on their tests: they test power supplies at a room temperature of only 23° C, which is too low. We test power supplies with a room temperature of at least the double, which we consider more realistic. Since at higher temperatures efficiency drops, this explains why we achieve lower efficiency numbers than those provided by this organization. Even though noise and ripple levels for the main voltages were very low as we will show below, the standby (+5VSB) output had an enormous ripple level during all load patterns but tests four and five. Interesting enough we saw the same thing happening on Corsair HX850W, showing us that the problem was not with the sample we got but with the internal project. During test one ripple was at 103.4 mV, during test two it was at 134.4 mV and during test three it was at 103.8 mV. The maximum allowed is 50 mV (all values are peak-to-peak). After this review was posted, Corsair tested this power supply using the same load patterns presented on the table above and, with a different equipment, the noise levels for +5VSB were completely different (very low). Please click here to see the results. The only explanation we have is that our equipment was somehow interfering with the results. This way the comments above about the +5VSB output should not be taken at face value. Below you can see the results for test number five. As we always point out, the limits are 120 mV for +12 V and 50 mV for +5 V and +3.3 V and all numbers are peak-to-peak figures.  click to enlarge Figure 17: +12V1 input from load tester at 753.1 W (39.6 mV).
 click to enlarge Figure 18: +12V2 input from load tester at 753.1 W (43.2 mV).
 click to enlarge Figure 19: +5V rail with power supply delivering 753.1 W (16.2 mV).
 click to enlarge Figure 20: +3.3 V rail with power supply delivering 753.1 W (17.4 mV).
Now let’s see if we could pull more than 750 W from this unit.
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