Corsair HX1000i 1000W Power Supply Review @ [H]

FrgMstr

FrgMstr

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Corsair HX1000i 1000W Power Supply Review - Corsair's HX series represents its "second tier" line of enthusiast computer power supplies, but its new HX1000i does take the top spot when it comes to its ~1000 watt power supplies that are Platinum certified and fully modular. Let's see if this latest addition from Corsair represents its quality pedigree of days gone by.
 
...Corsair claims to have designed. These things coupled with the fact that CWT, who actually built and designed this unit....
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Your statement makes it sound like Corsair just slapped a label on an existing CWT product. That's probably got about a half dozen Corsair engineers red in the face right about now as it's farthest from the truth. In actuality, Corsair engineers, in conjunction with CWT engineers, really did design this platform from the ground up. Unfortunately, as it is the way with most things that come out of China, you can be sure that it's technologies, PCB layout, component selection, etc. will likely be seen in units from several other PSU companies in the near future. This is what we Americans like to call "whoring out".

However, given that there is an included USB flash drive this would be the perfect place to include the software. So was the software included on it? Nope. So, don't expect to be using that Corsair Link software with your new build right away! Why this software which Corsair spends a good amount of time advertising is not included is completely unknown but as a consolation prize you do get a test report included with your unit, which is utterly useless in comparison, although a nice gesture.
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Actually, only review units get the thumb drive with the Chroma report. Corsair stopped this practice for the RM Series, but when certain reviewers without their own proper test equipment or those that had to travel to a PSU company's facility to borrow test equipment complained that they did not have comparative data in the form of a Chroma test report, Corsair had to throw them back in.

NONE of the Corsair hardware comes with software. Not the HXi's... nor the H100i's.... not even the RGB keyboards. With the software constantly getting updated, users are always encouraged to go online to get the latest version. The software isn't required to run the PC or even get online, so it shouldn't be a horrible thing that whatever version of the software that was new at the time of manufacture isn't included.
 
jonnyGURU said:
Actually, only review units get the thumb drive with the Chroma report. Corsair stopped this practice for the RM Series, but when certain reviewers without their own proper test equipment or those that had to travel to a PSU company's facility to borrow test equipment complained that they did not have comparative data in the form of a Chroma test report, Corsair had to throw them back in.
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Thanks for pointing this out, I was not aware of this. I will include it in the review.
 
jonnyGURU said:
Your statement makes it sound like Corsair just slapped a label on an existing CWT product. That's probably got about a half dozen Corsair engineers red in the face right about now as it's farthest from the truth. In actuality, Corsair engineers, in conjunction with CWT engineers, really did design this platform from the ground up. Unfortunately, as it is the way with most things that come out of China, you can be sure that it's technologies, PCB layout, component selection, etc. will likely be seen in units from several other PSU companies in the near future. This is what we Americans like to call "whoring out".
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If you are going to come in here and call into to questions some of Paul's generalizations about the HX1000i, I can appreciate that. And I am glad that you are pointing out that Corsair did have a big hand in the actual design of this PSU. I would however suggest that our readership overall does not really care about your reply to those statements. If we are going to engage in a dialogue, let's talk about how the unit performed, or rather didn't perform compared to the other units in its category. The Corsair engineers mentioned above should be "red in the face" with embarrassment, not anger over some statements that actually had no bearing in the way we "rated" this PSU.

Again as we specifically pointed out, there is nothing "wrong" with the HX1000i and it is far and away from a "bad" product. I think Paul and I are simply sad that Corsair is doing nothing to actually push the product category forward. Corsair used to do this, and now it is just another "me-too" in a product segment that it once was a pioneer in. All that said, maybe PSUs don't need to be "better" now and we are simply setting the bar too high.
 
I will leave this here as it very much sums up the thinking that shaped our testing criteria. This is why we make sure and include this statement on every PSU review that we publish.

HardOCP’s testing methodology is intended to very much push power supplies to their advertised wattage rating in temperatures that will represent some of the hottest computer enthusiast cases. So if a unit passes all our testing it is definitely not something to take lightly. In fact we expect more power supplies to fail our testing than make it through unscathed.
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I think we were hitting about 50/50 on pass/fail about a year ago. Since then we have stayed with top end brands and models and stayed away from from middle-of-the-road equipment except for a couple of reviews a year....and EVGA's stuff occasionally.
 
Sith'ari said:
I haven't still read thoroughly the review, but as a first impresion, Hardocp's review differs somewhat from the conclusions reached by Jonnyguru or Techpowerup. :confused:
http://www.jonnyguru.com/modules.php?name=NDReviews&op=Story6&reid=394
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Corsair/HX1000i/11.html
My 1st notice goes to build quality sector: The other 2 reviews doesn't mention as negative the use of Apac capacitors while here are being described as lesser from excellent quality caps.
I will certainly give a closer look at the numbers to see if they also differ from the other 2 reviews! :p
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The numbers are broadly similar for the voltage regulation (TPU, JG, PcPer), DC output quality is similar to TPU, and efficiency is similar to JG. In the end, there is not a whole lot of difference, even if that is the way some would like you to see it. What you are seeing is the range of what the product will do in different environments and from unit to unit. A little better here on one thing, a little bit worse there on one thing, about even on these things, etc. There is no "fixed" value of how different units are going to perform at these price points....they are going to have a range. As for the conclusions, well I look at back of the pack(ish) across the board of things I have reviewed but not failing as being passing. I am not sure why I would put that result somewhere else unless I used a fixed scale which would become distorted over time as the general market improves, a rising tide lifts all boats.
 
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In absolute terms, this is a pretty decent power supply unit.

But when you consider the price, it's a tougher sell, as the review notes, because of what the competition is offering.
 
Now i really have to read this review to see the context for this... dialog.

I hope the Corsair people realize that Kyle is deadly serious about overbilled hardware...
 
Basically what I got from the review: It's a solid PSU, it's not revolutionary or trend-setting, it's slightly overpriced. I'm not in the market since I already have an AX1200, but I wouldn't hesitate to buy this unit if it were comparable in price to another similarly efficient unit.
 
[H]'s point is simply that...

Corsair is doing nothing to actually push the product category forward. Corsair used to do this, and now it is just another "me-too" in a product segment that it once was a pioneer in.
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this review is disappointing, i was looking to purchase this PSU to refresh the HX1000W in my system. suppose ill stick with it a little longer.
 
Sith'ari said:
I was looking again Oklahoma Wolf's review.
At the DC output quality, i don't understand how the conclusion of 25mv at +12V was reached.
None of the graphs that are shown, shows measurement that hits the 25mv limit. So how the average of 25mv is being reached?
( http://www.jonnyguru.com/modules.php?name=NDReviews&op=Story4&reid=394 )
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Look again - every last one of them is under 25mV. Except for the overshoot transient shots, of course, and those are entirely different tests not measuring ripple.
 
Oklahoma Wolf said:
Look again - every last one of them is under 25mV. Except for the overshoot transient shots, of course, and those are entirely different tests not measuring ripple.
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I'm refering to the Oscilloscope graphs. Isn't the ones that measure ripple?
I can't see on the graph of the +12V to hit the +/- 25mv limit. Am i reading it wrong? :(
EDIT: I'm saying what you say as well: that they are under 25mv ripple. So why did you write that the +12V ripple is 25mv?
 
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Sith'ari said:
I'm refering to the Oscilloscope graphs. Isn't the ones that measure ripple?
I can't see on the graph of the +12V to hit the +/- 25mv limit. Am i reading it wrong? :(
EDIT: I'm saying what you say as well: that they are under 25mv ripple. So why did you write that the +12V ripple is 25mv?
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You are reading it wrong. If it was hitting 25 and -25, it would be 50mv of ripple. Its only hitting 12-13mv in each direction. Its a measurement from peak to valley.
 
Jorona said:
You are reading it wrong. If it was hitting 25 and -25, it would be 50mv of ripple. Its only hitting 12-13mv in each direction. Its a measurement from peak to valley.
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That's what i wanted to make clear, thanks! :)
 
Jonny, Kyle and Paul.

Thank you. This is one of the reasons why I trust this site so very much when it comes to hardware reviews. I get the passionate criticizing of a product even if it is a good one instead of just "fanboyish" praising. And I also get to hear the manufacturer defending or making strides to change their product. I feel like all of us as consumers win as a result.
 
Dekoth-E- said:
Jonny, Kyle and Paul.

Thank you. This is one of the reasons why I trust this site so very much when it comes to hardware reviews. I get the passionate criticizing of a product even if it is a good one instead of just "fanboyish" praising. And I also get to hear the manufacturer defending or making strides to change their product. I feel like all of us as consumers win as a result.
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+1


This is one of the reasons why I think HardOCP is one of the top review sites. They are willing to point out the flaws of a product. A product may be outstanding in absolute terms, but other factors like cost should be considered, along with what the competition is doing.

Are power supplies "good enough"? To be honest, that may not matter. If the competition offers a better power supply for the money, then that's going to drive things forward.
 
hyperion0101 said:
Are power supplies "good enough"? To be honest, that may not matter. If the competition offers a better power supply for the money, then that's going to drive things forward.
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I sort of put this out there as a rhetorical question, because I am getting the feeling that Corsair gives me the impression that is exactly what it thinks. "It is good enough, all we need to worry about is getting that platinum badge that we pay for."
 
hmrph..I thought I was doing good when I got this, although you guy did say it was far from bad. Oh well. At least my PC is virtually silent when not gaming, and when I am my gtx 780 fans kill everything else any way.
 
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