Corsair CX550F RGB Energy Provide Evaluate

June 24, 2022

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The CX550F is among the many finest mid-level PSUs that includes RGB lighting. Corsair teamed with HEC for its CX-F line, and it used a contemporary platform together with a top quality fan with superior RGB lighting, which means that the manufacturing prices elevated; therefore, the CX550F prices greater than the class’s common. Nonetheless, in addition to the eye-candy options, the unit additionally gives good efficiency and isn’t noisy below regular working situations.

If you happen to do not care a lot in regards to the RGB lighting, which is the primary motive to spend extra and purchase the CX550F, you may also take a look at the Corsair CX550M and the XPG Pylon 550. Each use much less superior platforms than the CX550F but nonetheless supply increased total efficiency. If we had an RGB class in our finest PSUs article for mid-level items, the CX550F might be included.

The Corsair CX550F is the bottom capability member of the corresponding line, which has three members. All of them characteristic RGB lighting and are based mostly on a contemporary HEC platform. Furthermore, they arrive in two colours, black and white, and all their cables are modular. The CX550F is rated Bronze within the 80 PLUS commonplace and Gold by Cybenetics. It additionally has a noise score of Cybenetics-Customary++ (30-35 dB[A] common noise output). Often, this unit goes for $90, so it is not precisely inexpensive. Nevertheless, through the evaluate, Corsair supplied it at a cheaper price of $65.

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Corsair despatched us a white unit that appears nice with the identical colour modular cables and the RGB lighting results of the fan. The RGB lighting will be managed by way of the elective Corsair iCUE RGB lighting controller or a appropriate mainboard by way of the included 5V ARGB adapter. If you happen to do not need to purchase the Corsair controller and your mainboard would not assist RGB management/sync, you may customise the PSU’s lighting by way of a push-button on the entrance.

To cycle by way of lighting modes, you need to press and maintain the button talked about above for about three seconds. If the present mode is not rainbow, you press the button shortly to cycle by way of colours. You must also do not forget that the push-button will not work if the PSU is in software program management mode, related to the Corsair controller or the mainboard.

The accessible lighting modes are: rainbow wave, rainbow, rainbow breathe, rainbow blink, sequential, stable, single blink, and pulse. You even have the choice to disable the fan’s lighting.

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Specs: Corsair CX550F RGB

Producer (OEM)	HEC
Max. DC Output	550W
Effectivity	80 PLUS Bronze, Cybenetics Gold (87-89%)
Noise	Cybenetics-Customary++ (30-35 dB[A])
Modular	✓ (Absolutely)
Intel C6/C7 Energy State Help	✓
Working Temperature (Steady Full Load)	0 – 40°C
Over Voltage Safety	✓
Beneath Voltage Safety	✓
Over Energy Safety	✓
Over Present (+12V) Safety	✓
Over Temperature Safety	✓
Brief Circuit Safety	✓
Surge Safety	✓
Inrush Present Safety	✓
Fan Failure Safety	✗
No Load Operation	✓
Cooling	120mm Rifle Bearing Fan (NR120L)
Semi-Passive Operation	✗
Dimensions (W x H x D)	150 x 85 x 140mm
Weight	1.34 kg (2.95 lb)
Kind Issue	ATX12V v2.4, EPS 2.92
Guarantee	5 years

Energy Specs: Corsair CX550F RGB

Rail		3.3V	5V	12V	5VSB	-12V
Max. Energy	Amps	20	20	45.8	3	0.3
	Watts	120	549.6	15	3.6
Whole Max. Energy (W)		550

Cables & Connectors of Corsair CX550F RGB

Modular Cables	Cable Depend	Connector Depend (Whole)	Gauge	In Cable Capacitors
ATX connector 20+4 pin (610mm)	1	1	18-20AWG	No
4+4 pin EPS12V (650mm)	1	1	18AWG	No
6+2 pin PCIe (600mm+150mm)	1	2	16-18AWG	No
SATA (450mm+115mm+115mm+115mm)	1	4	18AWG	No
SATA (500mm+100mm+100mm)	1	3	18AWG	No
4 pin Molex (450mm+100mm+100mm+100mm)	1	4	18AWG	No
iCUE RGB cable (500mm)	1	1	28AWG	No
Motherboard ARGB cable (300mm)	1	1	28AWG	No
AC Energy Wire (1380mm) – C13 coupler	1	1	18AWG	–

The PSU’s low capability would not enable for multiple EPS and two PCIe connectors, with the final put in on the identical cable. Nevertheless, the variety of peripheral connectors is satisfactory.

All cables are lengthy sufficient, however as traditional, we want to see longer distances between the peripheral connectors. Nevertheless, the dearth of in-cable caps is nice information for many customers It is usually good to see thicker 16AWG gauges as much as the primary PCIe connector for decrease voltage drops for the reason that identical gauges must deal with a pair of those connectors.

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Part Evaluation of Corsair CX550F RGB

We strongly encourage you to take a look at our PSUs 101 article, which gives invaluable details about PSUs and their operation, permitting you to higher perceive the parts we’re about to debate.

`Basic Knowledge`	–
Producer (OEM)	HEC
PCB Kind	Single Sided
`Main Aspect`	–
Transient Filter	4x Y caps, 2x X caps, 1x CM chokes, 1x DM chokes, 1x MOV, 1x Discharge IC (CAP200DG)
Inrush Safety	NTC Thermistor SCK-037
Bridge Rectifier(s)	1x GBU10K (800V, 10A @ 100°C)
APFC MOSFETs
APFC Enhance Diode
Maintain-up Cap(s)	1x Hitachi (400V, 330uF, 2,000h @ 105°C, HU)
Foremost Switchers
APFC Controller	Champion CM6500UNX & Champion CM03X
IC Driver
Resonant Controller	MPS HR1001C
Topology	Main facet: APFC, Half-Bridge & LLC converter Secondary facet: Synchronous Rectification & DC-DC converters
`Secondary Aspect`	–
+12V MOSFETs	4x Nexperia PSMN8R3-40YS (40V, 50A @ 100°C, 16mOhm @ 175°C)
5V & 3.3V	DC-DC Converters: 8x Potens Semiconductor PDD3906 (30V, 51A @ 100°C, 6mOhm) PWM Controllers: ANPEC APW7073
Filtering Capacitors	Electrolytic: 12x Teapo (1-3,000h @ 105°C, SC) , 2x Nippon Chemi-Con (1-5,000h @ 105°C, KZE) Polymer: 16x Teapo
Supervisor IC	Weltrend WT7527 (OCP, OVP, UVP, SCP, PG)
Fan Mannequin	Corsair NR120L (120mm, 12V, 0.22A, RGB, Rifle Bearing Fan)
`5VSB Circuit`	–
Rectifier
Standby PWM Controller	Energy Integrations TNY290PG
`-12V`	–
Rectifier

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(Picture credit score: Tom’s {Hardware})

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Corsair helped HEC construct this platform, which is superior for a merely Bronze unit within the 80 PLUS scheme. The CX550F manages to be somewhat above the bottom Gold effectivity threshold within the Cybenetics scale, incomes the corresponding effectivity certification. As an alternative of the everyday double-forward topology we often discover on this class, HEC used a half-bridge topology and an LLC resonant converter for elevated effectivity. Furthermore, we see a synchronous design and a pair of DC-DC converters for the minor rails on the secondary facet.

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The EMI filtering stage consists of all needed components, so we count on low EMI emissions. There may be additionally a discharge IC to limit vitality losses on the bleeding resistors. Furthermore, there’s a MOV for voltage surges and an NTC thermistor for decrease inrush currents. The latter isn’t supported by a bypass relay, which is a bummer.

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The only bridge rectifier can deal with as much as 10 Amperes.

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The APFC converter makes use of two Infineon FETs and a single increase diode supplied by the CREE. The majority cap is by Hitachi, which bought its capacitor enterprise to a Chinese language model.

The APFC controller is a Champion CM6500 IC. One other Champion IC, the CM03X, is used to limit vampire energy by chopping off the APFC converter throughout standby.

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(Picture credit score: Tom’s {Hardware})

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The primary FETs are organized in a half-bridge topology, whereas an LLC resonant converter boosts effectivity. It’s managed by an MPS HR1001C (opens in new tab) IC.

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The FETs that regulate the +12V rail are on the solder facet of the primary PCB. 4 Nexperia FETs are utilized in whole. The minor rails are generated by way of eight FETs and use an Anpec PWM controller.

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The electrolytic filtering caps on the secondary facet are principally supplied by Teapo, and belong to the SC line. Numerous polymer caps are additionally used for ripple filtering functions.

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