Rounding off the package
The
140mm fan dominates the
underside of the PSU. It's reckoned to be practically silent (~25dBA)
until the required load hits 525W, rising to around 35dBA at 850W.
The
HX850 is a modular PSU
but, as always, certain connectors are
pre-plumbed into the supply - 24-pin ATX, 8-pin EPS, and two 6+2 PEGs.
PSU
efficiency is a touch
higher with a 230V AC supply. The HX850 hits very close to 90
per cent
at ~450W.
The modular cables are presented in a pouch and the overall set is, from what we can tell, the same as the HX1000's. A second 8-pin EPS connector enables you to hook up dual-CPU boards, and there are enough Molex connectors to power an esoteric rig.
Summary
We'll shortly be putting the Corsair HX850 through the testing paces but, prima facie, it appears to be a slight improvement over the HX1000 - an already-strong PSU. It needs to be, as well, because competition in the 750W-850W space is particularly fierce. What may help Corsair's cause is the fact that both the 750W and 850W HX-series PSUs are priced at competitive levels, coming in at £120 and £140 on pre-order, respectively. What Corsair's done is fill the void in its professional PSU series with sharp specs and decent pricing. Stay tuned for the full review, though.
