CORSAIR AX Series PSU Review

When Corsair first launched its HX series of power supplies, they were well received for their high-quality and dependability. In no real regard could that series be considered to be a value proposition, but to prove that things can indeed improve, Corsair has now followed-up with its AX series of power supplies, or simply "Professional Series".

The AX series has been built from the ground up, and though Corsair mentioned that it has outsourced some of the production to another company, it's Corsair itself that has designed it. Inspired by server PSU's, the goals of the AX series includes ultra-high efficiency, with each unit guaranteed to work at 80% or higher, which is a Gold standard. Corsair mentioned that while some select vendors tout 80% Gold, it doesn't always mean that every unit could meet the same goal. Corsair states that if it says 80% on its PSU box, you are getting exactly that, or better.

As the PSU's are inspired somewhat by server environments, heavy consideration has been taken with regards to internal layout for the sake of improved efficiency and cooling. Not to mention noise. At up to 850W, the AX1200 will operate at 24dBA, which for most people is well below normal room volumes. Capped at 1200W, the PSU noise gets boosted up to a still very reasonable 30dBA.

One of the best parts about the AX series is that it's 100% modular - even the motherboard power cables. The need for this may seem a bit needless, as certain cables are always required regardless of the build, but with personal builds in the past, I've wished for a full modular design as it would make installation of the PSU easier. You can simply have no worry about cables getting in the way, and then add them later.

As Corsair's new highest-end PSU line-up, the AX series is going to demand a price premium as you'd expect. I am unsure of the pricing for the entire line-up, but you can expect the AX 1200 to retail for around $299 when it sees a release this summer.