OC3D Review: Corsair AX 1200w ATX PSU

[silenthill]

I just got me THIS Corsair AX1200 BEAUTY!!!​

1 x Intel Core i7-980X Extreme Edition Gulftown 3.33GHz LGA 1366 130W Six-Core Desktop Processor

3 x ASUS ENGTX480/2DI/1536MD5 GeForce GTX 480 1536MB 384-bit GDDR5 PCI Express (3-way SLI)

1 x Western Digital VelociRaptor WD6000HLHX 600GB 10000 RPM SATA 6.0Gb/s

2 x OCZ DDR3 16000 2000MHZ Triple Memory Module KITS (12 GB)

1 x ASUS RAMPAGE III Motherboard

1 x NVIDIA 3D VISION GLASSES KIT (AVATAR Bundle)

1 x Alienware OptXTM AW2310 3D LCD Monitor 120 HZ BABY

1 x Microsoft WINDOWS 7 ULTIMATE 64-bit

AND MORE MORE GOODIES!!!!....

NOT TO MENTION THIS Corsair AX1200 BABY!!!

I do believe it will not let me down...

LET DA FRAGGIN BEGIN!!!

If you have a wattmeter could you please measure how much power your pc is consuming when it is in full load.

Regards

 

[VTX1800C]

I do but is @ WORK.

I will bring it in because that is a great idea...

I believe accordign to all my research on GTX480 that I will consume between 800~900 Watts. The reason i say this is because the GTX480's will draw 300W on a full load (75W 6-pin, 150W 8-pin, 75W PCI-e slot), however, in a 3-way SLI configuration which is what I build, all 3 GTX480 GPU's will never perform at full load because they will devide the demanded load among their GPU's. Which by the way GTX480 3-way SLI (3 GPU's) is much faster and better than ATI HD 5970 CrossfireX (which is actually 4 HD 5870 GPU's). I could give you benchedmark results but you should reaserch on your on so I dont favor my system. I did a bunch of research to decide on the components I bought.

After spending all this $$$ into this High-End GAMING machine I really do not care about the electric bill, which I pay by the way.

I just got tired of playing the new games on 10 year old technology.

 

[VTX1800C]

If you have a wattmeter could you please measure how much power your pc is consuming when it is in full load.

Regards

I do but is @ WORK.

I will bring it in because that is a great idea...

I believe accordign to all my research on GTX480 that I will consume between 800~900 Watts. The reason i say this is because the GTX480's will draw 300W on a full load (75W 6-pin, 150W 8-pin, 75W PCI-e slot), however, in a 3-way SLI configuration which is what I build, all 3 GTX480 GPU's will never perform at full load because they will devide the demanded load among their GPU's. Which by the way GTX480 3-way SLI (3 GPU's) is much faster and better than ATI HD 5970 CrossfireX (which is actually 4 HD 5870 GPU's). I could give you benchedmark results but you should reaserch on your on so I dont favor my system. I did a bunch of research to decide on the components I bought.

After spending all this $$$ into this High-End GAMING machine I really do not care about the electric bill, which I pay by the way.

I just got tired of playing the new games on 10 year old technology.

 

[silenthill]

I do but is @ WORK.

I will bring it in because that is a great idea...

I believe accordign to all my research on GTX480 that I will consume between 800~900 Watts. The reason i say this is because the GTX480's will draw 300W on a full load (75W 6-pin, 150W 8-pin, 75W PCI-e slot), however, in a 3-way SLI configuration which is what I build, all 3 GTX480 GPU's will never perform at full load because they will devide the demanded load among their GPU's. Which by the way GTX480 3-way SLI (3 GPU's) is much faster and better than ATI HD 5970 CrossfireX (which is actually 4 HD 5870 GPU's). I could give you benchedmark results but you should reaserch on your on so I dont favor my system. I did a bunch of research to decide on the components I bought.

After spending all this $$$ into this High-End GAMING machine I really do not care about the electric bill, which I pay by the way.

I just got tired of playing the new games on 10 year old technology.

I’m just curious because I’ve got two GTX 480 and CORE I7 SYSTEM at full load it consumes around 700 watts my power supply is the 1000W Corsair 1000HXUK so if I add another GTX 480 would my power supply be capable of handling the load.

 

[VTX1800C]

I’m just curious because I’ve got two GTX 480 and CORE I7 SYSTEM at full load it consumes around 700 watts my power supply is the 1000W Corsair 1000HXUK so if I add another GTX 480 would my power supply be capable of handling the load.

The 12V rail on any 1,000W PSU is not capable of 3 GTX480 GPU's, the Corsair AX1200 shuts off at about 2 minutes of 1,500W-1,600W overload (continous). This is in a test lab over testing these units. That said, any 1,000W PSU would probably shut down when using 3 GTX480 GPU's, not to mention the i7 Core processor and any extra drives you proly have.

To avoid any damage to your system I recomend that you do upgrade your PSU.

There are many out there from 1,200W-1,600W.

Any 1,200W PSU is enough to power 3 GTX480 GPU's + Intel i7 + any drives you have.

I chose Corsair AX 1,200W because of its QUALITY.

AND ITS EFFICIENCY @ LOWER LOADS (any load of maximun 10%, 25%, 50%, 75%, 80%) ITS AMAZING!!! = less power cosumption = less $$$ on electric bill.

BTW,

if you research the diference between 2-way SLI vs 3-way SLI the results are improved on many games/tests/graphics.

>ONLY DO UPGRADE to 3-way SLI (3 GTX-480) if you play games that demand the hardware power.<

I say this so you dont spend the xtra $$$ if you really dont need it.

 

[VTX1800C]

If you have a wattmeter could you please measure how much power your pc is consuming when it is in full load.

Regards

Results in...

3 GTX480 GPU's in 3-way SLI @ full load = 937 Watts x 0.89% efficiency = ~834 Watts (actual)

GPU Operating temperature @ full load = 96° C

 

[silenthill]

Results in...

3 GTX480 GPU's in 3-way SLI @ full load = 937 Watts x 0.89% efficiency = ~834 Watts (actual)

GPU Operating temperature @ full load = 96° C

thanks for effort great stuff

 

[silenthill]

I can’t understand why Corsair didn’t go for 1500w especially with 4 SLI arriving and the huge power consumption of the new Nvidia GPUs.

 

[Elemental_Dragon]

Looks absolutely stunning! Very impressed with how Corsair has improved their PSU's over the years (I never used to be a fan but that's simply beautiful!)

The black wiring is something I wish more comapnies would do!

~Bex

 

[dMITIj]

Results in...

3 GTX480 GPU's in 3-way SLI @ full load = 937 Watts x 0.89% efficiency = ~834 Watts (actual)

GPU Operating temperature @ full load = 96° C

Thats fine, but how mutch of an OC didt you do on your CPU? Because 480GTX @ Tri SLI is one thing but when you have that much of GPU-power you will need a OC at around 4400Mhz on the CPU and how does the power drawing look then?

the reason im asking is that i can't find out what to buy, Corsair AX1200w ore the Silverstone Strider 1500w?

 

[AMD_PBz]

Are you planning to run 3 or 4 way sli? what are your needs?

Albeit the Silverstone provides more power the Corsair is more efficient

I would be looking at do you need all that or are you after it for bragging rights?

 

[dMITIj]

im aware of that, thats why i ask, ill be running at 2560x1600 in games, photo edt. 3D work ect. and ill be overclocking my system, CPU @ 4400Mhz and the 480GTX im not sure yet, but they will be OC'ed, and i will also have my 480GTX's watercooled in an 2. loop.

im not that kind of type that need to be bragging, im 33 years old

i have kids and a wife hehe

 

[AMD_PBz]

That explains it

.

are you in North America or Europe?

If you are in North America AX1200 is on sale with MIR!

 

[dMITIj]

That explains it

.

are you in North America or Europe?

If you are in North America AX1200 is on sale with MIR!

hehe, im in Europe (Denmark) The Silverstone Strider is 460$ here and the Corsair is 360$.

 

[AMD_PBz]

Well there's your answer Here in Canada $269 + tax or 259 after $20 MIR

 

[dMITIj]

Well there's your answer Here in Canada $269 + tax or 259 after $20 MIR

So you will go with?

 

[AMD_PBz]

short term loss @ $269 by far

 

[cinek2]

are the cables long enough to go behind the mobo in nzxt phantom (full tower)?

 

[The Terrible Puddle]

Possible to sleeve those cables individually?

 

[Stryker64]

Possible to sleeve those cables individually?

They already have Corsair sleeving, which is really high quality, the only reason to change the sleeving is if you want to put UV ones. So don't bother