Corsair Builder CX430 V2 430 W

[crmaris]

Corsair has a wide range of products that address enthusiasts. However the company does not forget Average Joe who just wants to power his low end system. For these users Corsair offers the Builder Series which promises great price/performance ratio. The new Corsair Builder CX430 V2 will be the test subject of today's review.

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[newtekie1]

I've seen a lot of 6+2 pin connectors on inexpensive PSUs these days. I don't know why, I'd rather just the two 6-pins like you said.

Other than that though, I have to say I'm very impressed with this unit, I've been using the V1s in builds for a while and just switched to the V2 for the last build I did, and when they go on sale for $15 they really can't be beat.

Maybe this review will stop people from saying the CX series sucks...but I doubt it...

 

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

Sadly in the UK this PSU is around £35 to £37(around $56 to $60) and is more expensive than the CX400W it replaced. Even the Antec VP450W(the European one has an active PFC) is cheaper than a CX430W. For around the same price there seems to be units with good quality capacitors(Hitachi,Chemi-con and Teapo for example) and/or ball bearing fans.

An Antec HCG400 can be had for the equivalent of $70,an XFX Pro 450W for $63,Antec 380W for around $62 and the Silverpower Green Power SP-SS-400 400W(similar to the CX400W) for around $66. One retailer is doing the 80+ Bronze rated FSP400-60GHN for around £36($58) and the FSP500-60GHN for around £39($63). I don't know how good the FSP units are though.

The worst thing is that the CX430W seems to use older SamXon GF series capacitors and a sleeve bearing fan.

 

[crazyeyesreaper]

interesting point cat but heres a interesting question for you what PSU maker besides corsair has EVER replaced a persons entire PC because there power supply killed it? i can think of no one but corsair who has done that, price is worth there warranty service, anyone else ive delt with is slower and tends to be more and more of a pain in the ass. if a problem does arise.

 

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

interesting point cat but heres a interesting question for you what PSU maker besides corsair has EVER replaced a persons entire PC because there power supply killed it? i can think of no one but corsair who has done that, price is worth there warranty service, anyone else ive delt with is slower and tends to be more and more of a pain in the ass. if a problem does arise.

Firstly, a decent quality PSU should not be damaging a whole PC in the first place even if it fails. If it does I would seriously be looking at why this is the case. I have never known a decent unit to take out parts when it has failed(usually after 4 years in most cases anyway) and this includes budget units. I have known very poor el-cheapo units do that though. All the PSUs I have bought tend to be decent units though and I even have an ancient Globalwin 520W which still works after probably the better part of 7 to 8 years. I don't have anything against Corsair personally as I have an HX520W myself but the CX430W is relatively expensive in the UK. The CX400W cost less,had better quality capacitors,a ball bearing fan,three year warranty and was 80+ rated from the start. Only the V2 version of the CX430W was 80+ rated and had the same warranty not the V1 which is still very common.

However, other PSU companies also have decent warranties too and many like Corsair have shifted to UK based RMA.

 

[crazyeyesreaper]

true but again that chance does exist and has happened, and when it did corsair paid for an entirely new replacment PC for there customer, now as an enthusiast ill change my parts more often, but most ppl do not, a good PSU is key but while agree that cx400 was better and indeed cheaper in the UK, thats the UK and lets face it the UK gets shafted on everything so its kind of a moot point lol. That said ive used many of corsair units and they have held up better then many antec or coolermaster units of the same price in many low cost gaming rigs. I like enermax the best but most cant afford there price. eitherway. Longevity dosent mean much either for every unit that lasts 5 years theres another that didnt,

good example 2 oem units used for the same builds years ago, 1 is still alive and kicking running an athlon x2 4400+ and an 8800 G80 gpu where as another identicle rig the psu failed 2 years in not all parts are created equal failures will happen, If it does happen ill still take the company that has actually put up or shut up with there warranties and honored them to an extreme with little hassel. That said the unit turned out to be just fine, in the review passing all the tests that needed to be passed. it failed the few tests that 95% of the psu on the market fail many of them higher quality then this unit. so overall if it comes to price id still pay more for a corsair or enermax or seasonic unit.

 

[techie81]

I have the V1 and the only problem with it is it makes a buzzing sound when the computer is turned off. other than that its solid.

 

[mtosev]

Great PSU for 44EUR

 

[newtekie1]

The CX400 was cheaper in the states as well and a better unit to boot, it really is a shame Corsair discontinued it, but once the MIR started hitting for the CX430 it became a lot cheaper than the CX400 ever was.

 

[kid41212003]

I've seen a lot of 6+2 pin connectors on inexpensive PSUs these days. I don't know why, I'd rather just the two 6-pins like you said.

I don't think it can handle more than 1 GPU.

IMO, 2+6 pin is more practical.

 

[W1zzard]

what would you use the +2 pins for? there are no single 8-pin cards

there are many single gpu cards with 2x 6 pin though

 

[heky]

Why is the PC Power & Cooling unit removed from the charts?

And the review of the Tagan 700w unit in the charts can not be found on the site.

 

[crmaris]

in each review we choose the PSUs that have near the same capacity with the test unit so we drop many from the charts. If we put them all in the charts then this page will be huge and on the other hand its pointless to compare e.g. a 430W PSU with a 1000W one.

The Tagan review can be found here

 

[iamthewizard2]

A WORD OF WARNING FOR ANYONE WHO BUYS THIS PSU: i bought 2 of these units and both died within 2 DAYS OF INSTALLING!!!! ive built plenty of computers in my time and am very experienced so there's no way that i installed it incorrectly. there's also no way that my main power outlets have dirty power too cos after the PSUs died i installed different brands and they havent failed since. Corsair = going downhill!

 

[Mindweaver]

I've bought 6 of these over the past year, and they have all performed great! They are great little performers. One of them is powering a 2500k @ 4.5Ghz(crunching 24/7) and a well over clocked GTX470 that is folding 24/7... and as it's been said it would have been nice to have two 6 pin connectors.

 

[cheesy999]

what would you use the 2 pins for? there are no single 8-pin cards

i own one so i think you might be wrong

 

[heky]

in each review we choose the PSUs that have near the same capacity with the test unit so we drop many from the charts. If we put them all in the charts then this page will be huge and on the other hand its pointless to compare e.g. a 430W PSU with a 1000W one.

The Tagan review can be found here

So the 750W Corsair or Chieftec are near the same capacity and the PC P&C wasnt? Strange...

How can there be a PSU in the charts, that was not tested on this site. Then you can just take all the numbers from Jonnyguru and post them in these charts.
Dont mean to be rude or something, but things just cant be compared that way. Even if you tested the PSU for that site.

 

[crmaris]

corsair and chieftec are 750W the PC P&C is 760. Basic mathematics 750W is smaller from 760W.

the Tagan PSU was tested using the same set up (and by me of course) so whats the point in what site it was tested since I already have a database with all my reviews' data! I am not allowed to use my own database and almost two years of hard work!!

However the only PSU that is left in these charts and was not tested here in TPU is the tagan one, so in order someone to be able to find all PSU reviews of these charts in english (and in TPU of course) in the next review I will remove it since there is no need for it now (I have reviewed plenty PSUs with near the same capacity for TPU).

 

[blibba]

With the singe 6+2, you can use a molex to pci-e adaptor for cards that require 8+6 or 8+8. If you only had 6+6 on the PSU, an 8+8 would require two adaptors, and you'd run out of molex connectors.

I agree that 6+6 would make more sense for the majority of people who would buy a cheap unit, though, or even a single 6 pin and more molex connectors. They wouldn't want it to compete with the VX450, however.

 

[TC-man]

For that price, this PSU looks like a winner. But I never like the lower-end CWT OEMs which got pretty high chance to become defective in a short time.

 

[Frick]

For that price, this PSU looks like a winner. But I never like the lower-end CWT OEMs which got pretty high chance to become defective in a short time.

You have a source on this, or more information?