Test Setup

All measurements are performed utilizing a custom designed and built load tester, called Faganas, which is able to stress PSUs up to 1800 Watts. We also use a DS1M12 (Stingray) oscilloscope, a CHY 502 thermometer, a Fluke 175 multimeter and an Instek GPM-8212 power meter. Furthermore, in our setup we have included a wooden box, which along with a heating element is used as a Hot Box. Finally, we have at our disposal three electronic loads (Array 3711A, 300W), a Rigol 1052E oscilloscope and a CEM DT-8852 sound level meter. In the near future we plan to acquire six additional loads to complete our new test set up, which with the help of our custom built software will have the same capabilities with the, ultra expensive, Chroma ATEs. In this article you will find more details about our equipment and the review methodology we follow.

Voltage Regulation Charts

The following charts show the voltage values of the main rails, recorded over a range from 60W to the maximum specified load, and the deviation (in percent), when compared with the voltage values at 60W load.

Efficiency Chart

In this chart you will find the efficiency of CX430 V2 at low loads and at loads equal to 20-100% of PSU’s maximum rated load.

Voltage Regulation and Efficiency Measurements

The first set of tests reveals the stability of voltage rails and the efficiency of CX430 V2. The applied load equals to (approximately) 20%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 80% and 100%, of the maximum load that the PSU can handle. In addition, we conduct two more tests. In the first we stress the two minor rails (5V & 3.3V) with the maximum load that our tester can apply to these rails, while the load at +12V is only 2A and in the second test we dial the maximum load that +12V can handle while load at minor rails is minimum.


As you can see the PSU worked flawlessly even at 52.1°C ambient and with full load, so we wonder why Corsair states 430W maximum wattage at only 30°C. Efficiency was constantly above 80% and peaked at 85.5% with 40%, of maximum rated capacity, load. Voltage regulation was surprisingly good, for the category that this PSU belongs to. At +12V and 5V is close to 2% and at 3.3V is a little above the 3% mark. Only at CL1 test the 5V rail drops below the ATX limit, but a contemporary PC is very unlikely, if not impossible, to reproduce the load levels of that specific test. On the other hand in the CL2 test, which is far more realistic than CL1, the 12V rail registered a significant drop at 11.61V, yet well above the 11.4V limit. We should remind you here that voltage deviation in CL1 and CL2 are not included in our line regulation graphs. We use the readings with approximately 65W load as zero point and the ones with full load as the end point.

Efficiency at Low Loads

In the next tests, we measure the efficiency of CX430 V2 at loads much lower than 20% of its maximum rated load (the lowest load that the 80 Plus Standard measures). The loads that we dial are (approximately) 40, 65 and 90W. This is important for scenarios in which a typical office PC is in idle with power saving turned on.


Efficiency with low loads is very good, taking into account that the unit is only 80PLUS certified. With 64W load the 80% mark is passed. This PSU is ideal for systems that idle at such low loads.

Power Consumption in Idle & Standby

In the table below you will find the power consumption and the voltage values of all rails (except -12V), when the PSU is in idle mode (On but without any load at its rails) and the power consumption when the PSU is in standby (without any load at 5VSB).


With only 0.15W vampire power ErP Lot 6 compliance was a piece of cake for the CX430 V2.