A Look Inside & Component Analysis

Before reading this page, we strongly suggest a look at this article, which will help you understand the internal components of a PSU much better. Our main tool for the disassembly of the PSU is a Thermaltronics TMT-9000S soldering and rework station. It is of extreme quality and is equipped with a matching de-soldering gun. With such equipment in hand, breaking apart every PSU is like a walk in the park!


The unit's OEM is CWT, and they have a great collaboration going with Corsair. The unit is based on CWT's DSAII platform, but carries several significant upgrades. It, for starters, uses a non-standard PCB layout, which allows for increased performance. Corsair also used an upgraded standby PWM controller to provide increased efficiency in standby and to make the CX600M ErP 2013 ready. On top of that, four SBRs are used for +12V regulation instead of the two that the reference platform has, which translates into lower temperatures and higher efficiency at increased loads, and better voltage regulation. Finally, the CX600M features transformers of a higher quality and a Japanese bulk (hold-up) capacitor instead of the Taiwanese one that the stock DSAII platform uses. All in all, Corsair made quite a few changes indicative of their active part in the design process; they don't just stick to a different label with the units they sell.


The transient filter starts at the AC receptacle with a pair of Y caps, and the cables that transfer power to the main PCB are wrapped around a ferrite bead for EMI reduction. On the main PCB, we find the other components of the transient filter: two pairs of X and Y caps, two CM chokes, and an MOV (Metal Oxide Varistor) for protection against power surges.


The single bridge rectifier is bolted to a dedicated heatsink, and we didn't feel like removing the heatsink to only identify the bridge rectifier.


Two K18A60V fets for which we couldn't find any relevant info are used in the APFC circuit, along with an STTH8S06D boost diode. Matsushita/Panasonic provides the bulk cap (400 V, 270 μF, 85°C).


The main switchers are two STF14NM50N fets. The PFC/PWM controller is the famous Champion CM6800 IC and is installed on the vertical daughter-board.


We find the 5VSB fet and the standby PWM controller, which provides compliance with the newest ErP Lot 6 2013 directive, on this small daughter-board.


The only two toroidal chokes in the secondary side indicate that a group regulated scheme is being utilized. On top of that, a passive design is utilized, so the +12V rail is regulated by Schottky Barrier Diodes (SBRs) and, more specifically, four PFR40V60CTs. Two STPS3045CT SBRs rectify the 5V rail, and the 3.3V rail uses a single STPS40L45CW. Finally, all filtering caps in the secondary side are from CapXon and are rated at 105°C. We would like to see caps of a higher quality here, at least Teapo ones, but doing so would apparently raise the unit's overall cost significantly.


The supervisor IC is installed on the main PCB and is a SITI PS229. It supports OCP for a single +12V rail and includes all the other protection features except for OTP.


These optocouplers provide the necessary electrical isolation between the primary and the secondary side.


The modular PCB is small, since it only holds four sockets.


The main PCB features decent soldering quality that is surely above the average. However, the PCB is single-sided to keep production cost down.


The cooling fan is provided by Yate Loon, and its model number is D12SM-12 (120 mm, 12 V, 0.3 A, 70.5 CFM, 1650 RPM). It has a sleeve-bearing, so it won't last as long as a ball-bearings fan, but we can't ask for more at this price range.