Corsair RM Series 650 W Review 3

Corsair RM Series 650 W Review

Packaging, Contents & Exterior »

Specifications

Corsair RM650 Features & Specs
Max. DC Output650W (715W Peak)
PFCActive PFC
Efficiency80 PLUS Gold
ModularYes (fully)
Intel Haswell ReadyYes
Operating temperature0°C - 50°C
ProtectionsOver Voltage Protection
Under Voltage Protection
Over Power Protection
Over Temperature Protection
Over Current Protection
Short Circuit Protection
Cooling135 mm Rifle-Bearing Fan (NR135L)
Semi-passive operationYes
Dimensions150 mm (W) x 86 mm (H) x 160 mm (D)
Weight2.1 kg
ComplianceATX12V v2.4, EPS 2.92
Warranty5 years
Price at time of review (exc. VAT)$119.99

This unit's power output peaks at 715 W for only limited periods of time, usually 60 seconds, while efficiency is officially certified as 80 Plus Gold. The RM650 is also fully modular, Haswell ready, and can deliver its full power continuously at up to 50°C.

Protection features include all those available to a PSU, so both the unit and your system are well protected. The cooling fan uses riffle-bearings to prolong its lifetime, and its semi-passive mode not only lowers noise but also greatly boosts the fan's lifetime, which does, on the other hand, decrease the life of heat-sensitive components, like electrolytic capacitors.

The PSU's dimensions are normal for its capacity, and the same applies to its weight. The RM650 is also compliant with the latest ATX version (2.4), has a pretty long warranty, and its price is on the high side, but we think that the price is justified given its rich feature set.

Corsair RM650Power Specs
Rail3.3V5V12V5VSB-12V
Max. Power25A25A54A3A0.8A
130W648W15W9.6W
Total Max. Power650W

The single +12V rail can provide the unit's full power alone, which is often the case in PSUs that exploit DC-DC converters for the generation of the minor rails. Speaking of the latter, these are pretty strong at 130 W max combined power, while 5VSB is strong enough with 3 A max current output. As for the -12V rail, who cares for it nowadays? This rail is a remnant of the past, and we really wonder why the newest ATX specification didn't abolish it.

Cables & Connectors, Power Distribution

Modular Cables
ATX connector (600mm)20+4 pin
4+4 pin EPS12V (650mm)1
6+2 pin PCIe (600mm+150mm) 4
SATA (400mm+100mm+100mm+100mm)8
4 pin Molex (450mm+100mm+100mm+100mm)4
4 pin Molex (450mm+100mm+100mm)3
FDD adapter (+100mm)2
Corsair Link (800mm)1

The number of available connectors is adequate for the capacity of this PSU, however we think that Corsair should offer the option for a second EPS connector even if this would take over a PCIe socket on the modular panel. What we mean is that they should provide an additional EPS cable so the user could have either one EPS and four PCIe connectors at his disposal or two EPS and two PCIe ones, depending on the cables he would chose to use. Regarding cable length it is fine overall, but we would like to see larger distances among the 4 pin Molex connectors, ideally close to 15 cm. Finally, all connectors consist of 18AWG gauges which are the recommended ones by ATX spec.

Since this PSU features a single +12V rail, we have no comments on its power distribution.
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