Corsair is a renowned name in the power supply domain, known for offering high-quality and reliable power supply units (PSUs). The manufacturer offers a range of power supplies, popular being the RM, AX, and HX series. While having multiple options is great, sometimes it can be tricky to find the perfect one for your needs. This guide will tell you the difference between Corsair PSU RM, AX, and HX series power supply. We’ll also share some critical points that should help you with your purchase decision.
By the end of this article, I am pretty sure you’ll have a clear idea about the RM, AX, and HX lineup. You’ll then be able to pick the correct one based on your needs.
Corsair PSU RM vs AX vs HX: Pick the Right PSU For Your System
In addition to the RM, AX, and HX lineup, the Corsair PSU series includes CX and SF lineups. If you want thorough knowledge of the Corsair PSU series, I encourage you to read about them as well. You’ll better understand the whole lineup, resulting in a more precise selection.
Let’s begin with the CX PSU series, the brand’s most basic and affordable lineup of power supplies.
[Note: As you go down the article, you’ll find better and better PSUs. Hence, read the complete article to make an informed decision.]
Corsair CX PSU Series
The Corsair CX PSU series consists of basic power supplies built for PCs that do not require high-performance capabilities. If you are sure you won’t be using your computer for high-performance tasks such as gaming, the CX PSU series can be a good fit.
The power supply efficiency does not have a significant impact as you won’t be drawing much power from the wall. Since the PSU draws less power, it won’t make much noise. But, it won’t completely eliminate the noise as the Corsair CX series lacks Zero RPM mode.
The Corsair CX PSU series comes in various wattage options – from 450W to 750W. They are 80 PLUS Bronze certified, which means the PSUs convert at least 82% of the power drawn from the wall into usable power for your components. While most of the CX PSUs are semi-modular, some are fully modular.
Features:
- Ranges from 450W to 750W.
- Semi or, fully, or non-modular.
- Five years of warranty.
- 80 PLUS Bronze certification.
- Environment friendly.
- Minimal fan noise.
Should you go for the Corsair CX PSU series?
The Corsair CX is a budget-friendly power supply solution for basic systems. It has a reasonable price with good reliability. However, it’s less efficient than other Corsair PSUs, such as RM, AX, or HX series. Also, the CX series does not have Zero RPM mode. So, the fan noise can’t be avoided.
If you are building a high-end gaming PC or workstation, definitely the CX PSU series is not for you. However, if you’re a budget-minded PC maker looking to build a basic system for normal tasks, the Corsair CX PSU series can be a good choice.
Corsair RM PSU Series
The RM PSU series strikes a good balance between performance and cost-effectiveness. They are better than the entry-level CX series in terms of efficiency and noise reduction. The Corsair RM PSU series products are 80 PLUS Gold certified – a higher level of energy efficiency, hence less electrical energy waste and more environment friendly.
They come with high wattage options, from 650W to 850W. Another plus point here is the fully modular systems. So, you can eliminate unnecessary wires to reduce clutter.
Unlike the CX PSU series, all products under the RM series come with ZERO RPM mode. It means the supply unit will stop the fan for reduced noise when the load is not high. It can help you stay focused.
Features:
- Ranges from 650W to 850W.
- Fully modular.
- 80 PLUS Gold Efficiency.
- Zero RPM mode for reduced noise.
- Environment friendly.
- Ten years of warranty.
Should you go for the Corsair RM PSU series:
The Corsair RM PSU outperforms the entry-level CX series in all departments (except pricing). It can do a pretty good job if you are building a general-purpose or mid-range gaming PC. For those looking to build a high-end PC or workstation, consider the RMx or other series mentioned below.
The RMx PSU series is a step ahead of the regular RM series. It offers better performance, reliability, and high efficiency. So, if you want premium performance with higher efficiency out of your PC, the RMx series could be an ideal choice.
Corsair HX PSU Series
The Corsair HX PSU can be classified into the premium mid-range category. They have outstanding reliability and offer impressive performance. The HX series is built for power users building high-end PCs and workstations.
Unlike other PSUs mentioned above, the Corsair HX PSU series is 80 PLUS Platinum certified – converts up to 94% of the power drawn from the wall into usable power for your system components. All the models in the series are fully modular and have ZERO RPM mode.
Features:
- Ranging from 750W to 1200W.
- 80 PLUS Platinum efficiency rating.
- ZERO RPM mode.
- Fully modular cabling.
- Ten years of warranty.
- Fully digital platform
- Triple EPS 12V connectors
Should you go for the Corsair HX PSU series:
The Corsair HX PSU series is built for high-end gaming PCs and workstations. If you are building a similar one for yourself, HX is a good option. It’s a robust, high-performance PSU series for gaming rigs, workstations, or systems with multiple graphics cards.
There’s also an HXi series. It’s similar to the HX series but with the added benefit of being connectable to your system for monitoring and configuration through Corsair’s iCUE software.
While the HX series ranges from 750W to 1200W, the HXi series is available in 1000W and 1500W options.
Corsair AX PSU Series
The Corsair AX PSU is a flagship PSU series from the brand. They are built using top-quality components with the highest energy efficiency certification – 80 PLUS Titanium rating. The AX PSU series is built for people looking for the most premium and stable power delivery.
Like the HXi series, there’s also the AXi series for advanced controlling capabilities. You can adjust fan speeds, monitor power consumption, control voltage regulation, and make other tweaks using the Corsair iCUE software.
The HX and HXi series are fully modular and have ZERO RPM fan mode.
Features:
- ZERO RPM mode.
- Fully modular cabling.
- 80 PLUS Titanium efficiency rating.
- Ten years of warranty.
- Corsair iCUE software support (AXi series).
Should you go for the Corsair AX PSU series:
The Corsair AX is a top-of-the-line PSU series from the brand built for high-performance systems and workstations. If you are making a high-end gaming PC, the AX power supply is the one you should go for.
Corsair SF PSU Series
The SF power supply series from Corsair is for small form factor PCs. Unlike large systems, these small form factor PCs have limited space and can’t accommodate multiple fans. Hence, they face cooling challenges. The SF PSU series is built for such PCs. They are rated up to 80 PLUS Platinum efficiency, reducing the burden on your case temperature while keeping an overall compact size.
The Corsair SF PSU series has various wattage options, from 450W to 750W. If you want to go further, get the Corsair SF-L PSU available in 850W or 1000W options and is 80 PLUS Gold certified.
Features:
- Multiple wattage options.
- Low noise PSU
- High energy efficiency
- Fully modular cabling.
Should you go for the Corsair AX PSU series:
This should not be confusing as it’s the only series targeting small form factor systems. So, if you’re building a similar one, you can get one from the AX PSU series.
Conclusion
Corsair has established itself as one of the best PSU brands in the market. It has multiple PSU series that can confuse buyers about which one they should go for. Through this article, I tried to clear most of the confusion you or other buyers may have. Hopefully, after reading it, you have a clear-cut idea about the difference between Corsair RM, AX, and HX series PSUs.
