Corsair TX550M (2017) Review "The $80 Power Supply For Almost Everyone" (now lower priced)

[UsandThem]

https://www.anandtech.com/show/12070/the-corsair-tx550m-80plus-gold-psu-review

On the other hand, the mediocre fan can barely provide enough airflow to maintain safe operating temperatures under adverse environmental conditions. Overall, the thermal control of the TX550M certainly works, but it could do much better.

While this doesn't look like a bad PSU by any means, at a street price of $80 for a 550w version, there are better choices that are at the same price, or cheaper. The one big advantage Corsair has is their distribution channel that puts these on the shelves of local stores like Best Buy and Staples for people who need it now. It has a 7 year warranty, but uses a always running, cheaper rifle-bearing sleeve fan that is not very quiet even at low RPMs (really Corsair, not even a ball-bearing fan?).

The Seasonic Focus Plus and EVGA G2/G3 in the same price range put the Corsair in a very awkward place for builders who look at all the specs and features, and value the silence of their PSUs as they both have options to shut their fans off unless needed. Lastly, the competitors both are fully modular, instead of semi-modular.

 

[lehtv]

RMx series units have rifle bearings as well and 10 year warranty, and that's a more expensive series than the TXM. So, no surprise there.

Seasonic Focus Plus's fan is more or less the same, it's a Hong Hua FDB (not a real FDB fan). Still, 10 year warranty on that one. I suppose if the manufacturer trusts the fan doesn't pose a high RMA rate risk in 7-10 years when the units are nearing the end of their warranty period, there's nothing really to worry about. Fan noise, electrical stability and usability features are bigger concerns.

Personally I find full modularity to be almost completely irrelevant. In a lot of semi-modular units, the fixed cables are just ATX 24-pin + 8-pin EPS (as is also the case with TX550M Gold) which are going to be used in all PC's anyway, so they don't need to be modular. In fact, it just saves time and effort during installation that the cables are already connected on the PSU side.

 

[UsandThem]

That's a good point on the Seasonic fan. I just think in this price range they should have made the fan stop when not needed, but it appears that maybe the Great Wall built unit just needs constant cooling. As far as semi vs. fully modular, I prefer the full modular because many times the 24-pin cable on semi units are very thick and tough to maneuver (granted it's been quite a few years since I bought one).

Despite Corsair's name, I think this unit is going up against some really good competition. It all comes down to how they decide to price it. At or near $80 (the 550w model) is tough when the Seasonic Focus Plus gold is $54.90 after MIR right now. The EVGA G3 550w is currently $99.99, and the Corsair model above this one (RM550X) is the same price, so in that case the TX550M looks attractive.

 

[DrMrLordX]

Not 100% sure I'm sold on EVGA's G3 units yet, but I would have problems going with the aforementioned TX550 over G2 products.

 

[UsandThem]

Not 100% sure I'm sold on EVGA's G3 units yet, but I would have problems going with the aforementioned TX550 over G2 products.

They've been out for over a year now, and are build by Super Flower as well. I own a 550w version, and it is well built just like the G2, IMO.

I generally never buy a component when it first launches, so the manufacturer can work out any initial issues, but I finally grabbed one about 2 months ago on sale. In the "eye test", the G3 looks higher quality and better built than my Seasonic Focus Plus platinum PSU, but of course they both have been great units. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend both of them (especially on sale).

 

[DrMrLordX]

Makes sense, I just haven't seen/heard a lot about the G3 from people with retail samples, that's all. I guess I should not be surprised.

 

[UsandThem]

Giving this thread a bump because when I first read the review of the unit, I personally did not see it as a good choice at $80 when Corsair's competition offered better, and cheaper units.

However, the price of the 550w version is now $49.99 after $20 MIR at Newegg:

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139210

$69.99 for the 650w and 750w versions after $20 MIR.

Price/performance changes everything, and at this current price it is a very solid purchase.