Corsair HX1000W is a 1,000 W power supply with six 6/8-pin auxiliary cables for video cards (four on the modular cabling system and two coming directly from inside the unit), modular cabling system, solid aluminum capacitors, dual-transformer design and with the manufacturer saying that it can really deliver 1,000 W at 50º C. Let’s see if this is true and if this is a good product.

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Figure 1: Corsair HX1000W power supply.

As you can see on Figure 1, this power supply uses a big 140-mm ball bearing fan on its bottom and a big mesh on the rear side where traditionally we have an 80-mm fan. We like this design as it provides not only a better airflow but the power supply produces less noise, as the fan can rotate at a lower speed in order to produce the same airflow as an 80-mm fan.

Because of its internal design using two transformers instead of just one (translation: internally there are two complete and independent power supplies inside this product) Corsair HX1000W is bigger than regular power supplies, with a depth of 7 7/8” (20 cm) instead of 5 33/64” (14 cm).

This power supply has active PFC, so it can be sold in Europe, and because of that it also features auto voltage selection. Corsair says this unit has 80% minimum efficiency. Of course we will measure efficiency during our tests.

The main motherboard cable uses a 20/24-pin connector and comes inside the power supply housing. The EPS12V connector also comes from inside the power supply housing and can be separated into two ATX12V connectors. Two of the 6/8-pin auxiliary cables for video cards come from inside the power supply housing. All other cables use the modular cabling system.

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Figure 2: Modular cabling system.

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Figure 3: Cables from the modular cabling system.

This power supply comes with 13 cables to be used with its modular cabling system inside a pouch: one additional EPS12V/ATX12V cable (can’t be used if all four auxiliary power cables for video cards are being used), four 6/8-pin auxiliary power cables for video cards (all with a ferrite bead at one end to help reducing electrical noise), two cables with four SATA power connectors each, two cables with two SATA power connectors each, two cables with four peripheral power connectors and one floppy disk drive power connector each and two cables with two peripheral power connectors each.

You have to pay attention because this power supply comes with a total of eight SATA and peripheral cables, but the modular cabling system has only six connectors for them.

On this power supply all wires are 18 AWG. It would be nice to see thicker 16 AWG wires on a 1,000 W product.

Like other power supplies from Corsair with modular cabling system, the cables used on this system have their wires stuck together, which surely helps organizing the cables inside the PC for a better aesthetics and airflow. The cables coming from inside the power supply housing use a nylon sleeving, but it doesn’t come from inside the power supply housing.

It is very important to notice that HX1000W uses a completely different design from other power supplies from Corsair’s HX series. Not only HX1000W uses a dual-transformer design, but it is also manufactured by a different company, CWT. Other HX models are manufactured by Seasonic, which also manufactures power supplies from Corsair’s VX series. CWT is also in charge of Corsair’s TX series. Power supplies from Thermaltake are also manufactured by CWT and Toughpower 1,000 W and above units use the same internal design as Corsair HX1000W. In fact, internally Corsair HX1000W is identical to Thermaltake Toughpower 1,500 W – a model labeled 50% above the reviewed unit. The only difference between them is the use of multiple rail design on Thermaltake’s model. We will discuss more about this later.

Let’s now take an in-depth look inside this power supply.