Corsair CV (Black Label)
450/550W
Why this rating
Every criterion, its status, and the evidence behind it.
Evidence
- PASS
- 4
- WARN
- 2
- FAIL
- 5
- N/D
- 11
Ratings disagree by 2 steps
The engine rates this unit lower than the imported list, driven by the criteria listed below.
Architecture
- FAIL
Legacy primary topology (DF)weight 3
- FAIL
Passive (Schottky) rectificationweight 2
- FAIL
Group-regulated minor railsweight 3
- N/D
PFC type is not documented; APFC assumed only when statedweight 2
Standards
- WARN
ATX 2.x generation platformweight 2
- PASS
Full-range input (~100-240 VAC)weight 2
Efficiency
- WARN
Bronze class efficiencyweight 2
Components
- N/D
Capacitor temperature rating is not documentedweight 2
- N/D
Fan bearing type is not documentedweight 1.5
Protections
- N/D
Protection set has not been verified independentlyweight 3
- N/D
OCP declaration has not been verifiedweight 2
- N/D
OTP declaration has not been verifiedweight 1.5
- FAIL
Protection trip points are set poorly (The VS, which uses the same platform, has improperly set OCP and OPP that allow the 12V line voltage to drop well OOS.)weight 2
The VS, which uses the same platform, has improperly set OCP and OPP that allow the 12V line voltage to drop well OOS.(editorial note)
Electrical performance
- FAIL
Electrical performance criticised: The VS, which uses the same platform, has improperly set OCP and OPP that allow the 12V line voltage to drop well OOS.weight 3
The VS, which uses the same platform, has improperly set OCP and OPP that allow the 12V line voltage to drop well OOS.(editorial note)
- N/D
No ripple measurement on recordweight 3
- N/D
No voltage regulation measurement on recordweight 2
- N/D
No transient response measurement on recordweight 2
Evidence
- PASS
Built by HECweight 1.5
- PASS
Platform VS upd. to Bronzeweight 1.5
- N/D
No independent laboratory report linked yetweight 2
Warranty and support
- N/D
Warranty length is not documentedweight 1.5
Safety
- PASS
No safety incidents or false claims on recordweight 3
How the tier was reached
- MISSED
Tier A - reference classspec 12.9
- — Primary conversion stage: Legacy primary topology (DF)
- — Secondary rectification: Passive (Schottky) rectification
- — Minor rail regulation: Group-regulated minor rails
- — Efficiency certification: Bronze class efficiency
- — Protection trip points: Protection trip points are set poorly (The VS, which uses the same platform, has improperly set OCP and OPP that allow the 12V line voltage to drop well OOS.)
- — Measured electrical behaviour: Electrical performance criticised: The VS, which uses the same platform, has improperly set OCP and OPP that allow the 12V line voltage to drop well OOS.
- — Too many failed criteria for this tier (5)
- MISSED
Tier B - strong mainstreamspec 12.10
- — Primary conversion stage: Legacy primary topology (DF)
- — Secondary rectification: Passive (Schottky) rectification
- — Minor rail regulation: Group-regulated minor rails
- — Protection trip points: Protection trip points are set poorly (The VS, which uses the same platform, has improperly set OCP and OPP that allow the 12V line voltage to drop well OOS.)
- — Measured electrical behaviour: Electrical performance criticised: The VS, which uses the same platform, has improperly set OCP and OPP that allow the 12V line voltage to drop well OOS.
- — Too many failed criteria for this tier (5)
- MISSED
Tier C - adequatespec 12.11
- — Minor rail regulation: Group-regulated minor rails
- — Protection trip points: Protection trip points are set poorly (The VS, which uses the same platform, has improperly set OCP and OPP that allow the 12V line voltage to drop well OOS.)
- — Measured electrical behaviour: Electrical performance criticised: The VS, which uses the same platform, has improperly set OCP and OPP that allow the 12V line voltage to drop well OOS.
- — Too many failed criteria for this tier (3)
- MISSED
Tier D - basicspec 12.12
- — Minor rail regulation: Group-regulated minor rails
- — Secondary rectification: Passive (Schottky) rectification
- — Measured electrical behaviour: Electrical performance criticised: The VS, which uses the same platform, has improperly set OCP and OPP that allow the 12V line voltage to drop well OOS.
- — Too many failed criteria for this tier (3)
- Insufficient evidence, unknown platform or unsatisfactory architecture (spec 12.13)
- Modifiers do not apply to E and F
Missing evidence
These criteria could not be resolved. They lower the confidence index rather than count against the unit.
- Active power factor correction
- Electrolytic capacitor temperature rating
- Fan bearing type
- Protection coverage
- Over-current protection declared
- Over-temperature protection declared
- +12V ripple
- Voltage regulation
- +12V transient response
- Independent laboratory evidence
- Manufacturer warranty
Specification
Values carry the source they came from; unknowns stay unknown.
- Capacities
- 450 W550 W
- Form factor
- ATX
- ATX generation
- ATX 2.x
- Efficiency class
- Bronze
- AC input
- Full range (~100–240 V)
- Cable modularity
- No
- Introduced
- 2019
Electrical architecture
What is actually inside, when it is known.
- Primary stage
- DF
- Secondary rectification
- PR
- Minor rail regulation
- GR
- Built by
- HEC
- Platform
- VS upd. to Bronze
Reviewer notes
Free text from the source, used by the engine as signals.
No direct protections testing. The VS, which uses the same platform, has improperly set OCP and OPP that allow the 12V line voltage to drop well OOS.
- Electrical performance criticised by the reviewernoconfidence 60%
- Documented measurement or teardown gapyesconfidence 60%
- Protection trip points criticisednoconfidence 60%
- Protection testing missingyesconfidence 60%
Where this data comes from
Each field records which source supplied it and how sure we are.
| Field | Source | Confidence | Captured |
|---|---|---|---|
| oem | PSU Tier List (seed workbook)trust 70 | 70% | workbook import |
| intro_year | PSU Tier List (seed workbook)trust 70 | 70% | workbook import |
| modularity | PSU Tier List (seed workbook)trust 70 | 70% | workbook import |
| atx_version | PSU Tier List (seed workbook)trust 70 | 70% | workbook import |
| form_factor | PSU Tier List (seed workbook)trust 70 | 70% | workbook import |
| input_range | PSU Tier List (seed workbook)trust 70 | 70% | workbook import |
| platform | PSU Tier List (seed workbook)trust 70 | 70% | workbook import |
| editorial_tier | PSU Tier List (seed workbook)trust 70 | 70% | workbook import |
| efficiency_class | PSU Tier List (seed workbook)trust 70 | 70% | workbook import |
| primary_topology | PSU Tier List (seed workbook)trust 70 | 70% | workbook import |
| minor_rail_regulation | PSU Tier List (seed workbook)trust 70 | 70% | workbook import |
| secondary_rectification | PSU Tier List (seed workbook)trust 70 | 70% | workbook import |
Primary source: PSU Tier List (seed workbook) (row 373). Community-maintained tier list imported as the seed data set. Ratings from this source are shown as the published tier; the Tier Engine computes its own rating separately.
Built on the same platform
Different badge, same electrical design.
550W
no price yet
- Built by
- HEC
- Platform
- VS upd. to Bronze
- Introduced
- 2024
- Engine rating
- E(68%)
650/750W
no price yet
- Built by
- HEC
- Platform
- VS upd. to Bronze
- Introduced
- 2024
- Engine rating
- C(74%)