A couple of hours ago HEXUS published one of the first reviews of the new Corsair Hydro Series H150i Pro RGB cooler. That’s not all we have to share with you with regard to Corsair products unveiled at the CES 2018 though as the firm has provided us with some details about the “world’s most amazing PSU,” the Corsair AX1600i.
First of all, Corsair wants to admit that the AX1500i is no longer the pinnacle of enthusiast PSUs. The firm didn’t stand still and let a competitor gazump it though, it designed a PSU that improves on the AX1500i in nearly every important metric, and of course it supplies an extra 100W… The new Corsair AX1600i is said to offer superior efficiency, ripple suppression, noise levels and voltage regulation. Those things are aptly illustrated in the comparison chart below. One further point of note is that the AX1600i is also physically smaller (20mm shorter – full dimensions are: 200mm x 150mm x 86mm, weighs 2.65kg).
A major factor in improving the already capable AX1500i was the use of Gallium Nitride (GaN) transistors throughout the design. Traditionally silicon transistors have been used but GaN facilitates greater scale reductions – a more compact PSU, explains Corsair (GaN has approx 40 per cent better power density than silicon counterparts). Furthermore, GaN has lower resistance and faster switching resulting in less switching losses, and less capacitance.
Technology and benefits:
• Totem Pole PFC GaN power switches
By using GaN (Gallium Nitride) components in the totem pole PFC circuit, efficiency is increased, reducing the need for the larger heat sink required for typical Si (Silicon) parts. GaN parts are also smaller than Si parts.
• Digital control
The AX1600i features an advanced control architecture to produce outstanding dynamic response. It features a true digital engine that provides superior on-the-fly performance optimization across the full operating range while maintaining stable operation.
• 80 PLUS Titanium Efficiency
The sophisticated electrical design, incorporating advanced hybrid digital control and state of the art magnetics delivers extremely high energy efficiency (over 94%).
• Outstanding DC voltage regulation
Due to its digital design, the AX1600i delivers exceptionally stable power over the whole load range and automatically compensates for DC output cable voltage drop, ensuring tight DC output voltage regulation without the ripple/noise, transient response, and converter stability drawbacks associated with conventional power supply designs.
• Low DC output voltage ripple and noise
The AX1600i features individual DC-DC regulation for 3.3V, 5V and 12V rails, and secondary side synchronous rectification, utilizing MOSFETs that have lower losses than the conventional output rectification schemes. An advanced 4-layer modular connector board PCB ensures a better ground return plane, lower resistance and low voltage drops. This, combined with circuit trace optimization and advanced filtering techniques, helps to minimize ripple and noise.
As with its predecessor, Corsair Link software has great utility value when used alongside the AX1600i. Beyond the common-or-garden efficiency, voltage, and fan speed monitoring, logging (Excel compatible file export), and control, Link can be used to switch from single- to multi-rail operation, and adjust over-current protection points on each connector.
As this is the new pinnacle of is enthusiast PSU range Corsair wanted to add some pleasing aesthetic accessories. For example there are swappable magnetically attached Corsair motif labels in red, white, and blue (you can only use one at once) which is intended to make the PSU work better with the colour scheme of your PC.
The Corsair AX1600i is available immediately at the same price as its predecessor here in the UK, £409.99 (and it costs $449.99 in the US).
