Corsair SF1000 ATX v3.1 PSU Review – Small power dwarf for thirsty ITX builds

1 - Introduction and technical data 2 - Unboxing, cables and protection circuits 3 - Teardown: Topology and components 4 - Load Regulation, Ripple Suppression 5 - Transient Response 6 - Hold-Up Time, Timings, Inrush-Current 7 - Average Efficiency and PF 8 - Noise and fan control 9 - Summary and conclusion

Average noise development

The average noise development is over 30 dBA. This is not the quietest 1000W SFX device, but you shouldn’t expect such a tiny platform to be both powerful and quiet at high loads.

01 avg_noise_230V-1

02 avg_noise_115V-1

Fan noise and speed measurements @ 28-32 °C at 115 volts

(115 V) The fan noise remains low as there is no load on the secondary lines, even when the load reaches 460 W at 12 V. If Corsair had left the maximum combined power on the side rails at 100 W, the average noise level of the device would be significantly lower. The 30 dBA mark is exceeded at around 600 W at 12 V, while the fan noise exceeds 35 dBA at more than 720 W on the same rail. If the load exceeds 840 W at 12 V, you will be confronted with more than 40 dBA of noise.

As you can see from the CL_Fan_Speed diagram, the passive operation of the fan does not last long. On the contrary, it only lasts for a short time because in these tests I gradually load the shunts fully and steadily increase the load at 12 V during each shunt load circuit. This particular load pattern is the worst possible scenario for this platform, but from the moment the official power specifications mention a maximum combined load of 130 W on the shunts, I have to follow them. Although the fan runs at 400-600 rpm on a light and moderate 12V load and the combined load on the side rails remains below 90W, the output noise is still low, below 6 dBA.