Corsair SF850 ATX v3.1 PSU Review

Epilogue

The new Corsair SF units are here, achieving top performance and low noise output at light and moderate loads. They could do better in noise output if their official specs restricted the maximum combined load on the minor rails at 100W, but Corsair wanted strong 5V and 3.3V rails. I can understand the reason for a strong 5V rail (ARGB), but there is no point in making the 3.3V rail so strong. Moreover, the OCP triggering points on these two rails are high, allowing for well over 30A on each rail. Great Wall should fix OCP on the minor rails and bring it down to more sensible levels.

The SF850’s overall performance easily gives it first place in the 850W ATX v3.1 SFX PSU category. However, there aren’t many 850W SFX PSUs following Intel’s newest standard, as it is not easy to make such a strong SFX platform able to offer twice its maximum power for short periods. I didn’t have any price information on the new Corsair SF units at the time of the review, but I hope their prices will stay reasonable. The extended warranty, high build quality, and the included SFX-to-ATX adapter bracket are the essential ingredients for a salty price.

With the new SF series, Corsair marks its independence from the so-far powerful 80 PLUS, which insists on increasing its fees while using a vastly outdated and easy-to-cheat methodology. According to Corsair’s PSU PM, only the Cybenetics ratings will be utilized from now on. These ratings use the average efficiency and noise readings from at least 1450 different load combinations, from minimal to full load, and other data to tax the PSUs to the corresponding efficiency and noise categories.

Many of you expected this review when the SF series was officially introduced during Computex 2024. Unfortunately, I didn’t have time to work on it since I was in Taiwan during this period. Now that I have returned, I plan on going full speed and reviewing the rest of the SF models, along with many other PSUs and PC parts in general. I also have started an exciting project, a flight simulator with motion (SFX-150). It will be an interesting summer, especially if the temperatures here in Cyprus stop exceeding 45C!

Before investing in a new power supply, read my Best ATX v3.x PSUs article to check all alternative PSU offerings. You help me a lot by using my affiliate links, which don’t increase the product’s price. I get a commission from Amazon every time you do it, which can make a difference for me, especially now that I am on my own, working exclusively for my media and not for someone else.