Power Supply Corsair SF600 - 600W SFX PSU

maev

Case Bender
Nov 5, 2017
2
0
I am currently building my very first ncase M1 rig (8700 non-k cooled by dark rock tf + 1080 windforce gtx with two additional noctua pwm fans at the bottom) and I am really torn between Corsair SF600 and Silverstone SX650-G. Looks like SF600 had issues with low quality thermal components (https://smallformfactor.net/forum/threads/corsair-sf600-600w-sfx-psu.533/page-4#post-49216). Is this still the case? On the other hand, I can't find any reliable information on the SX650-G noise characteristics (besides the 18dba minimum feature). Choosing between these two is driving me crazy.
 

Thehack

Spatial Philosopher
Creator
Mar 6, 2016
2,800
3,650
J-hackcompany.com
I am currently building my very first ncase M1 rig (8700 non-k cooled by dark rock tf + 1080 windforce gtx with two additional noctua pwm fans at the bottom) and I am really torn between Corsair SF600 and Silverstone SX650-G. Looks like SF600 had issues with low quality thermal components (https://smallformfactor.net/forum/threads/corsair-sf600-600w-sfx-psu.533/page-4#post-49216). Is this still the case? On the other hand, I can't find any reliable information on the SX650-G noise characteristics (besides the 18dba minimum feature). Choosing between these two is driving me crazy.

I'd still get the SF600. Corsair support is better than silverstone. 7 vs 3 year warranty on a premium PSU. wire vs stamped metal over the fan. Silverstone's last few SFX PSU was also plagued by fan issues.

I'd get it from someplace like amazon and just test it to see if it meets your needs and return if you get a bad sample. Though I do argue you'd only need the 450-500W version.
 
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rahl07

Caliper Novice
Nov 28, 2017
33
24
I'd still get the SF600. Corsair support is better than silverstone. 7 vs 3 year warranty on a premium PSU. wire vs stamped metal over the fan. Silverstone's last few SFX PSU was also plagued by fan issues.

Get the Corsair. The Silverstone is made by the same OEM as the Thermaltake (Enhance Electronics); after disassembly, they didn't like what they found at Tom's or Techpowerup compared to the construction of the Corsair.

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/thermaltake-toughpower-sfx-600w-gold-psu-stp-0600f-g,4714.html
 

smitty2k1

King of Cable Management
Dec 3, 2016
967
492
Get the Corsair. The Silverstone is made by the same OEM as the Thermaltake (Enhance Electronics); after disassembly, they didn't like what they found at Tom's or Techpowerup compared to the construction of the Corsair.

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/thermaltake-toughpower-sfx-600w-gold-psu-stp-0600f-g,4714.html

That looks like it is the last gen of the Silverstone PSUs. The newest ones (500w and 650w) seem to be a whole new design. Johnny Guru has the only review that I know of.
 
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NuclearLemons

SFF Lingo Aficionado
Jun 10, 2017
119
65
I am currently building my very first ncase M1 rig (8700 non-k cooled by dark rock tf + 1080 windforce gtx with two additional noctua pwm fans at the bottom) and I am really torn between Corsair SF600 and Silverstone SX650-G. Looks like SF600 had issues with low quality thermal components (https://smallformfactor.net/forum/threads/corsair-sf600-600w-sfx-psu.533/page-4#post-49216). Is this still the case? On the other hand, I can't find any reliable information on the SX650-G noise characteristics (besides the 18dba minimum feature). Choosing between these two is driving me crazy.
i have the 650-G, dead silent and works great driving an i7 7700k and a vega 64 with a slight under-volt. quality feels great and their cables are a decent length for a zaber sentry (my main case atm)

one of the perks on the 650-G is it comes with a 4pin sense connector
 

slimjim

Cable-Tie Ninja
Jul 5, 2017
198
131
I just had a 450w sfx Silverstone psu explode on me in my ncase build. It lasted three days and POPPED at idle, almost sounded like a gunshot. Anyone else had this happen?
 
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rahl07

Caliper Novice
Nov 28, 2017
33
24
That looks like it is the last gen of the Silverstone PSUs. The newest ones (500w and 650w) seem to be a whole new design. Johnny Guru has the only review that I know of.

Can you link? Most recent Silverstone review I saw was from Jan 2017 on the 450W unit.
 

smitty2k1

King of Cable Management
Dec 3, 2016
967
492
Can you link? Most recent Silverstone review I saw was from Jan 2017 on the 450W unit.
Review: http://www.jonnyguru.com/modules.php?name=NDReviews&op=Story&reid=533
Product Page: http://www.silverstonetek.com/product.php?pid=762&area=en

Edit, did some more digging and found one website, PCPER, which did a review of both the Silverstone 650 and the Corsair 600 including temperature and noise measurements:

https://www.pcper.com/reviews/Cases...er-Supply-Review/Efficiency-Differential-Temp

https://www.pcper.com/reviews/Cases...Supply-Review/Efficiency-Differential-Tempera

Looks like the Corsair eeks out the Silverstone in terms of noise, but I'm not crazy about their methodology. They recycle the exhaust from the PSU back into the intake while measuring temperature and noise, and I think this artificially inflates the numbers. In my Ncase M1 for example, the PSU draws intake air from the exterior of the case.
 
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rahl07

Caliper Novice
Nov 28, 2017
33
24
Thanks for the information; it's good to see the vendor corrected a lot of the issues from the previous generation. I will probably still wind up with a Corsair, but knowing the new Silverstone units are well built like in the days of old, more choices is always good.
 

Midiamp

SFF Lingo Aficionado
Mar 15, 2017
99
49
michaeladhi.com
Guys, anyone having fan noise complaint with the SF600? My SF600 fan is basically the loudest component on my new rig. I'm still fine tuning my system fan, cables and noise, and I tackle noise first. I use a fan hub with one PWM fan and two standard fan (12mm and built in 9mm). I was hearing quite a heavy fan noise during and after gaming, I thought it's the funky cheapo fans that's acting up. However after I unplug the fanhub, turns out it was the SF600 fan that's making the loud noise.

I use Cougar QBX, and there's generous ventilation on the PSU mount. Sure... I live in the tropics, and my ambient room temperature is 28-29 degrees C. However, my old system, a 4790K, with Corsair SF450 and Silverstone RVZ02 runs virtually silent, the noise only comes from the HSF (Deepcool Gabriel) on gaming session. Even my 1080Ti FE runs relatively silent.

My system idles at 70-75 watt, but still the SF600 fan spins audibly. My room ambient noise is about 35 DB, with the PC it's about 42-43 DB.

Any fix or some trick to alleviate the SF600 fan noise?
 

smitty2k1

King of Cable Management
Dec 3, 2016
967
492
Hmmm... thought I finally decided on the SF600 (instead of the SX650) last night. I hadn't heard of these faulty fan controllers. Wellllllllll I guess the SX650 is back in the running.
 

Midiamp

SFF Lingo Aficionado
Mar 15, 2017
99
49
michaeladhi.com
If it's loud I would return/exchange it if you still can, or get a warranty replacement if it's past the return period. Some of the SF600 PSUs are just duds with respect to the fan controller. It's ideally supposed to be even quieter than the SF450 at comparable loads.

This has to do with the fan controller implementation (source, scroll down). Aris is the Tom's Hardware reviewer and GW is Great Wall, the OEM for the SF600. The loud review samples weren't an isolated case afterall.

I asked Jon (aka jonnyguru, who is now at Corsair) if they had implemented these fixes yet and he said no.

Alternatively, mod your fan but lose your warranty.
Darn... I have friends working at Corsair distributor, and my SF600 was basically the last one in the country. Can't replace it, and modifying the fan is out of my technical reach. The worst part is that the alternative is way worse, Silverstone SX600 and Thermaltake Toughpower SFX600 lacks an extra 6 pin connector. There's Enermax Revolution SFX, but I never used Enermax before. I'm not risking buying an untrusted component that supplies electricity to my whole system.
 

NuclearLemons

SFF Lingo Aficionado
Jun 10, 2017
119
65
Darn... I have friends working at Corsair distributor, and my SF600 was basically the last one in the country. Can't replace it, and modifying the fan is out of my technical reach. The worst part is that the alternative is way worse, Silverstone SX600 and Thermaltake Toughpower SFX600 lacks an extra 6 pin connector. There's Enermax Revolution SFX, but I never used Enermax before. I'm not risking buying an untrusted component that supplies electricity to my whole system.
have you considered the silverstone 650-g? it has the extra 6pin plus its pretty quiet (comparable to the sf600 as they both have a 92mm fan compared the smaller one on the sx600)
 

smitty2k1

King of Cable Management
Dec 3, 2016
967
492
Darn... I have friends working at Corsair distributor, and my SF600 was basically the last one in the country. Can't replace it, and modifying the fan is out of my technical reach. The worst part is that the alternative is way worse, Silverstone SX600 and Thermaltake Toughpower SFX600 lacks an extra 6 pin connector. There's Enermax Revolution SFX, but I never used Enermax before. I'm not risking buying an untrusted component that supplies electricity to my whole system.

The SF600 has a power connector on the fan, so it doesn't take much skill to replace, but supposedly the problem is with the controller not the fan on these units.

Silverstone SX650-G has a 92mm fan and would be a great alternative.

Enermax is a very trusted name in power supplies.
 

Midiamp

SFF Lingo Aficionado
Mar 15, 2017
99
49
michaeladhi.com
have you considered the silverstone 650-g? it has the extra 6pin plus its pretty quiet (comparable to the sf600 as they both have a 92mm fan compared the smaller one on the sx600)
Too bad SX650-G is not available here. Supply and demand thing I guess, SFF is not exactly a hot item.

The SF600 has a power connector on the fan, so it doesn't take much skill to replace, but supposedly the problem is with the controller not the fan on these units.

Silverstone SX650-G has a 92mm fan and would be a great alternative.

Enermax is a very trusted name in power supplies.
My friends at Corsair distributor assured me that I can replace my SF600, it's an acknowledged issue. I have to wait about a month or so though for the new shipment. I guess that's good news. Funny thing though, my SF600 is quite warm after light or heavy use. I thought with the fan spinning, it will be relatively cool.
 
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bennyGrose

Chassis Packer
Sep 10, 2017
17
16
The SF600 has a power connector on the fan, so it doesn't take much skill to replace, but supposedly the problem is with the controller not the fan on these units.

Silverstone SX650-G has a 92mm fan and would be a great alternative.

Enermax is a very trusted name in power supplies.

Something interesting I've learned while researching this issue (I want this power supply but I'm super particular about my computer being quiet) is that you are correct that the issue is not with the fan but rather the controller, however, if you were to replace the stock fan with what I would assume to be the universally agreed best replacement choice, the noctua a9x14, the fans have different starting voltages. So, the corsair takes only 3 volts to start it spinning while the noctua takes 6, so by virtue of the different starting voltages you actually fix the bad fan curve that is shipped with this power supply. I am getting my a4 in late January and would be happy to update you further as I intend to do this mod.

I'm curious if anyone out there has conducted this mod already and would be willing to attest or refute some of my theories? Also, a general overview of how you conducted the mod and some of the challenges associated is always appreciated!

I'm planning on running a 8700k and 1080 ti and would like the extra headroom afforded by a 600w psu, but will go with the sf450 if these noise issues persist, noise comes first and foremost to me
 
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smitty2k1

King of Cable Management
Dec 3, 2016
967
492
Something interesting I've learned while researching this issue (I want this power supply but I'm super particular about my computer being quiet) is that you are correct that the issue is not with the fan but rather the controller, however, if you were to replace the stock fan with what I would assume to be the universally agreed best replacement choice, the noctua a9x14, the fans have different starting voltages. So, the corsair takes only 3 volts to start it spinning while the noctua takes 6, so by virtue of the different starting voltages you actually fix the bad fan curve that is shipped with this power supply. I am getting my a4 in late January and would be happy to update you further as I intend to do this mod.

I'm curious if anyone out there has conducted this mod already and would be willing to attest or refute some of my theories? Also, a general overview of how you conducted the mod and some of the challenges associated is always appreciated!

I'm planning on running a 8700k and 1080 ti and would like the extra headroom afforded by a 600w psu, but will go with the sf450 if these noise issues persist, noise comes first and foremost to me

I ended up buying the SX650-G. The fan is definitely louder than my old SX450-G which I had modified with the Noiseblocker 80mm fan. However, I can now run my Vega 56 in turbo mode which overpowers the PSU fan... considerably.

As I work on undervolting my Vega I may buy that slim 92mm Noctua fan you referenced and replace it in my Silverstone PSU. The Silverstone does not have a fan connector so I'll be doing some soldering, no big deal as I already did it once on the SX450-G.

I think I read a rumor that Corsair may be fixing the fan curve on newer SF600's, but I can't confirm that or remember where I (possibly) read it.