Introduction

Back in 2009, Corsair launched the HX850. The power supply quickly became a favorite amongst gamers and builders as it performed very well with great options and was available at a very competitive price. Add in the seven year warranty and for many it was a no-brainer that this was the power supply to have for mid-range systems.

Fast forward three years and we find that Corsair is still selling the HX850 like hotcakes. Unfortunately it is starting to fall behind in the PSU market as newer, more efficient models have made it to the market.

Fortunately for everyone who is a fan of the HX850, Corsair decided it was time for a refresh and gave the HX850 an overhaul. This time around it still has the same I/O specifications and awesome seven year warranty, but comes with increased efficiency, better connector availability and a slight aesthetic redesign.

Corsair promises the same great performance that the unit is almost legendary for so read on as we take an in-depth look into the new Corsair HX850.

Specifications, Availability and Pricing

DC output is identical to that of the previous HX850 power supply. The unit is capable of 70A on the single 12V rail. Both the 3.3V and 5V rails are rated for 25A each. These have a combined total wattage of 150W. The 5VSB is rated for 3A for a total output of 15W. Total combined maximum output of the unit is 850W.

The new HX850 comes with a full list of protections including short circuit, over voltage, over current, over power and over temperature protections. The unit has received a bump up in the efficiency department and is now rated for 80Plus Gold over the previous model which was rated for Silver. Corsair manufacturers the HX850 with both native and modular cabling, all of which is fully sleeved or of the flat ribbon type. Topping everything off is rating for 100% continuous output at 50C.

Corsair has an MSRP of $199.99 on the new HX850. That puts the unit towards the high-end of the price spectrum for 850W units and in direct competition with the Kingwin LZP-850 and SeaSonic Platinum-860, as well as Corsair's own fully modular AX-850. This gives it at a bit of a disadvantage in the price department, but we wouldn't be surprised if there was a price drop soon or a rebate offered to make it more competitive.

The new HX850 is still backed by Corsair's impressive seven year warranty.