Corsair vs. Silverstone in the test: two SFX platinum power supplies, once passively cooled

– Corsair and Silverstone serve the SFX market with convincing upper class power supplies. The cooling effort is reduced with a high degree of efficiency, which is why the passive cooling of Silverstone dominates in terms of volume. The preferred cooling solution is ultimately a question of price.

SFX (-L) power supplies with platinum efficiency

After Corsair published the SF450 (test) in 2017, which with the 80Plus Gold certification outshone all other power supplies in the SFX class, the American manufacturer is now devoting itself to the next higher efficiency class with the SF450 Platinum. In addition to the improved efficiency, the new power supply initially looks like a small upgrade – cable harnesses with individually sleeved wires are the most obvious change for the end user.

Passive cooling bought expensive

However, these small changes are enough for the technical specifications to be on par with the Silverstone Nightjar NJ450-SXL. However, there is an enormous price difference between the two power supplies. The SF450 Platinum is available from around 100 euros, while the Nightjar NJ450-SXL has to be priced at 170 euros. The large price difference is due to the passive cooling of the Nightjar NJ450-SXL, which requires a complex thermal design and a massive oversizing of the components used. As a result, Silverstone promises silent operation, while Corsair only guarantees extremely low noise emissions when the fan is switched off when the load is low.

Measurement methodology extended by graphics card test

After the problem of the graphics card requirements for the protective circuits and dimensioning of the power supply unit became public, BitcoinMinersHashrate has developed a measurement setup with which incompatibility is to be randomly determined. The size of the voltage ripple on the graphics card can also be obtained from the measurement. The details of the test methodology, the test station used, the electrical measurements and the sound pressure level measurements can also be read separately in this case in the article "How BitcoinMinersHashrate tests power supplies". The power supply ranking list with the best list offers a constantly updated overview of recommended power supplies.

Technical key data in comparison

There are only slight differences in the technical specifications between the two test samples. The Nightjar NJ450-SXL lacks fans due to passive cooling, but measures 130 mm in depth, which is commonly defined as SFX-L. The SF450 Platinum completely follows the SFX standard, which is why it has a shorter housing with 100 mm. Both power supplies are certified with an efficiency of 80Plus Platinum, which simplifies their (semi) passive cooling because less heat dissipation has to be dissipated.

The protective circuits for both power supplies are listed in full. In the Nightjar NJ450-SXL, however, an insufficient implementation of the overheating protection can be determined, which at first sounds very negligent for a passive power supply. If overheating protection for active power supplies is to protect against damage due to a fan failure or excessive dust, this must cover another fault in the case of a fanless, closed power supply unit such as the Nightjar NJ450-SXL. Measurements in this test show that the power supply can cool a higher operating temperature than the specified 40 ° C at full load and an overload in terms of performance or temperature is only a question of service life. This makes the end user all the more responsible for ensuring adequate cooling, especially when the power required for the PC is scarcely calculated in order to counteract an early failure.

warranty Terms

Both Corsair and Silverstone have service locations in Germany, which is why you can benefit from a quick exchange within the guarantee period when processed through the manufacturer. By storing credit card data, Corsair even allows a particularly quick on-site exchange.

Seven against three-year guarantee

Regarding the length of the guarantee, Corsair is significantly more generous at the age of seven. In contrast, Silverstone's three-year warranty for an 80Plus Platinum power supply is short. Decisive for the short warranty length for the manufacturer is the loss of control over the operating temperature of the power supply, since the Nightjar NJ450-SXL does not have a fan that can simply increase the speed at higher temperatures.

Scope of delivery and exterior

Corsair is particularly generous in the scope of delivery. In addition to a power cord, a manual and screws, the pack also includes plastic and Velcro-style cable ties and an adapter panel for mounting in an ATX power supply bay. The Silverstone Nightjar NJ450-SXL lacks these additional items.

Externally, the Corsair SF450 Platinum remained unchanged from the 2017 SF450. But in 2019, the housing design is also one of the best in the SFX class. The high integration density with a fully modular cable management and 92 mm fan in a housing that is only 100 mm deep currently only offers EVGA with the Supernova GM series, which is not yet available in Germany.

The Silverstone Nightjar NJ450-SXL is even more massive. Four side parts are made of thick aluminum blocks, which with their rib structure serve to cool the power supply.

cable Features

In the cable configuration of the SF450 Platinum there is another clear difference to the SF450 with 80Plus Gold. Instead of ribbon cables, Corsair includes cable strands with individual sleeves, which can be staged particularly well in housings with a viewing window. Furthermore, there are only four SATA and three 4-pin Molex connectors, which has little effect compared to the Nightjar NJ450-SXL, but is sufficient for most Mini-ITX systems. The SF450 Platinum also shows that it is designed for particularly small mini-ITX systems, because the minimum and maximum length of the SATA line only measure 10 and 45 cm. Silverstone is more spacious with the longer peripheral cables, but the excess cables take up unnecessary space in the smallest systems. The Taiwanese manufacturer also scores in terms of the number of PCIe connectors provided. With four connections on two lines, the buyer has the choice between using two cables for a higher performance limit and better performance, or one cable for less cable clutter if only two PCIe connections need to be provided.

For lower losses and a smaller voltage drop, Silverstone uses thicker 16 AWG wires for the 24-pin ATX, EPS and PCIe wiring harnesses – 18 AWG wires are used for all other cables, the Corsair for the complete cable set as sees enough.

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