I did my best researching PSU's for my 4 year old HP Pavilion a1630n. I had upgraded my video card not too long ago to the max wattage my PSU would handle (I was informed this would not be a problem), but about a year later, the computer would not start at all. No lights, no sound, nothing. I researched the problem on the HP website and after troubleshooting the problem came to the conclusion the PSU had died. Note: my friends in tech had verified that the PSU was indeed the problem. I came to find out later that it was a good thing the motherboard did not go out also.
Upon further research, I found out that HP Pavilion PSU for that unit is a particular weakness of the design. Searching online, I found that Corsair PSU's have gotten high grades; so rather than going the cheap route but still staying within my means, I decided to opt for this model at Amazon. The PSU's physical dimensions were the right size.
The PSU arrived as expected and I handed the PSU to my IT friends to install. (I am good at research but not so good at hardware installations.) At first, he was having problems installing the PSU, but decided that he had better read the PSU installation instructions (Doh!).
It is very quiet and has no problems at all. I particularly like that the fan is variable speed and that the unit is able to handle fluctuating voltage situations. The 80 percent efficiency is a nice bonus also. It fit nicely in my computer chassis. The wires were long enough. The computer chassis is relatively cool to the touch.
So far, I have nothing but good things to say about this PSU <knock on wood>. The 430 watts is a nice upgrade from 300 watts also. If it lasts 4 years like my first PSU, if my computer does not die of obsolescence first, it will be well worth the investment.
Please note: I do not consider myself an IT expert and this is my very first product review.
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This Item  Corsair Builder Series CX V2 500-Watt 80 Plus Certified Power Supply Compatible with Intel and AMD Platforms ATX 600 CMPSU-500CXV2 |  |  |  |  |  | |
| Price | — | $39.99 | $39.99 | -8% $34.80 List: $37.80 | -9% $49.99 List: $54.99 | $32.99 |
| Delivery | — | Get it as soon as Tuesday, Jun 18 | — | Get it as soon as Tuesday, Jun 18 | Get it as soon as Tuesday, Jun 18 | Get it as soon as Tuesday, Jun 18 |
| Customer Ratings | ||||||
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| Easy to install | ||||||
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| Sold By | — | ApexGaming | SENLIFANG | Chaoyu Electronics | ZalmanUSA | Raidmax Tech |
| power supply design | — | — | Non-Modular | Full Modular | Non-Modular | — |
| connector type | ATX | — | atx,eps | ATX | ATX | SATA, Floppy, PCI Express |
| form factor | ATX | — | ATX | ATX | ATX | ATX12V |
| cooling method | Air | Air | Air | — | Air | Air |
| max input voltage | 264 volts | — | 240 volts | — | — | 240 volts |
| min input voltage | 90 volts | — | 100 volts | 110 volts | 115 volts | 110 volts |
| fan count | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| wattage | — | 550 watts | 500 watts | 500 watts | 500 watts | 400 watts |
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Heavy duty and attractive
The reason I replaced my PSU was I moved from Europe to America. It was in Europe I replaced the factory PSU with a replacement unit. 99% of the computers made have a universal input voltage, but the electronic store where I was only had 220-volt input. But, I did learn from that experience that my factory PSU, 350watt, prevented me from realizing full range stereo audio. Before I upgraded to 500 watt my computer volume was set on full and yet the sound was puny. 500 watt was what I needed to edit video.Based on others recommendation I went with the Corsair. Thus far, flawless performance. Attractive box, black exhaust screen shows up on my computer tower case. The CX500 has an over-abundance of connectors that would make a gamer happy. The massive wiring harness is bulky. The wires are collected into fishnet mesh pipes. In a mid-sized tower computer box I have to really tie the wires tightly to avoid the CPU fan. So, the only gripe is the bulky wire harness. The package does include nylon wire ties (and you will need them).The unit runs cool and silent even under the heaviest of loads, ex: running a video rendering overnight.
Top reviews from the United States
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Reviewed in the United States on June 8, 2012
Top reviews from other countries
Arturo Hernández Reséndiz
Muy buena fuente de Poder.
Reviewed in Mexico on March 20, 2017Size: 430 WattVerified Purchase
Arindam Dey
100 % Genuine Seal Pack...Zero (0) noise..
Reviewed in India on June 17, 2015Size: 500 WattVerified Purchase
