Corsair HX850 power supply: Gold or Silver?

[jonas2k2]

Been having some freezing/restarting issues and I believe it is my power supply. So I've been looking to buy a new one. Corsair has caught my eye and I have been looking at what they offer. Came across something strange though in relation to the HX850. I usually buy from Canada Computers and they list both a 80+ Silver and Gold version of that PSU. The silver is on clearance sale $129 (from 189) and gold for 169. On Corsair's website, if you navigate through the menus and find the HX series, they are all listed as gold certified. I was able to find the silver on Corsair's website by doing a google search (it was the first hit). Both claim 90% efficiency under normal conditions. Is the silver HX850 really a gold certified unit in hiding? Should I get the discounted silver version and consider myself lucky? Or is something changing with the 80+ certification? I also noticed there aren't any silver rated PSUs on Corsair's site, just bronze, gold, platinum.

 

[God vs Satan]

Seasonic was what i was told would be best PSU choice.

 

[toyftw]

Been having some freezing/restarting issues and I believe it is my power supply. So I've been looking to buy a new one. Corsair has caught my eye and I have been looking at what they offer. Came across something strange though in relation to the HX850. I usually buy from Canada Computers and they list both a 80+ Silver and Gold version of that PSU. The silver is on clearance sale $129 (from 189) and gold for 169. On Corsair's website, if you navigate through the menus and find the HX series, they are all listed as gold certified. I was able to find the silver on Corsair's website by doing a google search (it was the first hit). Both claim 90% efficiency under normal conditions. Is the silver HX850 really a gold certified unit in hiding? Should I get the discounted silver version and consider myself lucky? Or is something changing with the 80+ certification? I also noticed there aren't any silver rated PSUs on Corsair's site, just bronze, gold, platinum.

Hi - In realhardtech's PSU database even the disc HX850 is listed as gold. The one on special might
be an even older model, but I'd save the $40 diff & get it, as you guessed it might be gold rated anyway.
It'll take a lot of years to recoup the $40 in electrical savings.

Yeah, won't see a lot of Silver rated units, the PSU design to achieve it often gets gold cert.