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Performance, Value, Noise & Efficiency
Performance Rating
The following graph shows the AX1600i's total performance rating, comparing it to other units we have tested. To be more specific, the tested unit is shown as 100 percent, and every other unit's performance is shown relative to it.
We have a new king! The AX1600i leaves its predecessor, the AX1500i, behind. This is the best-performing PSU for now, and it'll be difficult for any of Corsair's competitors to come up with anything notably better.
Performance Per Dollar
The following chart may be the most interesting to many of you because it depicts the unit's performance-per-dollar score. We looked up the current price of each PSU on popular online shops and used those prices and all relative performance numbers to calculate the index. If the specific unit wasn't available in the United States, we searched for it in popular European Union shops, converting the listed price to USD (without VAT). Note that all of the numbers in the following graph are normalized by the rated power of each PSU.
Despite its extraordinary performance, the AX1600i's high price tag doesn't leave much room for a value argument. Corsair managed though to keep the same price with its predecessor, providing a great asset to the new model.
Noise Rating
The graph below depicts the cooling fan's average noise over the PSU's operating range, with an ambient temperature between 30°C and 32°C (86°F to 89.6°F).
This is a massive-capacity PSU that keeps noise output in check. Corsair's high-end offerings are the only ones that stay below 30 dB(A) overall noise.
Efficiency Rating
The following graph shows the PSU's average efficiency throughout its operating range, with an ambient temperature close to 30°C.
The AX1500i was starting to show its age; several competing power supplies passed it in this comparison (though not by much). So far, the AX1600i is the only high-capacity model in our charts to achieve >92% overall efficiency.
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