Moving our GPU testing to AMD Ryzen

PSU Selection – Corsair RM1000i – Why we need Corsair Link!

When looking for a new testbed power supply, we are looking for three things; efficiency, wattage and power draw measurement tools. On top of this, we also want to buy from a trusted brand, as we don’t want to attach our expensive hardware to a no-name power supply. 

For us, there was only one logical choice, the Corsair RM1000i. We have been using Corsair RMi series power supplies for years. These units offer us high efficiency levels with their 80+ Gold Rating, easy PSU power draw readings through Corsair’s Link software and a proven track record of reliability over years of testing. 

Even today, over five years after launch, Corsair’s RMi series some of the lowest levels of voltage ripple on the market. Just look at our PSU reviews, and you will see why we love the RMi series. Add that to our years of experience with these units, and that fact that we have never had an RMi series power supply fail on us, and it should be easy to see why we have chosen to use Corsair’s RM1000i. 

Given the relatively low power requirements of AMD’s Ryzen 9 3950X processor, having access to 1000 Watts of power is more than enough for our purposes. Yes, some multi-GPU systems will require higher wattage power supplies, but such testing is rare. Multi-GPU support has been all but abandoned by GPU makers, making 1000 watts of power plenty for all but the most extreme of testing scenarios. 
  

  

 
For their fully modular power supplies, Corsair also offers its users the option to switch out their stock PSU cables with sleeved versions. These aftermarket cables allow users to give their systems a more premium look. 

For us, these cables serve no functional purpose. They do not increase the efficiency of Corsair’s RM1000i or offer us anything that will improve system performance or stability. What they do offer though is a high-end aesthetic, and when we are going to be photographing and videoing our systems frequently, it makes sense for us to make this system look good. 
  

  

Corsair Link 4

Within our test system is a Corsair Commander Pro and a Corsair RM1000i, both of which support Corsair’s Link software. While iCUE has replaced Link for most Corsair users, we prefer the feature set offered by Corsair Link in our test systems. 

Below, you will be able to see that Corsair Link offers us a clear power supply wattage readings. These readings allow us to judge the power consumption levels of our systems under various loads. This data is incredibly useful when judging the efficiency of new CPU and graphics hardware. 

We have compared our Corsair Link wattage readings to those from dedicated PSU load testers and have found Corsair Link to be incredibly accurate. Corsair Link also allows us to control all of our system’s fans, which are all set to fixed RPMs to ensure that all graphics cards are tested using like-for-like system airflow.