Corsair’s new SHIFT power supplies make building PCs easier. Instead of running the cables from the back of the power supply, they come out the side for easier access. Sounds simple, right? We went hands on to find out just how well it works.
Specifications
- Current Price:
- ATX Connector: 1
- ATX12V Version: 3
- Continuous Power: 1000 Watts
- Fan Bearing Technology: FDB
- Fan Size: 140mm
- MTBF: 100,000 hours
- 80 PLUS Efficiency: Gold
- Cable Type: Type 5
- EPS12V Connector: 2
- EPS12V Version: 2.92
- PCIe Connector: 7
- SATA Connector: 16
- Frequency: 47 - 63Hz
- Input Current: 12-6A
- +3.3V:
- Max Load: 20A
- Max Output:
- +5V: 150W
- Max Load: 20A
- Max Output:
- +12V: 150W
- Max Load: 83.3A
- Max Output: 1000w
- +5Vsb:
- Max Load: 3A
- Max Output: 15W
- Dimensions (LxWxH): 180 x 150 x 66 mm
Corsair RM1000X SHIFT - What Is It?
The Corsair SHIFT series of power supplies are the kind of product that makes you wonder why it took so long to get here. As a PC builder, one of the most frustrating things to do is adjust power supply cables. Not so much when you’re first building, of course, when the PSU is easily accessible. But after it’s in, adding, removing or changing cables is an exercise in frustration.
Consider: the average PC case tucks the power supply into the bottom, beneath the motherboard. Once it’s installed, the cables are hidden in a small chamber, plugging in perpendicular from you. Every cable blocks the one behind it. If you need to pull a cable or add a new one, you either have to unscrew the power supply, unseating masses of wires that you had neatly managed, or try to wedge your fingers (or a tool) in there. If you have a hard drive tray, it’s probably positioned somewhere in the way. It’s a recipe for scratched knuckles and too much time.
The SHIFT line-up answers that in a simple way: shifting those connections to right, facing the outside of the case. In one simple, well, shift, all of the cables are easy to access. Instead of scratched knuckles, you have instant visualization, just like other cables in your system.
How did it take until 2023 to get here? Why aren’t other companies already doing this?
I’m sure there are good answers to those questions — one of which I’m sure you can guess (spoiler alert: compatibility). I’m sure there are people that will tell you all of the technical hurdles it took to get here. But I’m a simple man that likes to build PCs, and I’m here to tell you that, when you need to make changes after the PC is built, this is how power supplies should be.
The current SHIFT line-up is available in three wattages: 850 watt, 1000 watt, and 1200 watt. The website currently lists a 750 watt but it doesn’t seem to be available at this time. Each model is fully modular and is 80 PLUS Gold certified for energy efficiency. Each is also covered by a 10 year warranty, so you can take comfort in knowing you’re investing in a long-term solution that will likely carry you through multiple PC builds.
Even though the SHIFT series offers some big advantages, there are a few things you should absolutely keep in mind before scoring one for yourself. The first is that your case will need to support this design. Corsair says that any PC that follows ATX PSU format and is at least 8.3 inches wide will support it, but you’ll need to take a good look at the actual clearance you have with any additional cabling that may be in your PC. If you have any wires, internal USB hubs, fan, or RGB controllers that you tend to tuck to the side of the PSU, you’ll need to shift them behind it. You also won’t be able to use it if your case uses a metal shroud that extends to the back panel.
The other important thing to note is that Corsair has changed the cables to Type 5 with this release, which means aftermarket cables you may have purchased will likely no longer work.
Overall, though, this is a solid evolution that’s more compatible than I first feared.
Corsair RM1000X SHIFT - Impressions
Without expensive equipment, it’s impossible to test a power supply in any meaningful way. Instead, what I’d like to focus on is my experience building with the power supply in the Corsair 5000T tempered glass case. Since it’s one of Corsair’s own recent cases, compatibility was guaranteed, but after building with it myself, I don’t think you need to worry too much about that.
Corsair’s new cables aren’t as pretty as some of the braided options out there, but they’re more flexible. Without torquing the cable end, I was able to route them to the top and to the left with clearance to spare. I would worry about braided cables and their added stiffness, but since you’ll be using Corsair’s included cables for the moment, most mid-tower cases should fit 8.3 inch width requirement to work well here.
I built the PC, cable managed, and then deliberately went back to swap out SATA and GPU cables. My knuckles are unscathed. More importantly, I didn’t have to undo every bit of cabling and pull out wires I may have tucked away just to make a small change. If you’re looking at a GPU or SATA upgrade in the future, these are real concerns that can add a lot of time to the build and the SHIFT solves the most egregious parts of the whole process.
As a power supply, it works perfectly well. Corsair PSUs are well known for their quality, so I expected nothing less. With a meter at the wall outlet, I was able to confirm stable power delivery with clear, fast ramping up and down to meet power demands as I ran benchmarks and games.
Its Zero RPM mode also worked quite well. When not under load, the fan turns off entirely to enhance the quietness of your system. Looking back at it, the only thing I wish is that the RM1000X series were “smart” and could report back to iCUE for power usage and fan control.
Final Thoughts
The Corsair RM1000X SHIFT is an excellent power supply. I was initially very concerned about clearance issues, and you’ll definitely still want to consider your case ahead of time, but this turned out almost to be a non-issue thanks to the included cables. Overall, I think Corsair is really onto something here — and here’s hoping the rest of the DIY PC industry is taking notice.
The product described in this article was provided by the manufacturer for evaluation purposes.
