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be quiet! Pure Power 12 550W vs Corsair CX550M: Comparison

What is the difference between be quiet! Pure Power 12 550W and Corsair CX550M?

The gap that matters here is warranty: be quiet! Pure Power 12 550W 10 years against Corsair CX550M 5 years, which puts be quiet! Pure Power 12 550W 50% ahead. be quiet! Pure Power 12 550W also leads on hold-up time, 16.6 ms on the be quiet! Pure Power 12 550W versus 11.1 ms on the Corsair CX550M.

Which should you buy, be quiet! Pure Power 12 550W or Corsair CX550M?

The be quiet! Pure Power 12 550W is the one to take for Quiet mainstream gaming builds and RTX 4060/RX 7600-class GPUs, though it is not the pick for anyone wanting fully modular cables and high-end or multi-GPU builds. The Corsair CX550M suits entry-level gaming builds under $700 total and GTX 1660 Super or RX 6600-class GPUs, though it is not built for high-end GPUs or multi-GPU setups and anyone wanting a fully modular 24-pin/EPS. Our rating of the be quiet! Pure Power 12 550W (7.8/10): A quiet, Gold-rated 550W unit that's the right call for mainstream builds that don't need full modularity. Our rating of the Corsair CX550M (6.9/10): A safe, unglamorous budget Bronze pick for entry-level gaming PCs that don't need Gold efficiency or full modularity.

Where the two are identical

Where they agree, they agree completely, wattage, fan size, form factor, +12v rail amperage and single +12v rail included, so the decision does not turn on any of those. They match on 6 further specifications as well.

Which is cheaper, be quiet! Pure Power 12 550W or Corsair CX550M?

Cost splits them too. Corsair CX550M sits at $54.99, be quiet! Pure Power 12 550W at $74.99, 36% more.

Frequently asked questions

Do the be quiet! Pure Power 12 550W and Corsair CX550M differ on 80 plus rating?

Yes. 80 PLUS Rating reads Gold on the be quiet! Pure Power 12 550W versus Bronze on the Corsair CX550M.

Is the Zero-RPM Mode the same on the be quiet! Pure Power 12 550W and Corsair CX550M?

It is. Both are listed at No, so it is not a reason to pick one over the other.

Specs and benchmarks

  • Brand

    be quiet! Pure Power 12 550W
    be quiet!
    Corsair CX550M
    Corsair
  • Wattage

    be quiet! Pure Power 12 550W
    550 W
    Corsair CX550M
    550 W
  • 80 PLUS Rating

    be quiet! Pure Power 12 550W
    Gold
    Corsair CX550M
    Bronze
  • Model Number

    be quiet! Pure Power 12 550W
    Pure Power 12 550W
    Corsair CX550M
    CX550M
  • ATX Standard

    be quiet! Pure Power 12 550W
    ATX 3.1
    Corsair CX550M
    ATX 2.x
  • Form Factor

    be quiet! Pure Power 12 550W
    ATX
    Corsair CX550M
    ATX
  • +12V Rail Amperage

    be quiet! Pure Power 12 550W
    45.8 A
    Corsair CX550M
    45.8 A
  • Single +12V Rail

    be quiet! Pure Power 12 550W
    Yes
    Corsair CX550M
    Yes
  • 12V-2x6 Connectors

    be quiet! Pure Power 12 550W
    1
    Corsair CX550M
    0
  • Hold-Up Time

    be quiet! Pure Power 12 550W
    16.6 ms
    Corsair CX550M
    11.1 ms-33%
  • Zero-RPM Mode

    be quiet! Pure Power 12 550W
    No
    Corsair CX550M
    No
  • Sleeved Cables

    be quiet! Pure Power 12 550W
    Yes
    Corsair CX550M
    No
  • PCIe 8-pin Connectors

    be quiet! Pure Power 12 550W
    2
    Corsair CX550M
    2
  • Connector Count

    be quiet! Pure Power 12 550W
    1x 24-pin ATX, 1x EPS 4+4, 1x 12V-2x6, 2x PCIe 6+2-pin, 5x SATA, 1x Molex (all fixed)
    Corsair CX550M
    1x 24-pin ATX (fixed), 1x EPS 4+4 (fixed), 2x PCIe 6+2-pin, 6x SATA, 4x Molex
  • Fan Size

    be quiet! Pure Power 12 550W
    120 mm
    Corsair CX550M
    120 mm
  • Fan Model / Bearing

    be quiet! Pure Power 12 550W
    120mm be quiet! fan, rifle bearing
    Corsair CX550M
    120mm rifle bearing (HA1225H12F-Z)
  • OEM / Platform

    be quiet! Pure Power 12 550W
    HEC
    Corsair CX550M
    CWT
  • EPS 8-pin Connectors

    be quiet! Pure Power 12 550W
    1
    Corsair CX550M
    1
  • SATA Connectors

    be quiet! Pure Power 12 550W
    5
    Corsair CX550M
    6
  • Molex Connectors

    be quiet! Pure Power 12 550W
    1
    Corsair CX550M
    4
  • Length

    be quiet! Pure Power 12 550W
    160 mm
    Corsair CX550M
    140 mm
  • Colour

    be quiet! Pure Power 12 550W
    Black
    Corsair CX550M
    Black
  • Fan Bearing

    be quiet! Pure Power 12 550W
    Rifle
    Corsair CX550M
    Rifle
  • MTBF

    be quiet! Pure Power 12 550W
    100000 hours
    Corsair CX550M
    100000 hours
  • Modularity

    be quiet! Pure Power 12 550W
    Non-Modular
    Corsair CX550M
    Semi-Modular
  • Protections

    be quiet! Pure Power 12 550W
    OTP, OCP, OPP, SCP, OVP, UVP, SIP
    Corsair CX550M
    OCP, OVP, SCP, OTP
  • Price

    be quiet! Pure Power 12 550W
    74.99 USD
    Corsair CX550M
    54.99 USD
  • Warranty

    be quiet! Pure Power 12 550W
    10 yearsBest
    Corsair CX550M
    5 years-50%

    Which one should you pick?

    Choose be quiet! Pure Power 12 550W if you want the higher wattage (550 W vs 550 W), the higher Hold-Up time (16.6 ms vs 11.1 ms) and the higher PCIe 8-pin connectors (2 vs 2).

    Choose Corsair CX550M if you already have it on hand or find it at a lower price.

    Price comparison

    Retailerbe quiet! Pure Power 12 550WCorsair CX550M
    Amazon

    $74.99

    View on Amazon

    $54.99

    View on Amazon

    Disclaimer: The price and specification of the given product may differ from the actual product. Please confirm on the retailer's website before buying.

    Verdict

    be quiet! Pure Power 12 550W

    7.8 / 10 Expert Rating

    A quiet, Gold-rated 550W unit that's the right call for mainstream builds that don't need full modularity.

    Corsair CX550M

    6.9 / 10 Expert Rating

    A safe, unglamorous budget Bronze pick for entry-level gaming PCs that don't need Gold efficiency or full modularity.

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