Introduction

Lately we've focused on enthusiast power supplies capable of satisfying the needs for high end systems with multiple GPU's and overclocking. Unfortunately we haven't given much insight into some of the more mainstream power supplies that your average gamer or entry level enthusiast would consider as a part of their build. That's exactly what we are doing today.

Corsair's GS-series power supplies are aimed at those looking for a high quality power supply at a competitive price. They lack some of the additional features you see with enthusiast power supplies, but they also lack the price premium. Does the drop in price and the lack of features pay off for someone not looking for the best of the best? Keep reading on for the full review of the Corsair GS800 power supply.

Specifications, Availability and Pricing

The GS800 focuses on 12V output via a single rail. Of the 800W of total power available, the GS800 is capable of outputting over 97% of that on the 12V rail. This makes it great for someone looking to build or upgrade to SLI or CrossFire. Corsair also gives you 25A of power on both the 3.3V and 5V rails, which should provide plenty of power to the rest of your rig.

Corsair gives you plenty of features for a mainstream power supply including all of the important protections and cable features. What they don't give you are over-temperature protection and modular cabling, neither of which are huge deal breakers. While Corsair don't give the GS800 a 50C rating, they do give it a modest 40C rating instead, which is more typical of the mainstream/entry level enthusiast power supplies. The GS-series power supplies also feature a 3-color LED fan inside. The fan can be illuminated in red, blue, and white via a switch on the back of the power supply. The illumination can also be turned off if desired.

Availability is a little odd for the GS-series of power supplies. Corsair says that their GS-series customers are more likely to shop at retail outlets than at online stores, so they are only selling the GS power supplies in stores such as Fry's and Best Buy. I made a quick trip to both stores to see what I could find. While I was able to find the GS800 at Best Buy, my local Fry's only had the 600W version available. The GS800 retails at $139.99 and comes with a 3-year warranty.