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Of course we're going to get some bundled hardware with this power supply. We can probably expect some things like a user manual, some screws, power cord, and modular cables. Looks like we got just a little more than I had bargained for. Just click on the image below for a better look. 

Lest we not forget the most important cables of all; the mother board power and CPU AUX power connectors. Those three cables are permanent fixtures to the HX620W supply. Main reason being that these are the most important connections of all. And they come bound together with a net type wire loom.

As we take a closer look at the cables, we find a couple of interesting aspects to their construction. One of those being the Gold plating of the conductors used for making electrical connections. Gold is a great conductor of electricity and will never oxidize or tarnish with age. The typical metal pins on Molex connectors and the like are usually coated with a Lead/Tin/Silver alloy, though lead isn't used much anymore. This alloy will eventually oxidize and cause some small bit of electrical resistance, while Gold pins will never cause any electrical resistance whatsoever.

But I'm afraid that the added advantages of Gold in this case have been rendered null and void due to the gauge of wire Corsair used for their cables. Don't get me wrong, I like the flat ribbon cable design - it's sleek, and very convenient for cable cleanup and managing your cables inside your case, but the smaller wire gauge frustrated me just a little bit. In the preceding picture we have the typical yellow 18 AWG (American Wire Gauge) wire from a Molex power splitter. Next to it we have the 20 AWG black wire Corsair uses for their HX620W PSU. In terms of wire gauge, a higher number means a finer wire and a higher electrical resistance. It would have been nice if Corsair could have found some 18 AWG, or even a 16 gauge ribbon cable to use. But don't worry, the slightly higher wire gauge won't kill this power supply or any device connected to it for that matter.

What next? The modular cables have these little push button tabs on the plug end that connects to the bus bar I/O panel side of the power supply, making sure that all connections are properly locked in place and won't even fall out. We can see the AUX power connectors from the power supply, and the 20+4 pin power connector for the mother board. And we see that familiar fish net wire loom material that helps to keep all of the wires and cables neatly and safely bundled together.

Taking a peek at the connection side of the HX620W (both inside and out) we have a very neat assembly of connection. The top four connections are for the likes of SATA drive and IDE drive power connections, fans too. The bottom two are for our PCI-e power connections. But perhaps Corsair should have included a third PCI-e power connection, just for those of us who would like to run a pair of graphics cards, and a third card for physics. Plus, I heard a nasty rumor somewhere that PCI-e graphics cards will soon be moving to an eight pin power connection. So if you're aiming for the latest and greatest in hardware, the Corsair HX620W may seem a little dated. But if it's stability and efficiency you're after, this may be the power supply for you.

Okay, four screws later and we're inside. And the first thing I look at is the fan. This 120mm dual ball bearing fan is both quiet and strong.

Inside we see the primary transformer, with the secondary transformer off to its right. These help to step both the current and voltage up and or down, depending upon what voltage rail they are feeding. We have some nice black heat sinks to help keep the SCR's (Silicon Control Rectifiers) nice and cold. SCR's play a critical role in power supply in helping to steady electrical sign waves and turn your house hold AC current into PC ready DC current. But SCR's do get hot and can burn out if not properly cooled. Having quality heat sinks is always important for a high output power supply.

There are a number for Ferrite Cores in this supply, helping to reduce the EM (Electro-Magnetic) interference generated by all those wires and parts.

There's not much else inside to ponder over. We have some transparent plastic shield to prevent any parts from coming in contact with the metal housing and or other parts. That dull yellow paste on some of the parts is there to help reduce vibration in the parts they are attached to. Typically, no one would ever expect any electrical component (except for a speaker) to produce any noise. But when we push electrons through a material, we are changing the physical characteristics of that material ever so slightly. And if that electricity was being pushed through in short little pulses, that material would start to expand, contract, and vibrate in sync with those pulses, creating noise.

So to sum things up, I'd say that the Corsair HX620W is average in some respects, and slightly above average in others. The Gold connections are unique, while modular power supplies are quite common. The interior construction is typical for this power supply when compared to others, with a little extra attention to detail.

I wonder how this supply will fair against the dreaded CrossFire testing (maniacal laugh).