New PSU options...

A

Alex41290

[H]ard|Gawd
Joined
Feb 20, 2004
Messages
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okay, well, i'm thinking with a new case, i should probly get a new PSU (considering i have a POS 350W right now)...ANYWAY, after looking around and seeing what people have thought were good, i've narrowed it down to these:

$89.99 OCZ Powerstream 420w - http://www.directron.com/ocz420adj.html
$79.99 Antec True480 480w - http://www.directron.com/true480.html
$75.50 Fortron 530w - http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=17-104-968&depa=0

so, please post which, in your opinion or others', is the best PSU for (preferably) under $80, or which is the best out of those three...

Thanks!

Alex
 
The Fortron, clearly. They all have decent overall specs, but the Forton simply has the most power in reserve, for the least amount of money.
 
i also have the option of the Antec True430, which is a little less than the fortron, or the same as...but i think the fortron works for me...if anyone has anything really really important (or just fun :p), you can post!

thanks
 
stay away from Antec.

Go forton. I had a 350W Enermax and upped to that same model Forton. It's a good PSU.
 
Dreaz said:
stay away from Antec.

Go forton. I had a 350W Enermax and upped to that same model Forton. It's a good PSU.
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quoted for truth (the antec part). their only great psu for loaded systems imho is the neopower
 
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProductDesc.asp?description=17-104-151&depa=0

The PowerStream has adjustable rails along with 396w available on the 12v rail. They also have a 5 year warranty. Not to mention it looks a hell of alot sexier then the Fortron.

computerpro3 said:
quoted for truth (the antec part). their only great psu for loaded systems imho is the neopower
Click to expand...

Whats with all the Antec PSU bashing around here? The Antec True Power is one of the most widely used and trusted PSU out there. I've had an Antec 430w and 480w and both perfered very well with stable voltages along with low noise and heat output. In PSU roundups the True Powers always score among the top. I agree that are are some better PSU's out there now like the OCZ PowerStream and the Thermaltake Butterfly but the Antec True Powers are still one of the best.
 
Running a Sparkle 460watter here, same guts as a Fortron (only because the Fortron's were out of stock, and i need a rock solid PSU).

The way I measure PSU's is, after reading reviews, I pick each one up by the cables, and I decide which one I would least like to be hit in the head with (or most like to use as a mace, should the dead reanimate). Just a stupid subjective test, but I'll be you'd be surprised with the results :) Those Antec's are so light... I avoid them.
 
well all(?) thanks for the help...it was very informative and i'm glad you spoke up, cuz i was seriously considering the true430....but i "broke down" and bought the fortron 530w...

thanks a ton guys!


alex
 
is it possible for a power supply to eat another alive....????

"MOM!!! MOM!!!! IT DEVOURED THE OTHER...hey, where's my $500 video card....DAMN YOU FORTRON, DAMN YOU!!!"

lol, i can see that as one of those southern "paw" movies....lol

well, i'm glad i made the right choice...

nice sig btw (if its dissing bush, which, to me, it is)
 
It isn't but it takes a little intelligence to realize that each of the two statements are separate ideas; however, the W'04 should make it pretty apparent. It should also be obvious, that since Bush is responsible for the massive global hunt of Al Qaeda (well, his administration, which is also what we are voting for), that the first idea is also in support of Bush; maybe that one required too much thought. But I don't expect much more from most liberals I meet, so it's ok. I understand that putting two highly visible pro-Bush slogans side by side can be confusing.
 
Fortron all the way, I had an antec in a similar system to a guy I recomended the fortron to and his system is by far more stable and running cooler...
 
Warriorprophet said:
http://home.comcast.net/~warriorprophet/bush.jpg
Click to expand...

disabled IMG tags

IdiotInCharge said:
It isn't but it takes a little intelligence to realize that each of the two statements are separate ideas; however, the W'04 should make it pretty apparent. It should also be obvious, that since Bush is responsible for the massive global hunt of Al Qaeda (well, his administration, which is also what we are voting for), that the first idea is also in support of Bush; maybe that one required too much thought. But I don't expect much more from most liberals I meet, so it's ok. I understand that putting two highly visible pro-Bush slogans side by side can be confusing.
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take it to General Mayhem
what we dont need is offtopic incitement
in the opinion of many, not since 1860 has the country been so divided
there are plenty of places to express opinions on that topic
here we vote for power supplies :p
 
its alright,
as we get closer, the potential to get out of hand increases
if you like something reasonable in a sig is OK
but outright offtopic PICs aint ;)

otherwise Id tag every post with a Zappa for President pic :p
wouldnt be the first elected corpse
 
Getting entirely off topic now though, like an entire post...well almost, don't worry I'll save it.

Seriously go with the fortron, it may not have the SATA connectors or Active PFC that the newer ones have, but thats what they sell adaptors for; and I seriously doubt you'll even have ANY rail or heat failure related issues with the fortron, those things are just rock solid.

And you can't out-bargain that kinda quality and power for $75. Bear in mind if Enermax re-labeled that PSU under their name they'd rate it at 600W.
 
Another PSU you might look into is MGE's new Supercharger 600W, it has the active PFC and a couple SATA connectors, and comes in around $69 on the new egg or other sites around town.

Checkit out, you might be pleasantly surprised with the reviews.

The fortron is more proven though, I've got two clan members with that 530W, ones had his in a very very hot room for over a year and its still ticking just fine in an Intel box, other has had his through an upgrade to 875P from 845 and is still happy w/it.

That OCZ looks nice on paper, but I haven't heard shit for nothing about it so if you go that way tell us how it goes!
 
Warriorprophet said:
That OCZ looks nice on paper, but I haven't heard shit for nothing about it so if you go that way tell us how it goes!
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I know quite a few people with the OCZ PowerStreams and they are superb. It will provide more power then the Fortron and it has easily adjustable pots with LED warning lights on the back of the casing. I've seen Fortron PSU's in several different reviews in the past and while they are top notch they are still usually edged out by other top competitors whether it be because they didn't run as quiet or as cool or caused overvoltage on one of the rails.
 
Ice Czar said:
disabled IMG tags



take it to General Mayhem
what we dont need is offtopic incitement
in the opinion of many, not since 1860 has the country been so divided
there are plenty of places to express opinions on that topic
here we vote for power supplies :p
Click to expand...

I have my on-topic posts- I found his ignorence offensive, and I took the time to correct it.
 
burningrave101 said:
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProductDesc.asp?description=17-104-151&depa=0

The PowerStream has adjustable rails along with 396w available on the 12v rail. They also have a 5 year warranty. Not to mention it looks a hell of alot sexier then the Fortron.



Whats with all the Antec PSU bashing around here? The Antec True Power is one of the most widely used and trusted PSU out there. I've had an Antec 430w and 480w and both perfered very well with stable voltages along with low noise and heat output. In PSU roundups the True Powers always score among the top. I agree that are are some better PSU's out there now like the OCZ PowerStream and the Thermaltake Butterfly but the Antec True Powers are still one of the best.
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The butterfly better than the antec????!?!? :p NOTHING thermaltake makes is better than something antec makes. The companies are two different worlds.

Bottom line: I have probably had more experience with psu's, especially Antec than you have. I have had a 350 (or 320 something like that), 430, 550, another 550, and installed 480w trublues in several friends machines. I currently have a pcp&c 510 deluxe, have experience with their 425 deluxe model, have a fortron 300, 350w, and have used their 530, friend has their eps550, i also have 3 enermax psu's right now over 350w, experience with thermaltake 480w, etc, etc, etc, etc. I have used every major brand out ther and then some. SO please talk from experience, not buyer's remorse.

Reason I kept upgrading was because I was led into the common misconception that Antec are one of the best psu's out there, and that surely, the power problems I was experienceing were due to not enough watts.

People kept suggesting multimeter reading, so finally I listened and commandered one from work. Lo and behold every one of the psu's had extremley low lines and fluctuated severley. Now keep in mind my machine was MUCH higher power consuming than most people's rigs.

Bottom line, if your system is heavily loaded and you put a trupower in there and plan on doing any overclocking, I hope you realize that you are paying sometimes twice the amount of a comparable supply for performance that is not even on the top 10 psu's out there. ANd think about it, do you want the 10th best cpu out in your rig? THats like a celeron....Do you want the 10th best video card in your rig (like fx5200), do you want the 1-th best mobo out there in your rig?

Why should it be any different than psu's?

If you look at a REAL psu roundup, Antec's do NOT come out on top, regardless of what you say. Go ahead, keep reading toms. The neopower, however, is a very solid psu that is sufficient for all but the heaviest rigs out there. But not the 550 (less voltmods). Or the 480. Or the 430. Not even close.

I'll say it again, the Antec Trupower's are NOT one of the best psu's out there, period. They may be decent for budget situations for low-power machines, but not in terms of performance.


EDIT: Antec's EPS12v 24pin 550 isn't bad either
 
burningrave101 said:
I know quite a few people with the OCZ PowerStreams and they are superb. .
Click to expand...

First thing you said in a while I agreed with. OCZ units are Tagan, I believe (oh, I also have Tagan experience), which are SOLID psu's.
 
computerpro3 said:
The butterfly better than the antec????!?!? :p NOTHING thermaltake makes is better than something antec makes. The companies are two different worlds.

Bottom line: I have probably had more experience with psu's, especially Antec than you have. I have had a 350 (or 320 something like that), 430, 550, another 550, and installed 480w trublues in several friends machines. I currently have a pcp&c 510 deluxe, have experience with their 425 deluxe model, have a fortron 300, 350w, and have used their 530, friend has their eps550, i also have 3 enermax psu's right now over 350w, experience with thermaltake 480w, etc, etc, etc, etc. I have used every major brand out ther and then some. SO please talk from experience, not buyer's remorse.

Reason I kept upgrading was because I was led into the common misconception that Antec are one of the best psu's out there, and that surely, the power problems I was experienceing were due to not enough watts.

People kept suggesting multimeter reading, so finally I listened and commandered one from work. Lo and behold every one of the psu's had extremley low lines and fluctuated severley. Now keep in mind my machine was MUCH higher power consuming than most people's rigs.

Bottom line, if your system is heavily loaded and you put a trupower in there and plan on doing any overclocking, I hope you realize that you are paying sometimes twice the amount of a comparable supply for performance that is not even on the top 10 psu's out there. ANd think about it, do you want the 10th best cpu out in your rig? THats like a celeron....Do you want the 10th best video card in your rig (like fx5200), do you want the 1-th best mobo out there in your rig?

Why should it be any different than psu's?

If you look at a REAL psu roundup, Antec's do NOT come out on top, regardless of what you say. Go ahead, keep reading toms. The neopower, however, is a very solid psu that is sufficient for all but the heaviest rigs out there. But not the 550 (less voltmods). Or the 480. Or the 430. Not even close.

I'll say it again, the Antec Trupower's are NOT one of the best psu's out there, period. They may be decent for budget situations for low-power machines, but not in terms of performance.


EDIT: Antec's EPS12v 24pin 550 isn't bad either
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Well its funny how Antec's have managed to score higher then nearly every other PSU out there except for PC Power and Cooling in nearly every review PSU roundup they've been included in lol.

Antec is manufactured by Channel Well Technologies which is one of the top tier PSU manufacturers in the world.

I've used a 430w and 480w myself in just the last year but i've had other Antec PSU's before that and i work on machines with Antec PSU's on a regular basis on campus because of being a computer networking major right now.

Antec is one of the top brands out there and i'm sorry if you dont feel that way but its a fact. The voltage regulation is better then the majority and their failure rate is fairly low. They also run cooler then Enermax brands and quieter then PC Power and Cooling.

If you have some PSU roundups that show Antec PSU's getting their ass kicked by the rest of the PSU's in the mix then please do link me to them. Otherwise you obviously are completely unaware of the quality of Antec PSU's.

http://www.anandtech.com/casecooling/showdoc.aspx?i=1841

The Thermaltake PSU's are also one of the best out there and for a reasonable price. They are manufactured by Enlight which is a very respected company in the PSU world.

Alot of people here on Hard use Antec and Thermtaltake PSU's and very few of them are having problems. The reason you see more issues with Antec PSU's then any other is because Antec is one of the most, if not THE most, popular PSU brand for custom builders out there.
 
burningrave101 said:
Well its funny how Antec's have managed to score higher then nearly every other PSU out there except for PC Power and Cooling in nearly every review PSU roundup they've been included in lol.

Antec is manufactured by Channel Well Technologies which is one of the top tier PSU manufacturers in the world.

I've used a 430w and 480w myself in just the last year but i've had other Antec PSU's before that and i work on machines with Antec PSU's on a regular basis on campus because of being a computer networking major right now.

Antec is one of the top brands out there and i'm sorry if you dont feel that way but its a fact. The voltage regulation is better then the majority and their failure rate is fairly low. They also run cooler then Enermax brands and quieter then PC Power and Cooling.

If you have some PSU roundups that show Antec PSU's getting their ass kicked by the rest of the PSU's in the mix then please do link me to them. Otherwise you obviously are completely unaware of the quality of Antec PSU's.

http://www.anandtech.com/casecooling/showdoc.aspx?i=1841

The Thermaltake PSU's are also one of the best out there and for a reasonable price. They are manufactured by Enlight which is a very respected company in the PSU world.

Alot of people here on Hard use Antec and Thermtaltake PSU's and very few of them are having problems. The reason you see more issues with Antec PSU's then any other is because Antec is one of the most, if not THE most, popular PSU brand for custom builders out there.
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1. That ananadtech review is NOT A GOOD PSU REVIEW. In fact, it's crap. Come on, they use MEMTEST 86 to test the psu's interference rofl. The only scientific tool they use is a multimeter. Gimme a scope, dedicated load testing equipment, thermisistors, controlled variables and environment, etc. Obviously you have not seen a REAL review, because they use REAL methods and Antec will not come out on top if say pcp&c, fortron, vantec 520, Tagan, and OCZ psu's are in there.

Give this a read, and then tell me if you still hold all your "psu roundups" in such high esteem.

http://silentpcreview.com/article148-page1.html

Didn't think so.

I don't think you understand what I'm saying though, Antec's are good psu's, they're not going to blow up on you. But no matter how you look at it, there are much better choices for both price and performance. And just because a company sells a lot, btw, it doens't mean that they are the best, since you seem so hung up on sales. Generic psu companies sell 999999x what antec does. You gonna go out and buy a 800w skippybebop psu because they sell a lot?

Also, Antec doesn't rate their psu's truly, and their specs on the box are just totally unrealistic. Unless you live in Antartica.

The Thermaltake PSU's are also one of the best out there
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That's just not true. My old Antec 430 powered a system that my Thermaltake 480w couldn't. And likewise my pcp&c 510 deluxe powered a system my friends antec 550 couldn't. People sell Thermaltake psu's for $20 shipped on these forums, I let mine go for that. There is a reason, you know... :rolleyes:
 
Did you even read that review you linked?!?!?!?!? You ask me to give you a link where Antec get's its ass kicked by the other ones, yet you gave it to me yourself!!!!!

Right from the Conclusions section of the link that YOU GAVE ME.

We took a long look at every valuable bit of data we could manage to squeeze out of the power supplies available. If anything, the most startling data we found in this review was the disappointing problems with some fan controls. We recommend not buying a power supply with an onboard fan control.


Overall, the surprise victors of this roundup were Fortron and Zalman. Both included virtually identical units in the review and both performed extremely well, especially in the sound tests. However, since the Fortron units are priced about $20 lower than the Zalman units, we have to give our editor’s choice award to the Fortron. ThermalTake came in very strong, with very low noise and very high stability. The $74 cost is high, but considering the other external fan control power supply costs $60 more, we think the cost is easily justifiable.

As with the last roundup, we were very impressed with the Enermax power supplies. If their price was not so inhibitive, we would give them a stronger recommendation. Kudos to Enermax on both of their power supplies represented.

The PC Power & Cooling TurboCool 475 surprised us the most. It had excellent performance, low heat and relatively good price. However, when on, this power supply sounds like a train. One could easily modify the fan, but this would probably throw the unit out of spec and change the performance.

Unfortunately, like with any roundup, we can not include everyone. Fortunately, our power supply roundups are cumulative. Next time we do another PSU roundup, we will include the models we have listed here as well as a few other ones. If you have a particular PSU you would like to see included, feel free to drop a line in our forums so we know for next time!
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Way to contradict yourself!
 
computerpro3 said:
That's just not true. My old Antec 430 powered a system that my Thermaltake 480w couldn't. And likewise my pcp&c 510 deluxe powered a system my friends antec 550 couldn't. People sell Thermaltake psu's for $20 shipped on these forums, I let mine go for that. There is a reason, you know... :rolleyes:
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Well then you had something wrong with your PSU because there are lots of people here on hard running very high-end systems running them and they've scored very high marks in their reviews.

http://www.overclockercafe.com/Reviews/other_misc/Tt_TWV480/index.html
http://www.aselabs.com/articles.php?articleid=85&page=1
http://www.envynews.com/index.php?ID=493&page=
http://www.3dxtreme.org/TT _Xaser_Silent_Purepower _480W_p1.shtml
http://www.systemcooling.com/tt_purepower480-01.html
http://www.thetechlounge.com/review.php?REVIEWDIR=thermaltake_480_psu
http://www.piratesoftware.org/showarticle.asp?intarticleID=21&page=1
http://www.a1-electronics.net/PcHardware/Various/2003/Thermtake_480Power_May03.shtml
http://www.tweaktown.com/document.php?dType=article&dId=489&dPage=1
http://www.techtastic.ca/reviews3/twv480.html

There are plenty more of reviews that give the Thermaltake PSU's nothing but praise. And if you check the reviews and votes on newegg several off them have close to a hundred reviews and a perfect score.

Enlight has been around for ages and they are one of the top brands.

computerpro3 said:
Did you even read that review you linked?!?!?!?!? You ask me to give you a link where Antec get's its ass kicked by the other ones, yet you gave it to me yourself!!!!!

Right from the Conclusions section of the link that YOU GAVE ME.



Way to contradict yourself!
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Could you point me to the part where they downplayed the performance of the Antec PSU's? lol

How about you go through each one of the tests and see just how the two Antec PSU's faired ;).

And all i saw in your article you linked to from silentpcreview was a description of how they tested. So why dont you provide some actual material where the Antec PSU's are actually getting tested now lol.
 
Here's their ranking board (unlike you I'm capable of clicking a link on the left hadn side of the screen to bring it up.) I don't see antec's in very many top spots, save fanless low-power setups.

There are many more stable/quieter competitors our there now then when we were arguing socket-a vs 370 overclocking just a couple years ago.

http://www.silentpcreview.com/article28-page3.html
 
guys, this wasn't (note the n't) a thread discussing why "such-and-such" PSU sucked, it was to help me pick out a power supply...now, i already ordered it, and thank you for the help, but i'd rather not hear you guys bickering about one being better than the other...i understand one could/could not be better, but lets face it, neither of you is going to win!

anyway, i already ordered it, so, unless you guys are too busy fighting, this thread is pretty much done!
 
Bickering? Didn't you say:

so, please post which, in your opinion or others', is the best PSU for (preferably) under $80, or which is the best out of those three...
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And so we did.

And then you don't even say which your ordered? Hmm?
 
Alex41290 said:
....but i "broke down" and bought the fortron 530w...
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its like the 4th or 5th post....and i know i said that, but still...you could have stopped, it was just a little too much (to my judgement)
 
burningrave101 said:
Well then you had something wrong with your PSU because there are lots of people here on hard running very high-end systems running them and they've scored very high marks in their reviews.
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Actually no, I just had a higher end machine than you and all your other people did

3.0C @ 4.06ghz 1.8v
asus p4c800-e deluxe vdimm and vdroop modded
1GB Mushkin pc3500 lvl2 Black 534mhz 2-2-2-5 with 3.8V (yes thats right, 3.8V)
Radeon 9700 pro @ 425/370 with vgpu mod with 1.9v on the core
AGP voltage set to 1.85v
2x 7200rpm 80GB hard drives raid 0
1x 7200rpm 120GB drive
4x UV lights
2x 120mm fans, 5x LED 80mm fans
Coolermaster Aerogate
DVD Burner
DVD Rom
72x Kenwood cd rom
pc power and cooling 510 deluxe (replacing myraid psu's before that failed miserably)
I run my voltage lines with the custom manufactured external pots (on 3 foot wires no less so I can mount them on my case) as follows:

3.3v@ 3.85 5v@ 5.4 12v @ 12.6

And thats every single day stable. My antec 430 with THREE VOLTMODS couldn't even remotley come close to the pcp&c.....Or the fortron for that matter. And the thermaltake....LOL I had to hook up the tt 480w and antec 430 watt at THE SAME DAMN TIME to get the pc to start. The CPU alone sucks 160 watts (170) according to Sandra, but thats a bit much imho...

All that's watercooled with a top of the line system BTW

Go ahead, throw your antec 480 in there and watch what happens.

http://www.overclockercafe.com/Reviews/other_misc/Tt_TWV480/index.html
http://www.aselabs.com/articles.php?articleid=85&page=1
http://www.envynews.com/index.php?ID=493&page=
http://www.3dxtreme.org/TT _Xaser_Silent_Purepower _480W_p1.shtml
http://www.systemcooling.com/tt_purepower480-01.html
http://www.thetechlounge.com/review.php?REVIEWDIR=thermaltake_480_psu
http://www.piratesoftware.org/showarticle.asp?intarticleID=21&page=1
http://www.a1-electronics.net/PcHardware/Various/2003/Thermtake_480Power_May03.shtml
http://www.tweaktown.com/document.php?dType=article&dId=489&dPage=1
http://www.techtastic.ca/reviews3/twv480.html
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I asked for a scope, thermosistors, dedicated load testing, controlled environment...still waiting.


There are plenty more of reviews that give the Thermaltake PSU's nothing but praise. And if you check the reviews and votes on newegg several off them have close to a hundred reviews and a perfect score.

Enlight has been around for ages and they are one of the top brands.
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Again, Enlight, while good, is not "one of the best brands". The thermaltake purepower 480w had 17a on the 12v line IIRC, thats worse than the antec 430 (20). And again, all reviews are done by people in this fashion:

1. PAcked good
2. Looks good
3. Turns on
4. SOFTWARE READINGS are taken
5. Multimeter if you're lucky
5. Doesn't blow up
6. A+ OMG BUY THIS PSU IT ROXXORS

If you'd like me too, I can find lots of good reviews for powmax psu's. Gonna tell me they're good too? I don't think you understand the general stupidity of the human race....quantity of reviews hardly matters, the quality of them does. Hey, kinda like psu's, huh....


Could you point me to the part where they downplayed the performance of the Antec PSU's? lol
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Can you point to me the part where the antec kicks the other psu's ass or ends up near the top as you EXPRESSLEY SAID THEY DID? Didn't think so....

How about you go through each one of the tests and see just how the two Antec PSU's faired ;)
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Good suggestion for yourself. They didn't breach the top 5 reccomendations and didn't make the editors choice nor recieve honorable mention, while Pc power and cooling, Vantec, Enermax, Fortron all did.



All I have to say is that you defend Antec with the same amount of logic that you so feverently defend Nvidia with (and I'm totally non-biased on the video card issue, I can't decide which to buy myself).
 
computerpro3 said:
Actually no, I just had a higher end machine than you and all your other people did

3.0C @ 4.06ghz 1.8v
asus p4c800-e deluxe vdimm and vdroop modded
1GB Mushkin pc3500 lvl2 Black 534mhz 2-2-2-5 with 3.8V (yes thats right, 3.8V)
Radeon 9700 pro @ 425/370 with vgpu mod with 1.9v on the core
AGP voltage set to 1.85v
2x 7200rpm 80GB hard drives raid 0
1x 7200rpm 120GB drive
4x UV lights
2x 120mm fans, 5x LED 80mm fans
Coolermaster Aerogate
DVD Burner
DVD Rom
72x Kenwood cd rom
pc power and cooling 510 deluxe (replacing myraid psu's before that failed miserably)
Click to expand...

I've got more running in my machine right now then that and i dont even consider it to be very high-end. I'm talking about people with FX-53's, 6800U's, 10k and 15k HDDs, all on Watercooling.

And thats every single day stable. My antec 430 with THREE VOLTMODS couldn't even remotley come close to the pcp&c.....Or the fortron for that matter. And the thermaltake....LOL I had to hook up the tt 480w and antec 430 watt at THE SAME DAMN TIME to get the pc to start. The CPU alone sucks 160 watts (170) according to Sandra, but thats a bit much imho...
Click to expand...

PC Power and Cooling PSU's are actually Fortron Source parts and PC Power and Cooling just adds a few things of their own like larger heatsinks or LOUD fans to cool it better. Fortron Source is the PSU used by NASA.

Go ahead, throw your antec 480 in there and watch what happens.
Click to expand...

I know what would happen. It would run it just fine because i know how to plug up a PSU so it doesn't overload one of the cables causing the system to become unstable lol.

Can you point to me the part where the antec kicks the other psu's ass or ends up near the top as you EXPRESSLEY SAID THEY DID? Didn't think so....
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I said that Antec was one of the best. I didn't say they were THE best. And if you can figure out how to read graphs you will see that the Antec PSU's were besting nearly all those PSU's in the majority of the scenarios. Especially in thermal readings and noise output. The Antec 550w was clearly one of the best PSU's if that review if you look at the results instead of what they talked about in the conclusion.

You also dont have to HAVE to have a multimeter or other device for comparing PSU's if the medium is the same for all of them. The motherboard was the same so it would be regulating and reading voltage in the same manner for each PSU.

All I have to say is that you defend Antec with the same amount of logic that you so feverently defend Nvidia with (and I'm totally non-biased on the video card issue, I can't decide which to buy myself).
Click to expand...

I see no reason to mention nVidia and video cards in a discussion about power supplies except to prove the fact you have a personal vendetta to try and prove me wrong because you dont like what i think about ATI lol.

I tend to support the product i feel is better in the same fashion you seem to feel PC Power and Cooling is superior and Antec is inferior.

You seem to so feverently defend PC Power and Cooling while making it a point to TRY and prove that Antec PSU's are inferior to the rest. I see no difference except i usually have more then one review site to back up my claims lol.
 
Ugh, defending nvidia. I mean wait, can I say that only because I run ATI? lol.

Repeat: I have started avoiding Antec's. They appear to be too 'cheap,' but that is my opinion.
 
Warriorprophet said:
Here's their ranking board (unlike you I'm capable of clicking a link on the left hadn side of the screen to bring it up.) I don't see antec's in very many top spots, save fanless low-power setups.

There are many more stable/quieter competitors our there now then when we were arguing socket-a vs 370 overclocking just a couple years ago.

http://www.silentpcreview.com/article28-page3.html
Click to expand...

The Antec TrueControl is right there with a score of 8 which is tied for first place for quality and they reviewed it back in December 02. The Antec Phantom 350 is also ranked 1st for the fanless PSU's.

Has silentpcreview even reviewed an Antec TruePower 430w or 480w? I sure dont see a review for one. :rolleyes:
 
burningrave101 said:
PC Power and Cooling PSU's are actually Fortron Source parts and PC Power and Cooling just adds a few things of their own like larger heatsinks or LOUD fans to cool it better. Fortron Source is the PSU used by NASA.
Click to expand...

Fortron does make some of the pcp&c, but Zippy does also make some of the higher end ones. Ask Ice Czar. And you can have whatever fan you want put in it. And if NASA indeed does use the fortron, and according to you fortron makes the pcp&c, and Fortron costs $78 shipped for their 530w model and the antec is well over $100 for their 550w moel...what does that tell you?[/quote]

I tend to support the product i feel is better in the same fashion you seem to feel PC Power and Cooling is superior and Antec is inferior.
Click to expand...

Fair enough.

You seem to so feverently defend PC Power and Cooling while making it a point to TRY and prove that Antec PSU's are inferior to the rest. I see no difference except i usually have more then one review site to back up my claims lol.
Click to expand...

I am not so much defending pcp&c as making a point that Antecs ARE inferior to them. If you want proof, I guess I will give it to you. You've irratated me now, which means you've won I guess since this is an internet message board, but you could affect people's buying decisions here so....

Exhibit A

turbcool-pic4.jpg


turbcool-pic7.jpg


inside.jpg


turbcool-pic5.jpg


compared to antec 550

cables.jpg


connectors.jpg


antec5502.jpg



Exhibit B

TURBO-COOL MODEL:


AC INPUT

Operating Range: 90-264 VAC
0.99 power factor
auto-select 90-264 VAC
0.99 power factor
auto-select 90-264 VAC
0.99 power factor
auto-select
Frequency: 47-63Hz 47-63Hz 47-63Hz
Current: 10A @ 115V 10A @ 115V 10A @ 115V
Efficiency: 70% 70% 70%
EMI:

FCC-B, CE FCC-B, CE FCC-B, CE
DC OUTPUT

Output: +5V @ 40A
+12V @ 34A, 38A pk
-5V @ 0.3A
-12V @ 2A
+3.3V @ 30A
+5VSB @ 3A
power<510W
peak power<650W
+5V @ 40A
+12V @ 34A, 38A pk
-5V @ 0.3A
-12V @ 2A
+3.3V @ 30A
+5VSB @ 3A
power<510W
peak power<650W
+5V @ 40A
+12V @ 34A, 38A pk
-5V @ 0.3A
-12V @ 2A
+3.3V @ 30A
+5VSB @ 3A
power<510W
peak power<650W

Regulation: 1% (+5, +12)
5% (-5, -12)
1% (+3.3) 1% (+5, +12)
5% (-5, -12)
1% (+3.3) 1% (+5, +12)
5% (-5, -12)
1% (+3.3)
Ripple: 1% (p-p) 1% (p-p) 1% (p-p)
Hold Time: 20ms 20ms 20ms
PG Delay:

300ms 300ms 300ms
SAFETY

OV Protection: +3.3, +5, +12 +3.3, +5, +12 +3.3, +5, +12
OC Protection: +3.3, ±5, ±12 OCP +3.3, ±5, ±12 OCP +3.3, ±5, ±12 OCP
Agency Approval:

UL, ULC, TUV, CE UL, ULC, TUV, CE UL, ULC, TUV, CE
ENVIRONMENTAL

Temperature: 0°-50° C 0°-50° C 0°-50° C
Humidity: 10%-90% RH 10%-90% RH 10%-90% RH
Fan Type: 30 - 44 CFM ball 30 - 44 CFM ball 30 - 44 CFM ball
Noise:

34 - 44dB(A) 34 - 44dB(A) 34 - 44dB(A)
MISCELLANEOUS

Compatibility: ATX12V (2.03) ATX12V (2.03) ATX12V (2.03)
M/B Connectors: 20-pin, P4
See diagram 20-pin, P4
See diagram 20-pin/24-pin, 6-pin, P4
See diagram
Drive Connectors: 10 (2 SATA, 1 mini) 10 (2 SATA, 1 mini) 15 (6 SATA, 1 mini)
MTBF: 100,000 hrs. 100,000 hrs. 100,000 hrs.
Dimensions/Harness: See diagram See diagram See diagram
Warranty:
5 years

Compared to the tru 550




Model: True550

FEATURES

Maximum Power
550 Watts

Switches
ATX Logic on-off
additional power rocker switch 115/230 Volt selector switch

Special Connectors
AUX Power
ATX12V
3-pin Fan Sensor
Fan Only
SATA

Transient Response
+5V,+12V and 3.3V outputs return to within 3% in less than 1ms for 20% load change.

P. G. Signal
100-500ms

Over Voltage Protection
recycle AC to reset
+5V trip point < +6.5V
+3.3V trip point < +4.1V
+12V trip point < +14.4V

Leakage Current
<3.5mA @ 115VAC



DIMENSIONS

Unit Size
5.9"(L) x 5.5"(W) x 3.4"(H)
15cm(L) x 14 cm(W) x 8.6 cm(H)

Net Weight
5lbs.
2.3kg


INPUT
Input Voltage
115 VAC / 230VAC

Input Frequency Range
47Hz to 63Hz

Input Surge Current
< 60A @ 115VAC
Input Current
10.0A for 115VAC
6.0A for 230VAC

Hold-up Time
>17ms at Full Load

Efficiency
> 68%

EMI/RFI
FCC Class B
CISPR22 Class


OUTPUT

+5V -5V +12V -12V +3.3V +5V
SB
Max. Load
40A* 0.5A 24A* 1.0A 32A* 2A
Min. Load
0A 0A 0.8A 0A 0A 0A
Load Reg.
±3% ±5% ±3% ±5% ±3% ±5%
Ripple V(p-p)
50mV 50mV 120mV 120mV 50mV 50mV
* +5V, +3.3V & +12V maximum output 530 Watts max.


ENVIRONMENTAL
Operating Temp.
10 to 50ºC

Operating Alt.
Sea Level 10,000 ft.

Non-Operating Vibration
Operating: 10-300 Hz, 0.5G, 3 axes, 1 hr. ea. axis
Non-operating: 10-300 Hz, 2.0G, 3 axes, 1 hr. ea. axis

MTBF
80,000 hrs. @ 25ºC

Approvals
UL, TUV, CB, VDE, FCC CLASS B, DEMKO, NEMKO, SEMKO, FIMKO

Nuff said there


Exhibit C

Quotes

bigtoe said:
Next...NO ONE from OCZ has said the Powerstream is better than PC Power and Cooling ... if you want to spend $200+ on a PSU then fine, go do it... please don't diss the powerstream though, its the best PSU on the market for the price, as the PC P+C is for its price
Click to expand...

=hipro, the best modder alive, world FSB record @ 400FSB with a mobo with 27vmods among many others)]Originally Posted by hipro5
Despite the jokes.........To be honest.........I took a good look at it's circuit and I MUST confess that it's one of the BEST PSU out there.......VERY well sophisticated - very well designed - GOOD components on it happens all the time - as for the one that came in my hands ) - and VERY intelligent design too......All I have to say about it is that this PSU rocks big time......I wish I have a 700 watts unit of it if ever made......
Click to expand...

Miguel said:
“It is no doubt why PC Power and Cooling PSU's are the preferred choice for Maximum PC's Dream Machines over the years.”
Click to expand...

TONY “MOCOMAN” ANGEL said:
“I tested the 5v and 12v rails with a digital volt meter. Normally, I’m accustomed to seeing fluctuations of .5 to .10, which I consider to be “tight.” Well, if a woven basket can be considered tight since it has a little give in it, this power supply would be a cinderblock, because it doesn’t move.”
Click to expand...

Liquid3D said:
“PCPower&Cooling have been producing what are widely considered to be, the best PSU´s on the market today. Since the company´s inception, they´ve raised an industry-wide bar on manufacturing standards for Switching Power Supplies. Theirs have been, and remain, the standard by which all others are measured”
Click to expand...

Matthew Sprunger said:
“A perfect 10”
“The best power supply I have ever worked with”
Click to expand...


Brian Anderson said:
“The Turbo-Cool 510 Deluxe has immortalized PC Power & Cooling in my eyes. This power supply is simply leaps and bounds above the rest...”
“This thing packs a wallop!”
Click to expand...

Maximum Overclocking said:
“A must-have”
“The best power supply for overclocking on the planet”
Click to expand...

AMDMB.com said:
“The Turbo-Cool 510 is my pick...”
“...and the PC Power & Cooling units are the only ones that carry a full 5 year warranty”
Click to expand...

Ashley Glenn said:
“The Aston Martin of the power supply industry”
“There’s simply no better power supply on the market”
Click to expand...

Well then. And notice WHO the comments are coming from to. Hipro. The maker of the OCZ Powerstream. FastlaneHW. AMDMB.com. Getting the picture?


then there's this, right off pcp&c's site


http://pcpowerandcooling.com/about/510Deluxe_copy.gif

thats a dual cpu system with 12 hard drives. Under warranty. For five years.

Still not convinced?

Exhibit D

Rating truth

Antec rates their psu's at maximum output at 20C. Two things: one is that the max output of a psu is almost meaningless because it can't put it out for more than a few seconds, the other is how many people's case temp is 20C let alone the inside of their power supply?

Pc power and cooling rates their psu's at their maximum SUSTAINED raitings @ 40C. So at 40C with a dual cpu system, 12 hard drives plugged in, that thing won't even sweat. The power output of the 510 deluxe @ 40C is 510w. The antec 550 output around 40C is around 360w.


Basically, just look at this

http://pcpowerandcooling.com/pdf/Turbo-Cool_510_vs.pdf

Now read all that and tell me why you think I'm supporting pcp&c.
 
I never said that PC Power and Cooling wasn't better then Antec. The only point i'm trying to get across is that Antec PSU's are still one of the best and most trusted in the market. A PC Power and Cooling 510 costs around $200 while an Antec 550w True Conrol can be had for around $100.

The majority of PC users out there would never need anything over a 400-480w PSU. An Antec 430w PSU will hold up just fine in a normal high-end system. If your an extremist then you can start looking into the 500w+ models if you need the added power for watercooling and heavy overclocking.

The Antec 430w and 480w are two of the most popular models on the market and i just have run into that many people on this forum or other forums complaining it isn't enough power to run their system.

If you've got the extra money and you want the best then by all means spend the money for a PC Power and Cooling. But for 99.9% of PC users they aren't going to have a problem running a normal name brand PSU for less money.

And i would be about willing to put up some of the new PSU models out there like the OCZ PowerStream 520w against a PC Power and Cooling 510w. They also carry a 5 year warranty.
 
already tried and failed over @ xtremesystems

and I'd bet the mansion that the 425 deluxe would outperform the 550 trupower while only costing $25 more for sleeving, a nice paint job, etc. In fact a relative of mine just made that very "upgrade"
 
burningrave101 said:
But for 99.9% of PC users they aren't going to have a problem running a normal name brand PSU for less money.
QUOTE]

Well I wouldn't say 99%, but fair enough point
Click to expand...
 
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