Antec TruePower 1200 OC Edition PSU Review

[sacha35]

Antec TruePower 1200 OC Edition PSU

First a little background info on Antec Inc;

Antec is an American-based maker of PC components and accessories. Antec's principal products are computer cases and power supplies but Antec also offers PC cooling products and notebook accessories. The company is headquartered in Fremont, California, U.S.A., with additional offices in Europe and was Founded in 1986 with products being sold in over 40 countries.

Channel Well Technology was founded and began manufacturing power supplies in 1993. Since 1993, Channel Well Technology products have shown up under various guises including Antec, Xclio, 2theMax, CWT, Thermaltake, Corsair, Koolance, Hiper, and Xigmatek among many others. While most familiar to the US users under the Antec brand CWT is one of the more complete OEM manufacturers as they have a fairly high level of vertical integration providing transformers all the way up to their well designed independently regulated SMPS.

Please not amendment from Antec which reads (Enhance make the TPQ1200 model) and not Channel Well Technology products as I had previously stated.

Packaging, accessories and documentation.
I am going to look at what the Antec TruePower 1200 OC Edition PSU has in its packaging, accessories, and documentation first of all; while none of these items will ‘make or break a PSU’ the packaging quite often tells us some information about the product so let's get started...

The packaging of the Antec TruePower 1200 OC Edition PSU seems to follows the trend of all of the other Antec units I have seen.

Once opened the packaging of the 1200 OC Edition PSU we see the usual assortment of items including the power supply in its protective covering, mounting screws, additional modular cables and of course the user manual which looks to be the same for the none OC edition model.

The manual comes in eight languages, includes information about power rail assignments and cable count but unfortunately does not provide warranty information. Some of the finer but desirable details about electrical specifications have also been left out. In short, I find this manual to be ok, but it could be a lot better.

Build Quality
Once opened the Antec TruePower 1200 OC Edition PSU expresses itself with a jet back finish and two bright red racing stripes like something out of a car movie.

It certainly looks like Antec has raised the bar with its 1200 OC Edition TruePower Quattro series power supply with the launch of this new 1200W OC Edition model. The unit has a part modular cabling system, six +12 rails, an 80-mm fan with manual speed control, gold plated connectors and OVP (Over Voltage Protection), UVP (Under Voltage Protection), SCP (Short Circuit Protection), and OCP (Over Current Protection) circuitry.

There are two black control potentiometers on the back of the Antec PSU which can adjust the fan speed and the +12V rail (up to a maximum of 12.60V).

Also on the back we see that an industrial 15amp socket has been used, unlike most power supplies that use a standard 10amp socket.

From the spec on the side of the unit we can see the PSU has six 12V rails that can each take up to 38A each, with peak output to be around 50A.

There are capacitors on the cable outlets to improve output; this is meant to help with capacity to hold a stable even voltage under extreme current conditions.

The cable used on the power supply outputs is also of a heavier duty than normally seen, I would guess that it is around 1.0mm-1.5mm. This should help to minimise voltage drop over the distance of the cable.

There are a total of 12 PCI Express power connectors, 6 x 6 + 2pin and 6 x 4pin.

2 x 8 pin CPU 2200UFx2 @ connector

Specifications

• NVIDIA™ SLI™ - ready certified
• 80PLUS® Bronze Certified - 85% or more efficiency at 20%, 50%, and 100% load
• Designed to support multiple GPUs and multi-core CPUs
• Six 12V output circuits and DC to DC Voltage Regulator Modules ensure supreme system stability
• 80mm cooling fan uses Pulse Width Modulation for whisper-quiet operation
• Advanced sleeved cable management improves airflow and reduces clutter
• Gold plated connectors for superior conductivity
• Industrial grade protection circuitry prevents damage resulting from short circuits (SCP), over voltages (OVP), and over current (OCP), Under Voltage Protection (UVP)
• Universal Input and Active PFC allow the Quattro to operate efficiently on any power grid in the world
• Operating Temperature:
• Approvals: UL, CUL, FCC, TTüVV, CE, C-tick, CCC, CB, BSMI
• Unit Dimensions:
- 3.4" (H) x 5.9" (W) x 7.9" (D)
- 86mm (H) x 150mm (W) x 200mm (D)
• Package Dimensions:
- 9.4" (H) x 12.4" (W) x 5.3" (D)
- 240mm (H) x 315mm (W) x 135mm (D)
• Net Weight: 6.5 lbs / 2.72 kg
• Gross Weight: 10.0 lbs / 4.53 kg

 

[sacha35]

As I do not have any of the correct test equipment to hand such as load banks and scope meters I have had to resort to testing this PSU with the following hardware to see just how far I can push this Antec 1200w OC edition PSU.

For the tests I will be carrying out a compare using the legendry Corsair HX1000w PSU

First Test System
Intel Skulltrail
Crucial FBdims
2 x 9775 CPU's overclocked
1 x XFX GTX295 overclocked
2 x ASUS 4870 x 2 overclocked
6 x Samsung 320GB SATA drives in raid 0
1 x DVD/CD ROM drive
2 x Y.S.Tech 8.52w fans
6 x Akasa 0.51A Fans
Antec True Power 1200 OC Edition PSU
Corsair HX 1000W PSU
Windows 7 64-bit


For testing I ran the Intel Skulltrail system at just over4000MHz on both CPU's with all three cards to see what sort of current I would be pulling on the EPS 12v lines and total system, for the measuring of these points I used a DL6506 clamp meter and ITT MX52 DMM.

The tests I used where PCMark Vantage, Wprime plus some other intensive GFX tests at the same time, using first the Corsair HX 1000w then the Antec 1200w OC Edition PSU's to see what gains if any were apartment.

Testing with the Corsair HX 1000w and Intel Skulltrail proved quite difficult because I had used three GFX cards and as this Motherboard has two EPS 12v connectors this only left me one on the PSU as I had used all other spare ports, so had to do a make shift bodge job of joining the two EPS lines on the board first. So to start off with this would be asking a hell of a lot from the single EPS line of the Corsair unit. It dealt quite well considering though, as it provided me with a stable overclock of 4048MHz with three overclocked cards drawing a total system current of 1043Watts from the mains outlet of which 36.4Amps was coming from the EPS 12V lines. The Idle EPS 12V voltage was measured 12.06V sagging to around 11.76V under full load conditions (so a full load drop on the 12v line of 0.3v).

Next was to see how stable an overclock I could achieve using the Antec 1200w OC edition PSU, needless to say the setup was like shaking hands with an old friend all the connectors that I could ever want was at my disposable with some not even being used.

Again it dealt quite well considering the old Skulltrail is now past it best and is getting very tired. With the Antec PSU on duty,I managed to push the Skulltrail to a stable overclock of 4100MHz with a bit of increase in Vcore and with three overclocked cards drawing a total system current of 1105Watts at the point of source of which 46.2Amps was coming from the EPS 12V lines.

Again the voltage was measured before and after the tests, I set the ANtec unit to match the idle voltage of th Corsair unit of 12.06v ad was surprised to find that under full load the voltage only sagged to around 11.96V, that’s 0.2V less sag than the Corsair unit with the Antec supplying more current and supporting a higher system overclock.

So the Antec clearly showed a little improvement over the Corsair HX 1000w in this test and was able to deliver close to 12v under these load conditions. It also gave me little more headroom in the overclocking department, but I think this was due to the fact that I was able to plug in the extra EPS 12V line into the motherboard thus creating a lower level of voltage sag on the EPS 12V line.

 

[sacha35]

Second Test System
ASUS Rampage Extreme II
Corsair 2200MHz CAS 8 memory
1 x 975 CPU
2 x ASUS 4870 x 2 overclocked
1 x Samsung 320GB SATA drive
Antec True Power 1200 OC Edition PSU
Corsair HX 1000W PSU
Windows 7 32-bit

For this test I wanted to see just how far I could push this CPU, to find out once and for all if the Antec 1200 OC edition would offer me anything in way of better overclocks over the Corsair HX 1000w.

I did manage to push the CPU one Bclock higher in CPUz and gain a little in Super Pi 1m, but gained nothing in other tests compared to the Corsair unit. Perhaps it is because both the ASUS Motherboard or CPU are past their best or it could be that this PSU will gain more for better overclockers than myself, but for me I can categorically say it did not show me anything in the way of gains.

At this point, not reaching any real benefit over the Corsair HX 1000w, I wanted to see if I could do some measurement testing of the voltages under load conditions using the ASUS Rampage II again, but this time with 4000MHz CPU speed with air being used to cool the CPU.

For this test I used OCCT with my clamp meter and DMM to hand to find out how steady a power delivery the Antec 1200 OC Edition unit had over the Corsair HX 1000w. Of course, the items used will be no comparison for a proper transient load test with an oscilloscope, but this is all I have to hand.

OCCT will not prove real results so please bear with me on this as I have used a Clamp meter and DMM for more accurate source of data in this case.
I will of course still be showing screen shots of the OCCT tests.

3.3v line: source not connected
Corsair HX 1000w: True: 3.309v
Antec True Power 1200 OC Edition True: 3.312v

5.0v Line:
Corsair HX 1000w: True: 4.919v
Antec True Power 1200 OC Edition True: 5.01v

12v line:
Corsair HX 1000w: True: 12.11v
Antec True Power 1200 OC Edition True: can be set from 11.90v to 12.60v

3.3v line load condition:
Corsair HX 1000w: True: 3.253v
Antec True Power 1200 OC Edition True: 3.297v

5.0v Line load condition:
Corsair HX 1000w: True: 4.935v
Antec True Power 1200 OC Edition True: 4.954v

12v line load condition pulling 14.4Amps
Corsair HX 1000w: True: 12.06v
Antec True Power 1200 OC Edition: True: 12.03v
(Set at 12.11v value as corsair unit)

Screen shots of OCCT load test showing 3.3v, 5.0v, and 12v lines. As the Antec unit has an adjustable voltage rail, I have shown similar rail voltage settings to the Corsair unit and maximum 12.60v line value.


OCCT Tests

Corsair HX1000w, Antec 1200 OC Edition set to Corsair 12 line, Antec 1200 OC Edition Set to high 12v Line.

3.3v Rail:


5.0v rail:


12v Rail:


Conclusion:
There is no getting away from the Antec TruePower 1200 OC Edition power supply being a nice addition to the Antec family. It has more on tap than the normal user will ever need, while providing ample overhead for extreme benchers too. Multi-GPU setups are catered for by this single unit for all the GFX cards you could ever use and the most power hungry CPU's on the market to date.


Does the Antec unit bring unconditional overclocking gains to all systems though? This is a tough one to call. I certainly did not find any gains using this power supply over the Corsair but this could just be my inability to overclock well or the fact that the hardware used topping out before the quality for the 12V rail of this PSU really comes into play. The lack of having an extra EPS 12v Line on the Rampage II could have also been a factor, but without other motherboards at hand to cross compare it’s difficult to make a blanket statement. What does seem evident though is that most good PSU’s will allow the same level of overclock on a CPU so long as the power rails are within their comfort zone. I only really noticed a difference in raw CPU frequency between the Antec and Corsair units when I started to pull more than (37amps) from the EPS 12V line.

The Antec TruePower 1200 OC Edition power supply has the bling factor but until a real load test is performed using calibrated equipment I honestly cannot say if this power supply is any better or worse then what we have already seen in market place to date. Sure, there are some nice touches like the fan speed controller and 12v line adjustment, but one has to ask if a bigger fan might have not been a better option rather than going for a noisy 80mm type.


The fact is that most overclockers tend to use more than one PSU when pushing multi GPU cards to the limits with LN2 cooling, at which point each PSU is usually well within its comfort zone. This ensures that every component can be pushed to the limits without the PSU playing a part due to a lack of current or poor transient response. It is however quite possible that a single Antec PSU may suffice in such situations instead; you’ve got 1600w of peak power here, something few PSU’s can boast.

Pros:
All the cable points you could ever want, you will never be left wanting extra cable plugs for your hardware.
Fan and 12v line controller.
Enough power to run the empire state building.
Will add the bling factor to any setup.


Cons:
Noisy cooling fan when running full speed.
No power on/off switch.
Lack of technical information in the manual.
Cable protection would be a nice touch around PSU hole where cables are coming out.

 

[psd99]

wow thanks for those pictures

very nice

 

[sacha35]

wow thanks for those pictures

very nice

Thanks for your comment, this one was going to be hard to review as not having a load bank to hand it was always going to be hard to see just how good this unit is.

On the whole the PSU is very well made and has all the cables points you could ever want for any setup, as to date this has got to be one of the most powerfulest PSU's out there.

This is a good strong PSU and if you're in the market for a new PSU then this PSU has to be a strong contender because of what it offers.

 

[Marine Iguana]

Ooh nice review

I want one of these as i currently use the 1000w model and it is faultless.

 

[Geek.]

nice review many thanks
geek.

 

[Nick1881]

Good review.

Shame it only uses an 80mm fan.

I had to lol at the capacitor stuck on the end of the cable, surely that won't do anything, they are probably usually left on the inside. Gimmicks like that put me right off.

 

[sacha35]

Ooh nice review

I want one of these as i currently use the 1000w model and it is faultless.

nice review many thanks
geek.

Good review.

Shame it only uses an 80mm fan.

I had to lol at the capacitor stuck on the end of the cable, surely that won't do anything, they are probably usually left on the inside. Gimmicks like that put me right off.

Thanks for your comment guys, the caps will help believe it or not, when a part of the system is fully loaded the PSU has to keep that charge maintained for the duration of that load so fluctuations in supply load can happen, by having the caps at the end of the cables there is less chance also of voltage droop and because there caps are here they are it will help to maintain the full voltage when the system is fully loaded.

This PSU is better suited to high end systems that will be overclocked high or have a lot of other hardware connected where it is important to maintain a stable voltage to all parts of the system.

 

[sacha35]

Here are some pictures for you all to see the build quality of the unit, as to what it can and cannot do again is very hard to say without a lab test, know assumptions can be made on what is better until a proper test has been carried out

The PWM controller on the Antec OC Edition ranges from 10% to 100% , where the normal voltage fan control range from only 30% to 90% .

so ,when used in normal operation the system power consumption will be under 30% of which the PSU will working at its quietest state of ( 500rpm , normal fan around 1000rpm). But if the overclocker or gamer want to use the power supply at full load, the fan can be adjusted to 100% speed and quickly exhaust the hot air.

I think no top user will care what the noise level is in use but for a normal user it could be a little annoying when running full speed.

 

[ejr22]

Nice pics.

What would you recommend as an alternative?

 

[sacha35]

Review from Jonnyguru for the non OC edition
http://www.jonnyguru.com/modules.php?name=NDReviews&op=Story&reid=177

 

[hux]

Nice review but i much prefer my 1100w tagan bz psu.

 

[Vision]

Oo good review.

 

[thevet]

Nice pics.

What would you recommend as an alternative?

Thermaltake

 

[sacha35]

Nice review but i much prefer my 1100w tagan bz psu.

Why? yes they are good but what would you say is better.

 

[hux]

Just small features like how it's 100% hipot tested, the cabling looks to be better the fans are automatic and very quiet.

Plus the six rails can combine into one if need be, or the extra ground wire to reduce the chance of any noise, very important if your an audiophile.

Im not saying mine is that much better more of a preference plus i've never liked the stripes on em anyway.

I had and took apart a 1000w dxx enermax galaxy, now the soldering on that was shocking which really surprised me given the price they were at the time.

When you're looking at high end psu's it's all a muchness's really and more down to which you prefer the look of, they are all very capable.

Actually scratch that im preferring the cabling on the antec, might go about re-sleeving mine at some point.

 

[sacha35]

if you take a look at the review http://www.jonnyguru.com/modules.php?name=NDReviews&op=Story&reid=177 the 1200w none OC edition PSU nearly got gold in the tests which is the best i have seen, will be intresting to see how well the 1200w OC edition PSu does as that is the one i reviewd one if JG ever tests it.

 

[Greebo]

Nice that you can ramp the 12v rails to 12.6v. I find that this helps a lot in reaching the extremes of overclocking. My pc power & cooling had adjustable pots albeit with the need to use a screwdriver.

 

[sacha35]

Nice that you can ramp the 12v rails to 12.6v. I find that this helps a lot in reaching the extremes of overclocking. My pc power & cooling had adjustable pots albeit with the need to use a screwdriver.

It helps when you are right on the limit.