Antec PSU a good buy?

Double07 · 15 Apr 2019 at 00:49

Considering https://www.overclockers.co.uk/antec-hcg-gold-850w-80-plus-gold-modular-power-supply-ca-24y-an.html which looks a good price.

Reviews seem to be good, anyone have any direct experience and can comment on it, or similar model?

Ta

tamzzy · 15 Apr 2019 at 01:28

antec hcg is based off the seasonic focus plus, which is a well-regarded psu platform.
(i've got the seasonic focus plus 650w - can recommend it hands down)

jonnyguru (granddaddy of psu review sites) review: http://www.jonnyguru.com/blog/2017/09/18/seasonic-focus-plus-850-gold-power-supply/

Performance (40% of the final score)– this is going to be a cakewalk for Seasonic. We were promised tight 3% voltage regulation by the box, and we got mythic level instead with an average of 0.32% in the hot box. No points lost for that. Power on spike testing showed no power on spikes, so no points off for that. Efficiency did clear Gold at all times, so no deduction there, either. Finally, ripple and noise was below 25mV on all rails, so we’ve got a clean sweep here today.10.

Functionality (20% of the final score)– again with the in cable capacitors. While they do help ripple suppression go from merely excellent to amazing, they do cause issues with cable management. Half a point goes away there. Another half point goes away for the documentation, but again… not a big issue there. Everything else about this unit was hunky dory. Like the rest of this line has been.9.

Value (20% of the final score) – $109.99 is the going rate at NewEgg right now. That is the same price as the EVGA B3 850W, and all of the other competing units are more expensive. Game over.10.

Build Quality (20% of the final score) – no issues here at all.10.

Double07 · 15 Apr 2019 at 02:02

Yeah I had read that so I'm assuming that is very similar to the Seasonic models, maybe not entirely as good but pretty close, which you would think given the slight price differential.

tamzzy · 15 Apr 2019 at 02:06

It's the same innards. So I can't see why performance should be any different.
Maybe the cooling fan is different though

pastymuncher · 15 Apr 2019 at 11:36

About the only difference is the casing, the internals are the same and so is the fan. It's a absolute steal at that price.

Plec · 15 Apr 2019 at 13:02

pastymuncher said:
About the only difference is the casing, the internals are the same and so is the fan. It's a absolute steal at that price.

Yep, i'm a hairs breadth from pulling the trigger on the 850 for my future Ryzen 2 build. The only PITA is that i would have to strip out one of my systems to test - small price to pay for savings.

*@pastymuncher - my biweekly treat browsing the PSU forum.

tamzzy · 15 Apr 2019 at 13:08

Plec said:
Yep, i'm a hairs breadth from pulling the trigger on the 850 for my future Ryzen 2 build

#justdoit #nike

Double07 · 16 Apr 2019 at 05:03

tamzzy said:
#justdoit #nike

I #justdoneit

Plec · 16 Apr 2019 at 14:55

tamzzy said:
#justdoit #nike

Succumbed to peer pressure - my mother warned me of this.

Despite my concerns about its compact size/noise (it was the grill that concerned me for airflow) - i've ordered it - price just too hard to resist.

Double07 said:
I #justdoneit

We'll have to compare notes - i'm used to Seasonic, so should be more of the same for me...

Double07 · 16 Apr 2019 at 15:10

Plec said:
Succumbed to peer pressure - my mother warned me of this.

Despite my concerns about its compact size/noise (it was the grill that concerned me for airflow) - i've ordered it - price just too hard to resist.

We'll have to compare notes - i'm used to Seasonic, so should be more of the same for me...

Im used to potential timebombs as it's an area I have always scrimped on. Silly I know but it's a common tale of spending a crap ton (relatively speaking for me) on components like CPU/GPU and then buying the cheapest crap PSU to run them and then wondering what went wrong

Hopefully this will do me a few years without any worries on that front.

Plec · 16 Apr 2019 at 15:22

Double07 said:
Im used to potential timebombs as it's an area I have always scrimped on. Silly I know but it's a common tale of spending a crap ton (relatively speaking for me) on components like CPU/GPU and then buying the cheapest crap PSU to run them and then wondering what went wrong Hopefully this will do me a few years without any worries on that front.

Sounds like your machine will stop whimpering in the corner thanks to the Antec firesale

You'll really appreciate even the external build/leads of a quality PSU. They really try and make the unboxing experience validate the premium you've paid for probably the most uninspiring, yet important component. You also get little extras like: zip ties, cloth bags and crappy stickers that no one in their right mind would stick anywhere on a decent case.

Double07 · 16 Apr 2019 at 16:09

Plec said:
Sounds like your machine will stop whimpering in the corner thanks to the Antec firesale

You'll really appreciate even the external build/leads of a quality PSU. They really try and make the unboxing experience validate the premium you've paid for probably the most uninspiring, yet important component. You also get little extras like: zip ties, cloth bags and crappy stickers that no one in their right mind would stick anywhere on a decent case.

Yeah about time I bought a decent one. Now all I need to do it find out where to get these flipping spacers for this cooler so I can use it on AM4 socket. I swear Ill never buy anything by cooler master again given they want me to spend 13 quid of 4 flipping spacers!!!!

tamzzy · 16 Apr 2019 at 16:18

Double07 said:
I #justdoneit

Plec said:
Succumbed to peer pressure - my mother warned me of this.

Despite my concerns about its compact size/noise (it was the grill that concerned me for airflow) - i've ordered it - price just too hard to resist.

I've got a focus plus and it's pretty quiet.

Plec · 16 Apr 2019 at 16:38

tamzzy said:
I've got a focus plus and it's ~~pretty~~ quiet.

Too late for added caveats

Double07 said:
I swear Ill never buy anything by cooler master again given they want me to spend 13 quid of 4 flipping spacers!!!!

If it's the CM 212(?) - if funds allow - I would consider selling it and adding the £13 towards another cooler. It means spending more money but it's a great cooler for the money (Noctua NH-D15, performance good):

My basket at Overclockers UK:

1 x Scythe SCMG-5100 Mugen 5 Rev.B CPU Cooler= £42.95

Double07 · 16 Apr 2019 at 16:44

Plec said:
Too late for added caveats

If it's the CM 212(?) - if funds allow - I would consider selling it and adding the £13 towards another cooler. It means spending more money but it's a great cooler for the money (Noctua NH-D15, performance good):

My basket at Overclockers UK:

1 x Scythe SCMG-5100 Mugen 5 Rev.B CPU Cooler= £42.95

Yeah its the 212 which I know isnt great but its adequate for what I need and its just so annoying that for the sake of 4 spacers I cant use it. The kit is only a fiver from CM but when you add on the shipping its 13 quid which does seem rather pointless as you say and would be better spent elsewhere. Cannot find it anywhere in the UK. I have one of the spacers here but I have no clue if its something that I could get from the likes of RS Components who do sell a lot fo spacers, etc but I dunno the sizes, etc even though I have it in front of me

I asked CM for the details on the spacer to see if I could source it here and they basically just said, nah we dont know haha.

Contacted sales and the Scythe cooler will be back in stock in 1-2 weeks so Ill just pick one up then and be done with it.

Plec · 17 Apr 2019 at 16:32

My Haribo have arrived in a large box!

Won't be able to open them until tonight/tomorrow :/

That is of course unless there's only a stupid gold standard PSU in there - i've been Haribo deprived before...

Double07 · 17 Apr 2019 at 19:50

Plec said:
My Haribo have arrived in a large box!

Won't be able to open them until tonight/tomorrow :/

That is of course unless there's only a stupid gold standard PSU in there - i've been Haribo deprived before...

I ordered a case with the PSU and the case is out of stock, and given I paid by paypal they cant do partial shipments so Ill just have to wait. Oh well I guess I can get round to doing some housework then, that pile of dishes is getting a bit massive and I can only live on pot noodles for so long!

Plec · 17 Apr 2019 at 20:26

Double07 said:
I ordered a case with the PSU and the case is out of stock, and given I paid by paypal they cant do partial shipments so Ill just have to wait.

What case have you upgraded to?

Double07 said:
that pile of dishes is getting a bit massive

That's what all that Tetris training was for - harness those years of 8 bit gaming.

Double07 · 17 Apr 2019 at 20:42

Plec said:
What case have you upgraded to?

That's what all that Tetris training was for - harness those years of 8 bit gaming.

Just went for a Fractal Meshify C. Dont mention Tetris, my gf is currently addicted to Tetris 99 on the Switch, all I hear is the Tetris music when she is in!

Plec · 17 Apr 2019 at 21:09

Double07 said:
Just went for a Fractal Meshify C.

Big fan of Fractal cases - built a lot around the Define series, excellent quality too. Not seen that one in the flesh yet - i doubt you'll be disappointed.

Double07 said:
Dont mention Tetris, my gf is currently addicted to Tetris 99 on the Switch, all I hear is the Tetris music when she is in!

Direct her towards the dishes and loop the Testris music through the kitchen...