Antec smartpower 500W.....any good?

[Sandan]

I am looking for a new PSU that won't break the bank and I have a couple of other posts on various brands......Anyway what do you think about the antec smartpower 500W? Link below.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a...37&ATT=17-103-937&CMP=OTC-pr1c3grabb3r

 

[trOver]

antec has been a very stable brand in the psu business, i have had one of there psu's for over 2 years and its still running great. i would strongly recomend it.

 

[orangat]

Not recommended because Antec uses low quality fuhjyyu capacitors in all of its psu lines and Smartpower is at the bottom of the heap in terms of quality behind the Truepower and NeoHE.

Get a good Fortron FSP or Enhance instead.

 

[DrMrLordX]

Agreed, don't touch Antec. You might want to consider Enermax as well. Been hearing a lot of buzz about Enhance lately . . .

 

[Aluvus]

I'd rather have:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16817194012
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16817103464
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16817103018

Or even:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16817103930

For comparable prices.

 

[MrUniq]

If you want Antec with that much wattage you should get a truepower 2

 

[maluckey]

I would avoid Antec, and the lower FSP lines as well. The almighty dollar and profit magin has caused FSP to start using Teapo and Fuhjyyu caps on some of the server units even. I recently fixed an FSP 460 that had a few crap caps.

Finding a quality PSU is harder and harder. Nowadays, expect to pay $$$ for any reliable PSU. By reliable, I don't mean for the duration a a testers regimen, or one year in a perfect environment. I mean three year of abuse in bad evironments.

 

[MrUniq]

Isn't it a crapshoot anyway? I know if you are willing to spend the money then get best of the best..but when looking in the 60-90 dollar range, even though there seems to be some reliable brands in that rangr...those are the highest volume sellers. By the percentages there are bound to be several PSU failures. Last year Enermax seemed to be what everyone was recommending now that has seem to reversed too. Now the 'it' brand is OCZ or FSPs. But compared to the cheap sub 45 dollar PSU's they seem like a solid buy to me. It's kind of like my experience with Western Digital...had many crap on me(some due to my neglegance)...but there are just as many or more who never had a problem withem. I dunno..it's early and I'm drowsy .

Back on topic: Yes, that enermax whisper..i'd recommend that or a truepower 2 (I can only go by my experience b/c mine is the best PSU I've owned).

 

[akshayt]

Antec Smart Power 500 is crap.
it offers a max of 25A @ 12va lines @ 25C!
Get a better psu, something which offers atleast 35A @ 50C, the NeoHE 500 offers 38A continuously at 50C.

 

[Sandan]

Thanks much for all the input.....There are surely well educated computer guru's here at anandtech.....Enermax looks like a good choice. I found this one at Newegg....... http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16817103457 .... It's a 485w noisetaker...Any thoughts?

 

[orangat]

Originally posted by: maluckey
I would avoid Antec, and the lower FSP lines as well. The almighty dollar and profit magin has caused FSP to start using Teapo and Fuhjyyu caps on some of the server units even. I recently fixed an FSP 460 that had a few crap caps.
.......

Was it the cheaper ATX/AX model or was it the FSP model of Fortron which had bad caps?

I recently opened up an old working Seasonic silencer 400W unit and found a big teapo cap with a bunch of smaller OST caps.

 

[savvy]

Well it won't hurt trying it.

 

[maluckey]

Was it the cheaper ATX/AX model or was it the FSP model of Fortron which had bad caps?

Oddly enough, it was a server unit FSP

FSP460 60PFN ATX- GES

 

[orangat]

Originally posted by: savvy
Well it won't hurt trying it.

No. It would be quite daft seeing that Antec generally uses cheap lousy caps and especially since smartpower is the cheapest Antec line.

 

[DrMrLordX]

Originally posted by: Sandan
Thanks much for all the input.....There are surely well educated computer guru's here at anandtech.....Enermax looks like a good choice. I found this one at Newegg....... http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16817103457 .... It's a 485w noisetaker...Any thoughts?

Looks good, though I like their Liberty line a little bit more. Just a little. I can't see anything particularly wrong with the Noisetakers other than the fact that Seasonic's units are probably quieter (at a higher price).

 

[Operandi]

Originally posted by: orangat

Originally posted by: maluckey
I would avoid Antec, and the lower FSP lines as well. The almighty dollar and profit magin has caused FSP to start using Teapo and Fuhjyyu caps on some of the server units even. I recently fixed an FSP 460 that had a few crap caps.
.......

Was it the cheaper ATX/AX model or was it the FSP model of Fortron which had bad caps?

I recently opened up an old working Seasonic silencer 400W unit and found a big teapo cap with a bunch of smaller OST caps.

I wouldn't very concerned about Teapo, both PCP&C and Enhance use Teapo heavily. OST might be a bit of a concern, but then again maybe not, there are certainly much, much worse out there.

It's also worth keeping in mind the actual circuit design of the PSU is also a factor in the reliability of the PSU. A Fuhjyyu in PSU in PSU A could very well last twice as long the same Fuhjyyu cap in PSU B for example.

 

[dBTelos]

What is the specs of the system that your looking to power.

 

[maluckey]

It's also worth keeping in mind the actual circuit design of the PSU is also a factor in the reliability of the PSU. A Fuhjyyu in PSU in PSU A could very well last twice as long the same Fuhjyyu cap in PSU B for example.

Good point except that both the Fujhyyu caps failed. The physical layout put them alongside a well-heated resistor. One leaked, and the other was bulging. The Teapos on the rest of the PSU are not anything to write home about, but the smaller valued ones tend to be OK in my experience. I replaced most all Teapos and any/all Fujyyus.

The main issue is that this unit was intended to be a SERVER unit (ATX-GES). That means it should be MORE reliable and use higher qulity components. It didn't, and failed in short order. No damage to components as with my several Antec failures (see my Antec gripes from a year and a half ago). Back then I was a heretic for slamming Antec, but now its passe. Some are slamming me for complaining about newer FSP badged units....so be it.

Maybe FSP will see the complaints and do something about it.

 

[acegazda]

Originally posted by: savvy
Well it won't hurt trying it.

Actually it could blow up and take all your prized components to the grave, but that won't hurt... no I'd recommend getting an enhance 5150gh for the same price @ ewiz. What are the specs of your rig?

BTW: you've done nothing but 5 word posts today

Edited for bad, bad spelling

 

[w00t]

it's good but you can get better for the price

 

[GalvanizedYankee]

Teapo caps DO NOT have a history of failures when used in SMPSs. They do not serve
mainboard VRMs very well. The big issue with Teapo on mainboards is they can go bad
without any physical signs, no tilting, swelling or venting.

Fuhjyyu are very bad. OST & GSC are not very good. Teapo do quite well in a reasonably
cooled PSU. Sanyo, Panasonic, RubyCon and United/Nippon Chemi-Con are all upper tier.

Study at http://www.badcaps.net/ for full details. Register to view attachments.


...Galvanized

 

[acegazda]

what about capXcon, used in the gamexstreams?

 

[GalvanizedYankee]

Originally posted by: acegazda
what about capXcon, used in the gamexstreams?

I really do not know about the larger CapXcon. "Generally" caps under 1000uF

do not have a highly stressed life. My Enhance is all Teapo, my two Zippy/Emacs are a

mix of RubyCon and United Chemi-Con with all the little guys being CapXcon, if that

means anything (Zippy/Emacs and Delta are about the best server grade PSUs).


acegazda, register and ask over at badcaps.


...Galvanized

 

[HannibalX]

I like Antec for cases and power supplies. I have used them for years without any problems.

 

[YoungGun21]

I heard this XClio 500W was pretty good and its SLI ready

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16817189005