[SOLVED] PSU (better capacitors + worse fan)......vs......PSU (worse capacitors + better fan)

[worstalentscout]

i'm considering between ......Super Flower Leadex III 550w (full modular).......vs......Seasonic Core GM 550w (semi modular).......

the Leadex III has Japanese capacitors (main board + modular back panel) and Grade A Taiwanese capacitors (modular back panel).......but has a fluid dynamic bearing fan........................the Core GM use 100% Japanese capacitors.........but has a sleeve bearing fan...........

i'm worried the Core GM's sleeve bearing fan will break down 1st........but it has 100% Japanese capacitors...........but isn't the Leadex supposed to be competing against the higher model Seasonic Focus series ?

also, there are capacitors on the cables........so i'll need to replace the cables when the capacitors die off ?

 

[madmatt30]

You're over thinking, the leadex 3 is superior full stop.

Taiwanese caps are still good and besides they're only used for the modular connecting board not the main board (as if it actually matters).

The caps on the cables are not going to wear out and even if they did all it means is they end up disabled (the cables will still work).

Given the choice at a similar price I would pick the superflower every single time (which I did).

 

[Newtonius]

Go with the super flower, both the fan and capacitors will last you more than a decade worth of functionality, by the time your worries of the cables dying comes you'll already be due for an upgrade. No use worrying about those issues - as long as there's no manufacturing fault with the device itself, which no major reviewers or buyers claims there are, then you should be good to go with the super flower.

 

[worstalentscout]

You're over thinking, the leadex 3 is superior full stop.

Taiwanese caps are still good and besides they're only used for the modular connecting board not the main board (as if it actually matters).

The caps on the cables are not going to wear out and even if they did all it means is they end up disabled (the cables will still work).

Given the choice at a similar price I would pick the superflower every single time (which I did).

many thanks indeed..........yes, i'm very prone to over-thinking.......and think too far into the future...........

 

[worstalentscout]

Go with the super flower, both the fan and capacitors will last you more than a decade worth of functionality, by the time your worries of the cables dying comes you'll already be due for an upgrade. No use worrying about those issues - as long as there's no manufacturing fault with the device itself, which no major reviewers or buyers claims there are, then you should be good to go with the super flower.

many thanks indeed

great to know the above

 

[Juular]

Leadex III what ? Gold or Bronze ? Considering that you're comparing it with Seasonic Core, probably the latter. In that case, i can't really say anything about either. Capacitors or fans alone don't matter much, you need to evaluate the whole design, and there are zero proper reviews on either (and none reviews at all on Leadex III Pro Bronze actually). But if it's actually Leadex III Gold then it's a superior unit, i agree.

 

[worstalentscout]

Leadex III what ? Gold or Bronze ? Considering that you're comparing it with Seasonic Core, probably the latter. In that case, i can't really say anything about either. Capacitors or fans alone don't matter much, you need to evaluate the whole design, and there are zero proper reviews on either (and none reviews at all on Leadex III Pro Bronze actually). But if it's actually Leadex III Gold then it's a superior unit, i agree.

it's gold.......didn't realize there's a bronze version.......

and locally, the Leadex Gold is only 5-year warranty......Seasonic Core has 7-year warranty.........the 5-year warranty is another thing to worry about ??

 

[jonnyguru]

i'm considering between ......Super Flower Leadex III 550w (full modular).......vs......Seasonic Core GM 550w (semi modular).......

the Leadex III has Japanese capacitors (main board + modular back panel) and Grade A Taiwanese capacitors (modular back panel).......but has a fluid dynamic bearing fan........................the Core GM use 100% Japanese capacitors.........but has a sleeve bearing fan...........

i'm worried the Core GM's sleeve bearing fan will break down 1st........but it has 100% Japanese capacitors...........but isn't the Leadex supposed to be competing against the higher model Seasonic Focus series ?

also, there are capacitors on the cables........so i'll need to replace the cables when the capacitors die off ?

Why do you think "Japanese brand" capacitors are actually better?

Seriously. A PSU is more than a box of capacitors. The Core is garbage. The Superflower is far superior in every single way.

 

[lvt]

Personally I'm more worry about the fan than the capacitors.

 

[Barcod]

Why do you think "Japanese brand" capacitors are actually better?

Seriously. A PSU is more than a box of capacitors. The Core is garbage. The Superflower is far superior in every single way.

Have you tested the Core? I'm very suspicious that they don't send samples 😛

 

[DSzymborski]

I guarantee that JG knows exactly how PSUs work. Better than anyone you or I have ever met or ever will meet.

 

[worstalentscout]

I guarantee that JG knows exactly how PSUs work. Better than anyone you or I have ever met or ever will meet.

yes......i'm well aware of the legendary PSU tier list at jonnyguru.com forum..........what happened to it ?........the forum disappeared ?

 

[worstalentscout]

Why do you think "Japanese brand" capacitors are actually better?

Seriously. A PSU is more than a box of capacitors. The Core is garbage. The Superflower is far superior in every single way.

well, it seems that people are always raving about Japanese caps as being far superior to Taiwan caps.......the good thing is the Leadex has fluid bearing fan too..........otherwise, another thing to headache about.......

i was considering between Super Flower Legion series ......vs.......Seasonic Core series.......i was thinking the Core was better........then i found a good offer for the Leadex III but the warranty is 2 years less than the Core (5yr for the Leadex, 7 yr for the Core)............

 

[DSzymborski]

Going back 15-20 years, there were issues of capacitor rot that affected a lot of caps from Taiwan. That's not really an issue anymore and caps like Teapo or widely used in excellent PSUs. Part of the suspicion generally is that PSUs aren't reviewed that many places properly, and when there's scant knowledge about the PSU involved, cheap capacitors tend to be a sign of a cheap PSU. It's a bit like Van Halen and their clause that they would get no brown M&Ms in their dressing room. It's not that they hated brown M&Ms but that it was a quick way to see if the contracts were being honored. Some of the cheaper makers have caught onto this and will just slap Japanese capacitors in a cheap system and publicize that part of it.

Teapo caps are fine and the ones on the modular board themself are not as big a deal as capacitors elsewhere. I'd still be suspicious if there were some dirt-cheap mystery Chinese capacitors, but there's no reason to worry about Teapo.

 

[Juular]

Some of the cheaper makers have caught onto this and will just slap Japanese capacitors in a cheap system and publicize that part of it.

Not only that. A design has a fixed budget, because the manufacturer/brand expects some specific margin selling it, and calculates MSRP accordingly. So in order to meet the budget on already cheap design, if you're gonna slap more expensive Jap caps on it - there would be costdown in other parts, ones that may actually matter more, like power semiconductors. If you see Jap caps in a cheap, budget PSU it's not a sign of it's high quality at all, more like on the contrary.

 

[worstalentscout]

Not only that. A design has a fixed budget, because the manufacturer/brand expects some specific margin selling it, and calculates MSRP accordingly. So in order to meet the budget on already cheap design, if you're gonna slap more expensive Jap caps on it - there would be costdown in other parts, ones that may actually matter more, like power semiconductors. If you see Jap caps in a cheap, budget PSU it's not a sign of it's high quality at all, more like on the contrary.

many thanks for the good info......

 

[worstalentscout]

Going back 15-20 years, there were issues of capacitor rot that affected a lot of caps from Taiwan. That's not really an issue anymore and caps like Teapo or widely used in excellent PSUs. Part of the suspicion generally is that PSUs aren't reviewed that many places properly, and when there's scant knowledge about the PSU involved, cheap capacitors tend to be a sign of a cheap PSU. It's a bit like Van Halen and their clause that they would get no brown M&Ms in their dressing room. It's not that they hated brown M&Ms but that it was a quick way to see if the contracts were being honored. Some of the cheaper makers have caught onto this and will just slap Japanese capacitors in a cheap system and publicize that part of it.

Teapo caps are fine and the ones on the modular board themself are not as big a deal as capacitors elsewhere. I'd still be suspicious if there were some dirt-cheap mystery Chinese capacitors, but there's no reason to worry about Teapo.

many thanks indeed.......that will put my mind at ease........i never even knew PSU are so important at all till couple months back.......

 

[jonnyguru]

So.. funny thing about Japanese capacitors. They're not Japanese. Because everything is made in China now, it made sense to have the entire supply chain in China. So Japanese companies partnered with Chinese capacitor manufacturers to make capacitors under their brand. Of course, since nothing is sacred in China, these same companies also make their own brand capacitors using all of the same parts, technology, equipment, etc. as their Japanese customers. It's been this way for maybe... at least 10 years?

The only caps that are actually Japanese made are solids.

 

[worstalentscout]

So.. funny thing about Japanese capacitors. They're not Japanese. Because everything is made in China now, it made sense to have the entire supply chain in China. So Japanese companies partnered with Chinese capacitor manufacturers to make capacitors under their brand. Of course, since nothing is sacred in China, these same companies also make their own brand capacitors using all of the same parts, technology, equipment, etc. as their Japanese customers. It's been this way for maybe... at least 10 years?

The only caps that are actually Japanese made are solids.

i see.......many thanks indeed !

 

[worstalentscout]

So.. funny thing about Japanese capacitors. They're not Japanese. Because everything is made in China now, it made sense to have the entire supply chain in China. So Japanese companies partnered with Chinese capacitor manufacturers to make capacitors under their brand. Of course, since nothing is sacred in China, these same companies also make their own brand capacitors using all of the same parts, technology, equipment, etc. as their Japanese customers. It's been this way for maybe... at least 10 years?

The only caps that are actually Japanese made are solids.

very sorry to ask one last question............

where i'm from - the Super Flower Leadex III Gold 550w has only 5-yr warranty while the Asus ROG Strix 550w Gold has 10-yr warranty........

the Asus is supposedly a Seasonic Focus Plus Gold.........so would that be better than the Super Flower ??

since PSU will be discontinued after couple years......how does the 10-yr warranty cover an old model then ??

 

[--SID--]

the Asus is supposedly a Seasonic Focus Plus Gold.........so would that be better than the Super Flower ??

No, the Super Flower is better.

since PSU will be discontinued after couple years......how does the 10-yr warranty cover an old model then ??

Warranty starts at the moment of selling.

 

[worstalentscout]

No, the Super Flower is better.


Warranty starts at the moment of selling.

many thanks......i got confused over the Focus Plus and new Focus models