Who's Who In Power Supplies, 2011: Brands Vs. Manufacturers

[Guest]

Do you think that all power supplies are manufactured by the brand on the label? Think again. We show what makes a good PSU and reveal who builds them. You can actually find lots of quality (instead of just scrap metal) behind some of the budget labels.

Who's Who In Power Supplies, 2011: Brands Vs. Manufacturers : Read more

 

[rolli59]

Great article!

 

[Darkerson]

I really wish I would have had something like this years ago, but either way this was a great treasure trove of useful info. Thanks!

 

[_Pez_]

Now i'm afraid of every PSU out there... :X .. awesome work now I'll be more careful when selecting a PSU I will check everything in that moment like some sort of paranoia. ja ja LOL !

 

[chefboyeb]

I have a Rosewill 950-DB and it's been working excellently for over a year now... How safe am I?

 

[Tamz_msc]

Channel well is pretty good.You have great PSUs from them for both Antec and Corsair.

 

[shades_aus]

That explains why my ANTEC power supplies have died. Although some were made by Seasonic, they were NOT designed by Seasonic.

 

[PreferLinux]

As you were told with the last one, chokes do not mean passive PFC. They will be present in the filters (all of them, including input) of any PSU.

 

[The Greater Good]

Ummm, Seasonic does make their own PSUs.

 

[avatar_raq]

"For those companies that don't manufacture their own products, such as HEC and Seasonic"

Huh? Since when Seasonic is not the maker of their products?
Nice article and much needed. Thanks

 

[PreferLinux]

[citation][nom]shades_aus[/nom]That explains why my ANTEC power supplies have died. Although some were made by Seasonic, they were NOT designed by Seasonic.[/citation]
The ones in question were probably older ones with cheap caps that failed. And probably made by one of the lesser companies there too.

 

[The Greater Good]

At least I thought they did... what ever. They're still damn good.

 

[yyk71200]

[citation][nom]Tamz_msc[/nom]Channel well is pretty good.You have great PSUs from them for both Antec and Corsair.[/citation]
I am not sure that Channel Well is that great. I had Antec Smartpower 2.0 die on me. Currently I own EarthWatts 500D from delta. Read that this is a decent unit.

 

[Tamz_msc]

I am not sure that Channel Well is that great. I had Antec Smartpower 2.0 die on me. Currently I own EarthWatts 500D from delta. Read that this is a decent unit.

That can happen and I'm sorry for you.But the fact is that there are quite a few PSUs form them for Antec and Corsair that have received great reviews form sites like jonnyguru.

 

[dirtmountain]

Excellent article, also worth a read is this one by hardware secrets.
http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/article/How-to-Discover-Your-Power-Supplys-Real-Manufacturer/370
When i want the best power supply for any system i'm building my first choice is Seasonic.

 

[yyk71200]

[citation][nom]Tamz_msc[/nom]That can happen and I'm sorry for you.But the fact is that there are quite a few PSUs form them for Antec and Corsair that have received great reviews form sites like jonnyguru.[/citation]
Perhaps you are right. It have been years ago when it died. I even used Thermaltake Purepower for a few years after that before I purchased EarthWatts. Thermaltake still kicking but I decided that it was time to change. Anyway, things change and I decided to give Antec a second shot. I would say, the best advice would be to read reviews and not just any reviews where they just use PSUs in a system, but reviews where they measure voltage regulation, DC quality, ripple, etc. and open units to see if there is turd inside, or something worthy.

 

[eszaqsc]

mine is thermaltake TR2-900w (TR2 900 AP) W0175RE to be exactly, i buy it at 65$USD, is it a good or not ???

 

[gsacks]

When I replaced a crappy 500W power supply bought online from Fry's with a Corsair 520W supply built by Seasonic (from the egg), a few years ago the system almost miraculously became 100% more stable. I will never skimp on a power supply again. EVER.

 

[iam2thecrowe]

One of the interesting things i see here, for example is the Thermaltake section. Depending on model you could buy a Litepower or TR2 series and be getting it from one of 3 different manufacturers! Just goes to show you cant jut look at a series and assume they are all made the same. A 600w unit might get a good review but if you get the 500w you may be getting a dud.... Awesome article toms!

 

[Makere]

Could you please post a sortable list also? I would like to sort by the OEM, to see more easily who sells certain OEM's products.

 

[spyder271]

I'm not sure I know how to effectifly use this list. How do I know which manufactures build quality units? For example, OCZ uses both Channel Well (supposedly good) and topower (supposedly bad). Is there a way to know which manufactures are to be avoided without first buying the unit? I know the general guidelines, but how do I use this list to help?

 

[belardo]

Its kind of easy...

DON'T BUY CHEAP CRAPPY power supplies. A $20 500watt PSU is crap. A $40 350watt PSU from Antec will be far more reliable. Better PSUs have protection, they also weigh more.

But NOT all $50+ PSUs are good. Relabled PSUs for Bestbuy (razorfish rocketfish some stupid name) are EXPENSIVE and CRAPPY.

About the CHEAPEST PSU I recommend and use for people on a budget: Thermaltake TR400, about $35~40 online or in stores. Its quiet and reliable for basic computers. Otherwise, I go with Seasonic or Corsair actually at the $70~100 price range.

Shaking head, thinking of people who spend $300 on a video card and yet somehow expect a $25 PSU to actually work.

 

[iam2thecrowe]

[citation][nom]spyder271[/nom]I'm not sure I know how to effectifly use this list. How do I know which manufactures build quality units? For example, OCZ uses both Channel Well (supposedly good) and topower (supposedly bad). Is there a way to know which manufactures are to be avoided without first buying the unit? I know the general guidelines, but how do I use this list to help?[/citation]
topower actually make some very very good units, and also some very average units. As a manufacturer, they are good quality, but if theyre making someone elses design, and its a bad design, it wont matter who makes it.

 

[cangelini]

[citation][nom]PreferLinux[/nom]As you were told with the last one, chokes do not mean passive PFC. They will be present in the filters (all of them, including input) of any PSU.[/citation]

Just looked into this: the problem was the translation from German. I just edited to make that passage more specific.

Thanks,
Chris

 

[Noworldorder]

Stunning that Lepa, a top of the line Enermax label was omitted!!!!!!