I just have to write a huge warning to anyone who is considering buying an Antec power supply. Yes they have been given rave reviews right here on Tom's, but don't fall for it.

Just so no one wonders, I have been installing and building systems for over 15 years, and have built and set up hundreds of systems.

I bought an Antec power supply along with one of their high-end server cases, and proceeded to install a $3,500 system into it. Upon powering up the system for the first time, the power supply made a loud grinding noise and started to shoot flame and produced electrical arcing and smoke. I immediately flipped the switch off, removed the faulty power supply, and installed one from a working system, but it was too late, the system was fried. I looked into the casing of the Antec supply and saw that the capacitors had exploded. The entire system that I had installed only draws 250 WATT max, but the supply was rated for 450 WATT!

I called Antec and got an RMA and explained what happened, and they told me to send the entire system to them to be tested and they would replace the damaged parts...

I did, and after a month I emailed them to see what the status was. The guy wrote back and said: "Woops, we forgot to work on your system and it has been sitting in a corner. We'll get right on it". After another month, I emailed them again, and the same guy wrote back: "Woops, we dropped the ball, we forgot to work on it. We'll get right on it". After another month I wrote yet again and asked what the heck was going on with my system! The Antec guy wrote back and said "We'll get on it right away." After ANOTHER MONTH I wrote to Antec and they didn't respond. I wrote again and told them if they weren't going to ever do anything, to just at least return my computer to me! Still no response from Antec. After TWO MORE MONTHS I was about to take legal action and report my computer stolen if they did not return it to me. And the day before I was going to do this, they finally returned the system to me with a new Antec power supply (same type -which I had no intention of using by that point). <b><i>A grand total of 6 months!!!</i></b>

The system had a printed checklist to show that they had tested everything and found it OK, but the system still doesn't work!

<b>
NEVER AGAIN!!!

JUST SAY "NO" TO ANTEC!!!</b>

I'm sure there are many people who will -like always- pipe-up and say that they "have an Antec power supply, but haven't had any problems". That <i><b>DOESN'T MEAN ANYTHING</b></i>, because if you are one of the unlucky ones who get the power supply that is slight lower quality then Antec's average ones, then <i><b>YOU ARE SCREWED</b></i>! The fact that this happens shows me that they cut corners and live on the edge with their power supply hardware. If you have one that works, it's only because it's just barely holding together. Never entrust Antec with your expensive system! It's NOT worth it!

Oh, and if anyone doesn't believe this story, I will be happy to post the entire multi-page email correspondence between me and Antec -to prove it!

Do yourself a favor and buy a REAL power supply from an American manufacturer like <b><font color=green>PC Power and Cooling</font color=green></b> <A HREF="http://www.pcpowercooling.com" target="_new">http://www.pcpowercooling.com</A>

Why doesn't Tom's ever review them? They would completely bury the crappy Taiwanese power supplies Tom's usually reviews.



<b><font color=green> Have a day </font color=green></b>

It is my understanding that if you want Tom's to review something it needs to be sent to them. I have read before that some products they wished to review they couldn't because the manufacturers didn't answer the call.

Besides, after your experience would you trust a Tom's review ever again?


....WW (5.1)

I have a Antec 350W that has been in use for over three years. The machine is used for gaming.

I have always had good luck with them

i use an antec 460w in one of my compy, and a antec 420w in another and i have never had any problem with either, even get the right voltages and everything, maybe you got a bad one, but hey like you said sucks for you and not for me, ehh.

I got a 3 yr old TruePower 430 and a new TP550...
Both are strong performers.

Most of my Antec power supplies have had problems, but I've never owned a True Power, just their cheaper lines.

The reason I believe they came up with the name True Power was to indicate that their upper line really did make the power claimed, as opposed to their other power supplies that did not.

Quite right.

But their True Powers were a good line.

Of course, I use the past tense. Oh, my system is an Antec power supply (and case) and I love it. But I've been reading more and more and a heck of a lot more lately of quality control issues from Antec in the last year or so. I think Antec has really been dropping the ball lately. I don't think I'd buy from them again. I don't want to take that risk. But in the past, when I did, I loved them.

I musta lucked up, my month old $75 TruePower 550 is stable and very little fluctuations... Running 4 SATA drives, 2gigs RAM, Opteron 175 and X1800XT

Well, see, there you go. It's a good system and all, but it isn't exactly pushing that PSU to its limits. Plenty of people doing SLI and dualcore have been having problems, from what I've read.

Edit:

Actually, I think it's probably the SLI that does it in most cases.

I think you might just got bad luck with the tech you deal with. I have 8 systems in total, and 6 of them has antec power supply in them. From top of the line to OEM versions.. I have them all. I had experienced two problems before, first time is the new NeoHE 550W with my Asus A8N32-Sli mobo... it seems like I got the defect ps the first time, I emailed antec's tech support and I got useful answers the very next day.. I have to say, I am very impressed with the tech support. The second one that died on me is because the area where I left it was way too dusty, and that cause it to break down.. that I have nothing to complain, because every psu would turn out the same way.
What I'm saying is not because they're a taiwanese company so that's why they suck.. you have to remember that their tech support is in the states for north america consumers. Also more than 50% of computer parts companies are from taiwan (Silverstone, thermaltake, Asus, Enermax, the list goes on)... so according to what you say, you might as well stop working with computers all together.

I have not seen that about Antec. I'll keep that in mind. But I've had no problems with the 430 Truepower for the past 2.5 years.

I beg to differ silver, and overclocked 15% to boot, I come up with over 500watts max needed. The 4 SATAII hard drives are about 90 to 100 watts alone...

Like they say shit happens....
I own a Antec smart power2.0 450w on a o/c computer 4 hdd no problem , no heat.

One of my friend fried a enermax with a x850pro and bought a antec smart power 2.0 500w no problem no heat....the second fan never goes on...

One of my colegue at work worship Antec...no comments..


But i trust you for the bad after sales service it is mostly bad everywere :?

Erm...you guys do realize this thread was started nearly 8 months ago. Perhaps things have changed a little bit.